Pau Gasol criticizes the current NBA: 'The defense has disappeared' / News - Basketnews.com

Pau Gasol thinks that the essence of the game has been lost and the promotion of high-scoring games and lots of shots is detrimental to the NBA.

Credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong - Scanpix Credit AP Photo/Jae C. Hong - Scanpix

Pau Gasol has been out of the NBA for four years. Two years ago, he ended his professional basketball career. However, his bond with the league is still close.

Pau Gasol

Position:PFAge:42Height:213 cmWeight:113 kgBirth place:Barcelona, SpainProfileNewsStatistics

Recently, Gasol's no. 16 jersey got retired by the Los Angeles Lakers. More than a week after the ceremony, he's offered a take on the current NBA.

"I want to think and believe that there are cycles. People like novelty, change. High scores, dynamic play, three-point shots are widely promoted now. That's what's being rewarded now. Even NBA commentators, who have played in the league, say that the defense has disappeared. It doesn't matter anymore," Gasol said to Movistar NBA.

"It's just who scores more now. I don't quite like that the essence of this game is lost, which is playing as a team, moving the ball, creating an inside-outside balance, [playing with] a little more tactics," the former basketball great shared. "Earlier, ff you shot in the first 8 seconds of possession or shot a triple on a counterattack without an offensive rebound, you'd be sent to the bench so you could think about it a little."

Gasol wasn't known as a stout defender during his playing days. However, he played in an era that is being regarded as one of the lowest-scoring eras in recent NBA history.

"I don't know if Marc [Gasol] is less receptive or just as unreceptive as me in this case but we grew up playing a game in which you had to find the best possible shot, in which the ball could touch the hands of all five players, [in which] there was movement and everyone was involved, [where] good energy was created to make a good defensive balance. This is how we grew up... and now it's a mess."

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