Wednesday night’s 101-99 loss to the Rockets exposed a larger problem than three straight home losses: Pau Gasol hasn't fit in with the Spurs yet. While many predicted the mismatch given his defensive limitations, age, and redundancy to LaMarcus Aldridge on offense, the pain from Duncan’s retirement forced people to embrace hiS potential.
Gasol still has something left in the tank. But what he can provide is a version of what Aldridge already brings. Gasol has a dependable midrange jumper, crafty post moves, and is a good high-low passer. But with Aldridge out there, those needs are saturated and what’s left is a questionable defender without a role on offense.