Mike D'Antoni believes Pau Gasol needs to play harder and be less concerned with his role in the Los Angeles Lakers' offense that has him further away from the basket.

"Everybody, to a man, we've just got to play harder and worry about things less," said Mike D'Antoni. "That's one thing, if they just don't want to do it that way. Then you have to accept it or not. But there's no reason to not play hard."

D'Antoni believes Gasol's rationale of being less aggressive is an excuse.

"That's a classic, 'Well, I don't know what I'm supposed to do,'" D'Antoni said. "Well, you don't have trouble getting up to the pay-stub line. They know what to do there to get the check. So obviously you know what to do. They will."