DENVER -- The battle of Los Angeles might just have heated up for the next time the Lakers and Clippers meet.Clippers center Chris Kaman said in an interview with FanHouse after Thursday's 105-85 loss to Denver that Lakers big man Pau Gasol doesn't deserve to be in the All-Star Game.
"I don't think Gasol should be in it at all,'' Kaman said when asked if he would be disappointed if Gasol, who starts at power forward for the Lakers, is slid over to be the backup center when West coaches vote for All-Star reserves. "He's only played like 20 games (he played Thursday in his 25th out of 42 Lakers games) this year. I think there should be a number of games you should play. I think you should have to play like 80 percent of the games.
"It shouldn't be 50 percent (of games a player has logged) over a guy who plays 90 percent and who has better numbers. Not just me. Zach Randolph, a power forward, he has better numbers (than Gasol). But he's not on the Lakers.''
"I don't think he's a center,'' Kaman said.
Kaman believes coaches, who in each conference vote as reserves one center, two forwards, two guards and two other players at any question, should vote for at least one player who starts at center. However, an NBA official has said votes for a player who doesn't start at center but sometimes plays the position, such as Gasol, Randolph and Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, are accepted.
"I think I'm more deserving than Andrew Bynum. I'd be disappointed if they put Pau Gasol in front of me."
- Chris Kaman on his
All-Star chances Regardless of position, Kaman believes he's a more deserving All-Star than Gasol. He also believes he would be a better choice than Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who is averaging 15.4 points and 8.4 rebounds, if coaches voted for a player who starts at center.
"I think I'm more deserving than Andrew Bynum,'' Kaman said. "I'd be disappointed if they put Pau Gasol in front of me. If they put Bynum (ahead of me), it would be disappointing but it would be easier to accept.''
The Clippers are 18-23 and the Lakers are 32-10. But Kaman doesn't believe that should help the All-Star chances of Gasol and Bynum.
"Some people probably go with the records,'' Kaman said. "The Lakers are a hell of a team. Nothing you can really do about it. If I get in, I get in. But I think (my) numbers are better. But my team hasn't won as many games.
"But we also don't have Kobe Bryant on my team either. Put Kobe Bryant on my team or LeBron James on my team -- that's nothing against the guys on my team now -- but, if we had a superstar, it changes the complexion.''
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy agrees Kaman should be an All-Star. He also said he would be disappointed if coaches voted for a power forward to be the backup center."First of all, I don't think any of the power forwards are better than (Kaman),'' Dunleavy said. "I think he's a better power forward than any of the power forwards. So it shouldn't be an issue. His numbers got to be as good as their numbers anyway. I'd be disappointed (if Kaman isn't an All-Star).''
As for the battle of Los Angeles, the Lakers lead the season series 2-1, but Kaman and Gasol have not faced each other in any game. Kaman has played in two of the games, but missed the only one Gasol played. In the duel at center in the two games in which Kaman did appear, he averaged 19.5 points and 15.0 rebounds to 20.5 points and 13.5 rebounds for Bynum. So that was a push.
As for Kaman meeting up with Gasol, the final chance of that happening in the regular season is April 14. But the rivals could duke it out in the first round of the playoffs if the Clippers can make it.
Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson
Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Yea, i agree with Kaman.. Gasol is joke.. he in allstar? what a joke.. i did see the way he play last night, oh man he cant shoot and score only 2 or 3 feet front of rim..
Gasol is no Larry Bird; he is a weak minded piece of wet toast. No heart. No competitive fire. I am ashamed he dons a Laker uniform. Trade him for Boozer or Bosh and let Andrew Bynum get his touches. Gasol is a girly man.
boz, I agree with you. I'm a huge Lakers fan, but Gasol shouldn't be in the All-Star game. And Gasol shouldn't be in at the end of games, Bynum should. Bynum deserves to be in the All-Star game more than Kaman and Gasol, because without Gasol he is averaging about 22 ppg and 12 rpg. Kaman is averaging 20 and 9 on the Clippers where he gets a ton of touches and only 1 other good rebounder on the team.
ABSOLUTELY NOT an all-star. He's a solid player, but come on. Did anybody see how he went up for a layup last night against LeBron with the game on the line? At least he had time to tuck his tail in between his legs before he had the ball stuffed back down his throat.
He'll play well in the all-star game for the same reason he plays well for the Lakers: he's got a boat-load of talent around him.
STEVE NASH cannot carry a team on his back, writers called in an airstrike to get his votes up. Dallas improve after he was traded.. yes! Have you forgot. He cannot stop any player high school coolege or pro. He just has terrible defensive timing, defensive strengh, and is vertically challenged, so he cant be that effective in the paint. NASH can win games like ISAIAH THOMAS who was a dominant point guard. The number of games won has always been the same for his teams. Other than his defense, he may be the only ALLSTAR not MVP, allstar who couldnt get to the NBA FINALS with SHAQ as his CENTER. I only know 2 people who are this sorry. #1 Coach Dale Brown (Shaqs college coach) who couldnt get to finals with NBA talent, and the best guard & center in college ball at the time. 2) STEVE NASH 2 years with shaq and and allstar team and no FINALS. Is this really acceptable to you. You cant be TRUE fans if you LIE like this. Gasol shouldnt be there, Chris Paul is better than NASH is... ask the players who they fear more in the game. NASH is RACIST made for those who dislike BLACKS, i guess because they lied about his stats to push his MVP drive.
I DEFINATELY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT STEVE NASH. I mean how could he have won over McGrady? Just cuz Nash is white? Come on! McGrady won a scoring championship like 6 years ago!! Does that not mean anything? McGrady obviouosly got screwed. What a travesty
I hear McGrady is petitioning the league for the All-Star game to be played in suits, ties, and brogans. You know, the kind of uniform McGrady's most familiar with lately.
You talk about Nash, but what about Kaman? You sound like the RACIST!
Anick: You are a moron, and certainly not a real fan of the NBA. To start, the MVP is a regular season award, so what the fact that he hasn't made the Finals is irrelevant. Also, it's not like he had Shaq on his team when Shaq was in his prime or anything, so that argument is also irrelevant.
The fact that you write random words LIKE THIS makes it hard to take your argument seriously, as does the fact that you're clearly racist scum. Seriously now, go back to whatever rock you crawled out from under with your racist gibberish.
Oh, and I assume you didn't mean to say that 'NASH can win games like ISAIAH THOMAS' (nice spelling, by the way) However, comparing Nash and Thomas is odd, since the one's been retired for a long time and has nothing to do with this discussion. Also, while Nash may not be as great as a player like Isiah Thomas (being that he was an all-time great and all), only a racist-minded person like yourself would deny that Nash has been a great player in his career.
Western Conference centers with better PERs than Chris Kaman (18.42 in 38 games):
1. Greg Oden 23.51 in 21 games
2. Amare Stoudemire 20.54 in 43 games
3. Marc Gasol 20.10 in 41 games
4. Andrew Bynum 19.68 in 40 games
5. Nene 19.39 in 42 games
6. Al Jefferson 19.35 in 41 games
7. Marcus Camby 19.18 in 41 games
I agree, no way nash should be starting.
TRUE: Kaman is more deserving of an all-star spot than Gasol.
TRUE: There are at least 5 forwards more deserving than Kaman.
But at least he finally got his hair cut. I'd put him on the team as a reward since I don't have to see it ever again. But then after some thought, I'd take him off again because he sucks.
Kaman ? sounds like sour grapes to me,
When Pau Gasol is in the line-up with LA
against the Clippers ? LA 9 Clippers 0
without Gasol ? Clippers 2 LA 1 ;
Pau Gasol 2002 ROY in the NBA where were you
Kaman ?
Pau Gasol 2004 European champs ? where were you ?
Pau Gasol 2006 champions of the WORLD , so where
Pau Gasol 2007 MVP in Euro-league and where were you ?
Pau Gasol 2008 join LA, Lakers and they go to the finals ?
Pau Gasol 2009 silver medal with Spain in the olympics and......
Pau Gasol 2009 champions in the NBA and where ..........
Pau Gasol 2009 champions in the elimination round of the world
and Pau Gasol MVP of the world now where were you Kaman ??
Pau Gasol has a bad game on 01-21-2010 against Clevelan , so???
WTF you don't come even close to the best international player
that the NBA ever had counting Diva, Yao and Dirk together, jerk.
Frank,
Sounds to me like PAU should stay in Europe where he is a dominant player.
Frank I LOVE YOU.........lolololololololol. Set these people straight.
The NBA is more international then ever and
Pau was the rookie of the year in 2002 but NOT
in Europe but in the NBA , got it .
One more time, it is becoming very international
ala football ( soccer, worldwide) and the USA is
the mecca of such sport(b-ball) and why don't you
want to see the best players of the world ??? right
in your turf ??? like Pele in the USA ??? or federer
in tennis and so on ..... or maybe Ricky Rubio in the
near future ???
It is like saying to Manny Pacquiao not to fight in the
USA or stay in the phillipines for his fights????
The USA is also the mecca of boxing so that's why the
best boxers come here to show what they got , including
the brothers from Ukraine, bottom line a very stupid comment
from you cdladynight or whatever your name is or better yet
you don't know too much about sports, do you?
Damn Frank.. you must really love Pau Gasol, I mean really.
Amen!
All I can say is the brainfarts are really stinking up this blog.
Gasol is not an allstar? He is one of the most talented complete players in the league. All you haters should get a checkup from the neckup
gasol not an allstar? ya, and kaman is a german national.....stop hating