Gasol has Lakers back in rhythm

Well, that didn't take long. After squeaking by in a few surprisingly close wins earlier in the month, the Lakers are again strutting their title stuff with Pau Gasol back in the lineup. Through 16 games, L.A. has crafted the best winning margin in the West while reeling off six consecutive wins, the last of which came over a Nets team moving in the opposite direction. While adding someone like a Gasol would undoubtedly help the 0-17 Nets more than whoever takes over for the now-dismissed Lawrence Frank, New Jersey has a lot of heavy lifting ahead if it hopes to appeal to one of the prized free agents who could facilitate just such a turnaround.

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