It’s no wonder Pau Gasol has won 2 consecutive NBA player of the week awards for the Western conference.

Gasol has increased his production since Andrew Bynum’s injury. The 7-0 Spaniard is averaging 20.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 4.8  assists in the 13 games without their starting center.  Small improvements in his points (17.8), rebounds (9.0), and assists (3.4), but certainly well-timed.  The Lakers haven’t missed a beat, and have gone 11-2 in that span.

But that does raise the question, is Pau Gasol being taxed too much?  In the last 14 games, all without Bynum,  Gasol played more than 38 minutes or more in 12 of those games – which is above his minutes per game average for the seasonof ~36 minutes/game.  Asked whether Gasol’s load was too heavy, Lakers coach Phil Jackson responded, “No, not yet.  Maybe in April at some point we may watch it. We’ve shut down players before and gave them a week off here and there — players that we thought needed the rest at times during the end of the regular season. But at this particular point, we’re still pushing on.”

In the last two months, from December 23rd, 2008 to February 23rd, 2009, Lakers have won 5 of the 8 NBA Player of the week honors during that span.  Pau Gasol the last two weeks, Andrew Bynum (Jan 26th), and Kobe Bryant twice (Dec 29 and Jan 12).

Pau Gasol’s Fave Five: During the halftime of the Lakers-Suns game, during T-Mobile’s FAV 5 segment, Pau Gasol was asked for this five favorite international players.  Gasol named his Fave 5 as Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, Andrei Kirilenko, Yao Ming, and his younger brother Marc Gasol.

Links and Resources: Magic’s Howard, Laker’s Gasol named NBA Players of the Week (Nba.com), Are Lakers paying too high cost for Bynum’s injury? (OC Register), With Bynum Out, Is Gasol’s Load Too Heavy? (MSNBC)