Gasol adjusting to lower-scoring role with Spurs

Center Pau Gasol proved last season in The Windy City that he can still be a productive big man deserving of attention in his late 30s, averaging a double-double and being named to his sixth NBA All-Star team with the Bulls.

Now a member of the San Antonio Spurs, there's been an adjustment period for Gasol as he's asked to do less offensively on a roster already boasting the scoring prowess of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge as well as capable complementary pieces in Patrick Mills and veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Coming off just the second game of his career in which he didn't put a single point on the board in a 109-103 win over the Boston Celtics on Friday, the 7-foot Spaniard is trying to keep his mind right at a time when it looks and feels like his offensive reservoir is running dry.

"It’s hard for me, because of my nature and the player I’ve been for so long," Gasol said, according to the San Antonio Express-News' Jeff McDonald.

San Antonio ranks sixth in the Association in offensive efficiency with 109.9 points per 100 possessions. With a "if it's not broken, don't fix it" type mentality, head coach Gregg Popovich chooses not to focus on how the points are being scored and by whom.

"I’m not really too concerned with who scores and who doesn’t," Popovich said. "We just try to have more than the other guys."

After clanking all five of his attempts in Beantown, Gasol bounced back with eight points and 10 boards on 4-of-7 shooting on the second night of a back to back Saturday against the Washington Wizards.

His 11.1 points in 17 appearances still represents the lowest average of his 16-year career, though, and along with his zero-point performance, Gasol also has two games with just two points and six more scoring less than 10.