Gasol was a substitute Thursday after missing five games with a concussion. Earl Clark started at power forward in Gasol’s place in the Lakers’ 99-90 loss to the Miami Heat.

D’Antoni initially framed the lineup shift as a decision based on Gasol’s conditioning and said on Thursday the Spaniard would “probably” return to the starting lineup Sunday when the Lakers begin a three-game road trip in Toronto.

The coach changed his tune a bit on Friday when discussing Gasol’s role.

“My job is to put the best team on the floor,” D’Antoni said after admitting that he had not yet decided if Gasol or Clark would start against the Raptors. “If I feel like (starting Gasol is) the best way to go, then we’ll go that way. If I don’t, it’s nothing personal. It’s just that I got to do what I think is right. I think every player has to accept what is right, whether they like it or not. So, that’s the bottom line.

“Now, does he deserve to start? Yeah, he does. He’s been here a long time and probably that will happen, but if it doesn’t, then you know what? You got to go on. You got to contribute. You got teammates to think about. You got the Lakers to think about. You got to do whatever is best for the Lakers. Whether we agree or not, then that’s something else, we can agree to disagree. My job is to try to get the best team on the floor all the time and make it work. That doesn’t mean I’m not including him. I just mean, that’s my job.”

Gasol, who helped the Lakers win back-to-back championships alongside Kobe Bryant, stated why he should continue to remain with the first unit.

“I’ve never come off the bench in my career,” Gasol said. “(Thursday) was my first game off the bench with the Lakers, maybe a couple other games due to injuries, but that’s it. I’ve been a starter my entire career. I’ve been a star starter my entire career, so I want to continue to be a star starter.”

Gasol was in the starting lineup for the first 345 games he played with the Lakers before coming off the bench against Miami. The 12-year veteran has started 815 of the 822 games he’s played in his career.

When Gasol started the first 25 games he played in this season, he was a far cry from the “star starter” he’s been in the past. Gasol is averaging career lows in points per game (12.2) and field goal percentage (42.0 percent) this season.

D’Antoni told reporters that who starts is inconsequential.

“Starting does not matter,” D’Antoni said. “Starting does not matter, so, that’s kind of a moot point. Now, the last 10 minutes of the game or eight minutes of a game, that matters.”

Gasol had 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting along with four rebounds and four assists against the Heat. He played just 25 minutes, but was on the court for all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter.

“I think the finishing is more important,” Gasol agreed. “I think the best players should finish off games. That’s just the way it’s got to be. When the game is on the line, you want to be on the floor. That’s more important.”

Still, Gasol did not sound comfortable relinquishing his starting spot.

“I guess,” Gasol said when asked if he would accept coming off the bench but still playing the lion’s share of the minutes at power forward. “There’s ways to work it out if it’s absolutely necessary or mandatory.”

One Lakers big man who is clearly entrenched in the starting lineup is Dwight Howard.

While Howard’s spot with the first five won’t change, former Laker Robert Horry would like the center’s demeanor to. Horry, now an analyst for Time Warner Cable SportsNet, told ESPNLA 710 radio’s “Max & Marcellus Show” this week that Howard needs to be “more focused” and needs to drop his all-smiles act.

What does D’Antoni think of the criticism?

“One, I don’t think about it,” D’Antoni said. “Two, I don’t think it’s fair. Three, that’s cool, it makes nice talk and stuff but everybody is his own personality. If you want him to be something else, he’s not going to be that.

“So, he’s productive. He’s the three-time defensive player of the year. He’s been to the Finals. Can he make some more steps? Yeah. He can get better. He’s working hard every day. But, don’t beat up somebody because he’s a fun-loving kind of guy and then beat up on the guy that’s snarly and has a bad a scowl on his face. He is who he is. He’s a good person and that’s all you can go from. Somebody may like it, somebody may not, but that’s the way it is.”

Horry’s comments only provided more material for Howard to joke about. When Howard approached a pack of reporters on Friday he announced, “Nobody better smile, Robert Horry said not to,” before sitting down to answer questions.

The post Pau Gasol may come off bench appeared first on IdealCapper.

Bradley made his 2012-13 season debut after undergoing a pair of shoulder surgeries while being shelved the past seven months and played just under 20 minutes, scoring four points.

Rondo is battling a hip bruise that caused him to sit out a game last week. He played almost 40 minutes, finishing with 11 points and 10 assists.

Rivers expected Boston’s defense to get a jolt from Bradley’s return, but continued to downplay the “savior” notion that some outside the Boston locker room have promoted.

“I haven’t paid too much attention to all this stuff. Is he (Bill) Russell yet? Or (Bob) Cousy? I don’t know,” quipped Rivers before the game. “If that’s what (the media has) made him, and if he lives up to that, then I’m good with that. I hope everyone’s right.”

Can one great defensive player make a difference for a struggling Boston squad?

“If you take one great defensive player and you put him on a team, the team is going to be a better defensive team,” Rivers said. “And as important as bigs are, I’ve always thought, especially if it’s a guard that applies pressure, that kinda fuels energy. You see it and it’s hard for you not to do it. You got this guy doing it and then, what, are you not going to do anything? It clearly helps.

“Again, because this is his first game this year, the other players have a 30-game advantage on him as far as timing and stuff, as far as running their stuff. I’m not looking for the world today or tomorrow, even in a week. But it’s going to come.”

The post Avery Bradley returns in loss appeared first on IdealCapper.

Miami At Orlando
When: 5:00 PM ET, Monday, December 31, 2012
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Prediction: Heat 105, Magic 88.

Oddsmakers currently have the Heat listed as 9½-point favorites versus the Magic, while the game’s total is sitting at 193½.

Dwyane Wade returned from a one-game suspension in time for the game in Milwaukee and scored 24 points, but it was not enough. LeBron James added 26 points, but no one else had more than 12 and the Heat were outscored by 21 in the fourth quarter. Miami has struggled at times on the defensive end but appeared to have everything come together on the winning streak, during which opponents managed an average of 89.5 points. But that defense has taken a hit in the last two games, with lowly Detroit shooting 58.1 percent in a 109-99 loss and the Bucks exploding in the fourth quarter on Saturday.

Miami lost its last outing, a 104-85 result against the Bucks on December 29. The Heat failed to cover in that game as a 4.5-point favorite, while the 189 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Davis was joined on the sidelines by starting point guard Jameer Nelson (hip) and his backup, E’Twuan Moore (elbow), on Saturday. None of the three practiced on Sunday, and Nelson and Moore will be game-time decisions for Monday’s contest. Davis is expected to miss at least another two weeks. The upside to the injuries has been increased playing time for rookies Andrew Nicholson and Moe Harkless. Nicholson went for a career-high 22 points in the loss on Saturday after moving into the starting lineup for just the second time.

Last time out for Orlando, they were a 123-88 loser as they battled the Raptors at home. The Magic failed to cover in the match as a 3-point favorite, while 211 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Miami:
Team record: 20-8 SU, 15-13 ATS
Current streak: lost 2 straight games.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games
is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
is 8-16-1 ATS in its last 25 games when playing Orlando

When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Dallas are 6-4
After playing Milwaukee are 9-1
After a loss are 7-3

Orlando:
Team record: 12-18 SU, 15-15 ATS
Current streak: lost 5 straight games.

is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games at home
is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Miami

When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Chicago are 8-2
After playing Toronto are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7

The post Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic Free Basketball Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.