Bulls' Gasol hitting all the high notes

Maybe it's the opera.

Pau Gasol is one of the more culture-appreciating players in the NBA. So maybe the opera and theater scene in Chicago helps explain why he's clicked so well here. Anyone else want to give it a try?

"I can handle that for about 20 minutes," teammate Joakim Noah said.

"I was supposed to go with him," Taj Gibson said. "He wanted me to go. But I was like, 'Man, I can't do that, I'll fall asleep.'"

OK, so maybe a night at the opera or theater isn't for everyone. But something is working well for Gasol. In the last 10 days, he's set two career-highs - recording 9 blocked shots on Jan. 1 vs. Denver, then scoring 46 points in Saturday's 95-87 win over Milwaukee.

Not many NBA players can say they're playing their best basketball at age 34, during their 14th season in the league.

"I'm in a great position, great teammates all around," Gasol said after Saturday's game. "A system that fits me well, puts me in great positions to score and perform and facilitate. That's about it."

Culture did play a part in this success. As a free agent last summer, Gasol received tempting offers from San Antonio and Oklahoma City, but he wanted to live in a big city. Gasol has said his choice came down to Chicago and New York, and given the current state of the Knicks, it wasn't difficult.

"I think he made a good decision," coach Tom Thibodeau said, stating the ultra-obvious Bulls' perspective. "He thinks things through very carefully. I think he had some great options and I think he felt this was the best fit for him because of the type of guys that we have on the team.

"And that tells you a lot about him. He had a great understanding of what we needed and how he fit in. So he's been terrific. We have a bunch of guys on the team, they're unselfish and they play for the team and that's who he is. We were fortunate to get him."

Gasol brings the full complement of skills. At 7-feet with a long wingspan, his hook shot is nearly impossible to stop. He's also knocking down midrange jumpers consistently, and using those long arms to get on the glass.

Saturday night in the locker room, Gibson offered a detailed description of Gasol behind the scenes.

"I can tell every day he's having fun, enjoying it - other than the cold," Gibson said. "In practice, he's just a funny guy. He's always running around, always joking, but he knows when to be serious. He's just a great person."

Several Bulls have talked about Gasol's positive attitude and how it rubs off on everyone. Gibson has also gotten a good look at Gasol's work ethic and preparation.

"I sit next to him on the plane, so I know every book he reads. I know his routine now," Gibson said. "I know he's going to watch film and he's going to read a book, then he might play some card games on his laptop. Then in practice, he's just a big jokester. We feed off him."

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Year of the Pau

Here's a glance at Pau Gasol's production with the Bulls since Jan. 1:

Game: Points, rebounds, blocks

Jan. 10 vs. Milwaukee: 46-18-0

Jan. 9 vs. Washington: 12-13-2

Jan. 7 vs. Utah: 13-6-0

Jan. 5 vs. Houston: 27-14-2

Jan. 3 vs. Boston: 29-16-5

Jan. 1 vs. Denver: 17-9-9

Season average: 18.7 PTS, 11.3 REB, 2.2 BLK

Source: NBA.com