"When Gasol was on that (low) block, he averaged 18 points, he shot 53 percent from the field and he still is the best passing big man in the game," Johnson said Tuesday, shortly after introducing Greinke at a news conference at Dodger Stadium. "But you have him at the free-throw line? That makes no sense. That's not his game.

"His game is to catch it on the low block, face his man, one dribble left or right. He's got great moves. But now all the blame is on his shoulders, like he's not performing well? He can't take that. That's not who he is.

"They've got to put him in a winning situation, because once Gasol starts to play well, I think the team will start to play well. Then you come in with Steve Nash. But you've got to get Gasol going. Gasol, to me, is the key to this whole thing. If you continue to have him at the 3-point line, he's not going to perform well."

Johnson said that while he's staying patient with new coach Mike D'Antoni, at least until Nash returns from a fractured leg, he feels D'Antoni should adjust his system to better fit the Lakers personnel.

"I've gotta adjust my system a little bit if I'm the coach. That's all," Johnson said. "His system doesn't fit the talent that the Lakers have. You can't run with this team. Who are the runners? You've got one guy who can get up and down the court and that's Kobe (Bryant).

"Ron (Metta World Peace)? Love him, but he's slow. Both our big men are not fast guys. So we gotta say, 'Maybe I should scale it back. I run, if the basket is there, we take it.' Just like us in 'Showtime,' we ran and if we got the layup, good. If not, Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), come here, bail us out. That's what you do. That's basketball."

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Gasol was fifth in the NBA in post-up points in 2010-11. He was ninth last season and 10th in 2009-10.