ATLANTA — At least Phil Jackson didn’t remove another “very” from Pau Gasol.
Before Wednesday’s game at Atlanta, the Lakers coach was asked if he agreed with his big man having described himself as “very, very tough.”
“Well, I think two verys is too many,” Jackson said. “He’s very tough. He’s not two verys.”
Judging by the effort of Gasol and the Lakers in a 109-92 loss to the Hawks at Philips Arena, one might have thought Sgt. Jackson would have been pulling stripes off the uniforms of Lakers as well as a “very” from Gasol. But Jackson tried to show some restraint.
Gasol was beaten up by Hawks reserve center Zaza Pachulia, whose play at least should have earned him another “Za.” And the Lakers overall were flattened by the Hawks.
The Lakers sure miss center Andrew Bynum, who has been out since suffering a strained left Achilles tendon March 19 at Minnesota. With Bynum out, Gasol has had to move from power forward to center, where he looks a lot less tough than when he has Bynum alongside him.
PHOENIX — The 
