Having a debate... More IMPACTFUL Laker... Pau or Worthy?

Darth Los Angeles · Star Player Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 2181

A buddy and I are having a debate about who was the more impactful Laker between Pau and Worthy. I am going with Pau. Simply because of the role he played as the 2nd option and the weight he removed from Kobe as soon as he arrived. In my eyes, I don't think Worthy's impact was the same as Pau's. Nothing against Worthy, I love him. But Pau was a more impactful Laker to me.
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gooner · Starting Rotation Joined: 10 Sep 2012 Posts: 448

Maybe Pau to you but there was a reason why Worthy was called "Big Game James." To contrast, what are Pau's nicknames?

Texas_Pete · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:27 pm Post subject:

Big Game.

Darth Los Angeles · Star Player Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 2181

gooner · Starting Rotation Joined: 10 Sep 2012 Posts: 448

srm90 · Franchise Player Joined: 29 Dec 2007 Posts: 10662

I don't know enough about the 80s and early 90s to make a fair judgment basketballwise but I don't ever see Pau being held in as high of regard or having as big of an impact on the franchise post-career as Big Game. And that's not a knock on Pau, just the nature of things.
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fansincemagic · Franchise Player Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 11076

If it were a poll you'd get Worthy at about a 65-75% clip. Old timers will pick Worthy, youngsters that don't have Pau will take him. Really though, Worthy matched up against a lot of different types on defense and took the scoring burden as a "#2" from Cap by the back to back teams. I'll give it to Pau that he fit so well with Kobe and with the triangle, but really Worthy could have put up bigger numbers if that's what you're going by if Kareem would have declined quicker anyway. Worthy was as good of a #2 as you could ask for all through his career.

Jackobe · Star Player Joined: 17 May 2011 Posts: 4466

Worthy most likely the better player

but more impactful in terms of championships??

I might go with Pau, no Pau means wouldn't win the last 2.

No Worthy...I think Magic, Kareem, Cooper and the rest of Showtime might still win a few.

Chronicle · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject:

Bonzoid · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 1:51 pm Post subject:

Pau has far better skillls than Worthy..... Better passer etc....
Impact.... Kobe couldn't win after Shaq until Pau came along...
Look at the showtime Lakers line up.... Far superior to the Pau Kobe line ups

Chick-N-Stew · Star Player Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 1825

DShotMaker1824 · Star Player Joined: 16 Feb 2012 Posts: 8769

Can we remove that censor on Gasol's Soft nickname now?
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Triple Double · Starting Rotation Joined: 17 Jan 2012 Posts: 162

I'm an old timer. I'd go with Pau.

Theseus · Franchise Player Joined: 15 Dec 2007 Posts: 14208

Big game is a better player, but Gasol catapulted us into champions. Without him we don't beat boston or orlando, and we probably wouldn't even get that far.

Without Worthy we still could have been a championship caliber team, adding Worthy made us one of the greatest teams of all time.

thurloly · Franchise Player Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 23930

GonzagaAlum · Star Player Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 3021

When I was growing up as a kid... I wanted to play like Magic. But Worthy was my favorite Laker... the guy was a warrior.

DJ Slik · Starting Rotation Joined: 11 Jul 2014 Posts: 432

worthy all day long. 3 rings vs 2. assuming they both were key contributors to their respective finals squads and the lakers couldn't have won without them (which i believe to be true).

drwoo1964 · Rookie Joined: 06 Oct 2013 Posts: 15

As a Laker fan since 1979, to put Pau in the same sentence as James Worthy , is well an opinionated, subjective miscue.

sublimedominion · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:29 pm Post subject:

Mike@LG · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:53 pm Post subject:

Gasol had more skills.

Worthy was more impactful.
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LAKERMIKE2 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:55 pm Post subject:

Worthy, not even close!!!
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doughboy90650 · Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2014 2:56 pm Post subject:

probably J Dub ......

misterrunon · Star Player Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 1904

pau is a better #2 guy. i don't think worthy could have been the #2 on a championship caliber team. he was good in the half court set, and better with fast breaking. i feel pau's the opposite; he's pretty good at running at the break (at least younger version of him), but he's better in the halfcourt set.

Drifts · Retired Number Joined: 22 Nov 2004 Posts: 28374

of course Pau won Finals MVP, right??... oh wait, that was Worthy!!
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Cha*n · Star Player Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 7233

I'd have to go with Pau as Worthy had Magic and he made all of his team mates look bigger. I love Kobe but he makes his team mates a bit smaller.

Oh, this will get some bricks for me.