Gasol’s debut is a beaut

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- That certainly didn’t take long, perhaps only the time and breath required to say, “Bienvenidos, Pau.”

The Lakers’ newest acquisition looked as skilled and sharp as advertised, Pau Gasol collecting 24 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in a 105-90 victory Tuesday over the New Jersey Nets at the Izod Center.

Gasol scored from inside, outside, off of rebounds and on screen-and-rolls in his first game with the Lakers, showing no effects of a sore back while demonstrating exactly why he was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies.

“He’s an incredible player,” Kobe Bryant said. “He makes everybody’s life easier. It’s fun. He makes the game simple.”

Gasol’s presence allowed the Lakers to get away with a season-low six points from Bryant, whose shooting was notably affected after he sustained a dislocated little finger on his right hand.

Bryant was trying to steal a pass in the second quarter when his finger was bent back on Jason Kidd’s arm. He played the rest of the game with two fingers taped together. X-rays were negative, and he said he would play tonight against the Atlanta Hawks.

“Those players from the old school would look at me like a chump if I didn’t play,” said Bryant, who made three of 13 shots. “I’ll get a call from MJ, I’ll get a call from Harp. . . . You don’t want those calls.”

If Michael Jordan and Ron Harper were watching Tuesday’s game, they saw a team that looked balanced, if not dangerous.

Derek Fisher had 28 points, Vladimir Radmanovic had 16 and Lamar Odom filled the stat sheet with 14 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.

The Lakers are now 31-16 overall, 6-5 without Andrew Bynum and 3-1 on their nine-game road trip.

They are also 1-0 with Gasol in the lineup.

Gasol started slowly because of three first-half fouls, but he finished with aplomb. His fourth-quarter line: 11 points, five-for-five shooting, five rebounds, and an over-the-head pass to a cutting Derek Fisher for a layup and 89-83 lead with 5:13 to play.

“I haven’t done it much,” Gasol said with a chuckle. “But I saw him open and I just threw it. I saw Kidd was way behind him.”

Gasol also posted up at the right block and kept Sean Williams sealed off as Luke Walton lobbed a perfect pass for an easy layup. And then Gasol also made a finger roll. And he beat Josh Boone for a rebound, following it up with a layup. And he scored on a screen-and-roll off a no-look pass from Bryant.

Furthermore, he didn’t seem too bothered by the sore back that kept him out of three of his last four games with the Grizzlies.

“After this road trip, I’m going to have a few days to dedicate to only getting rest,” he said. “After that, I’m hoping to get completely rid of it.”

Gasol will have four days to rest during the All-Star break.

In the meantime, the Lakers have plenty of time to praise the newest curio in their cabinet.

“This offense is perfect because he can showcase his versatility as opposed to being in Memphis, where he just either hugs the post or goes out and sets a pick and rolls,” Bryant said. “Here, he’s asked to make plays and asked to make decisions with the basketball.”

And that means?

“Teams can’t double that easily no more,” Bryant said. “When I make a pass and he finishes a couple times, now teams are going to have to reevaluate that. They might have to play me single coverage a little bit more. . . . They just have to rethink their schemes.”

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Wicked switch

Pau Gasol and Kwame Brown played their first games with their new teams Tuesday. Gasol and the Lakers beat New Jersey, 105-90; Brown and Memphis lost to Milwaukee, 102-97:

*--* PAU GASOL *--*

*--* MIN FGM-A REB AST PTS 35 10-15 12 4 24 *--*

*--* KWAME BROWN *--*

*--* MIN FGM-A REB AST PTS 16 1-1 4 0 4 *--*

Source: espn.com