Gasol-driven geometry gives Lakers some space

Bringing the Wildest West season into sharper focus . . . slightly . . . the Lakers wiped out the defending NBA champions, 106-85.

In yet another positive, the Spurs not only got to rest Manu Ginobili who had a groin injury, but Tim Duncan and Tony Parker too!

Both left for good 5:20 into the fourth quarter with the Lakers 18 points ahead, on their way to going up by as many as 26.

Mathematicians are still poring over the West standings, but we think the Lakers still have to beat Sacramento Tuesday to officially win the West.

On the positive side for the Lakers, after weeks of waiting for Andrew Bynum . . . apparently with weeks to go . . . they may be the best in the West as they are.

They're 21-5 with Pau Gasol in the lineup, an .808 winning percentage which, projected over a season, would be better than Boston's NBA-best .800.

With Gasol, they go from erratic fits and starts (see: the last three seasons) to sleek efficiency.

In tandem with Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom's reluctance to shoot always seemed to leave Bryant with the predicament of whether to shoot too much or not enough.

However, in a trio with Gasol, Bryant and Odom are fabulous.

Alongside Gasol, the game is exponentially easier for Bryant whose shooting percentage and assist average went up this season from 45% to 48% and from 4.3 to 4.8 with Pau.

The game changes completely for Odom who goes from marginal No. 2 option to devastating No. 3, shooting 59% alongside Gasol and 49% without him.

Oh, and Gasol is also averaging 19 points and shooting 59% as a Laker.

"He makes it all come together," said San Antonio Coach Gregg Popovich, "in the sense that when you've got a big guy in the triangle who can pass, catch and shoot the way he does, he's not just an offensive threat.

"He creates spacing for the triangle which is great. He's somebody who passes out of it. It just gets everybody involved the right way, gets everybody enthused and confident.

"Everybody touches the ball. It leads people to move the ball more because they think there's going to be open people on the court. He brings all of that with his skills, and that makes it special."