Behind the marvelous outing by All-Star hopeful Marc Gasol, the Memphis Grizzlies (27-20) outlast the Toronto Raptors (28-18) 101-99.
In 2007, Mike Miller set the Memphis Grizzlies’ franchise record for points (45) in a game. Ten years later, Marc Gasol almost shattered it. A late defensive stand by the Toronto Raptors front-court left him three points short. Little to complain about, though. He still finished with a career-high 42 points and helped the Grizz pull out a win. It was one of those nights for Gasol, and the team needed every bit of it.
Finally, a hot start
Within the first four minutes of the game, Marc Gasol had 16 points. Unusual? Yes, considering the Grizzlies have struggled getting started as of late. But Big Spain was on a mission, one that ended with broken records.
This performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the Grizzlies big man. The All-Star reserves are revealed today, and Marc is on the bubble. His performance in this game will make the coaches think long and hard about who to choose as All-Star reserves.
When asked about his performance tonight, the 7’1″ center kept it short and simple:
"“The ball went in early, and the rim got a little bigger,” the 7-foot-1 center from Spain said. “And I just kept shooting.” – Marc Gasol"
If the city of Memphis were to write a letter to Marc Gasol, it would most likely entail the words “Shoot,” “More” and “Often”, but that’s not how he operates. He’s unselfish, makes good decisions and does anything to help his team win. He accomplished his goal tonight, and here are few reasons why the Grizzlies outlasted the Raptors.