As the Memphis Grizzlies are going into their playoff series with the Spurs, they need Marc Gasol to be on his A-game for them to have a chance.
Now that the weird week of rest and unusual minutes is over, teams are preparing for either a long offseason ahead or for a chance at immorality. As the Memphis Grizzlies face the San Antonio Spurs, they need their best from their All-Star, Marc Gasol.
The Matchup Ahead
Marc Gasol has an interesting battle in store for him in this series. On the other side, he has Dewayne Dedmon, a young center that emerged into the starting lineup in the middle of the season. Because of his length and athleticism, he may make Gasol work harder in the post. However, if Marc’s outside game is on, Dedmon will have a tough time guarding the All-NBA center.
For the majority of the series, JaMychal Green will be guarding LaMarcus Aldridge. However, if the Spurs employ a small-ball lineup, that could force Gasol on Aldridge. In doing so, he’d have to deal with a veteran who knows how and where to get his buckets. Luckily, the Memphis Grizzlies know a thing or two about shutting him down in postseason play. In their series against Portland in 2015, Aldridge shot a putrid 33 percent from the field, a main driving force in their 4-1 series win. If Gasol could force him into tough shots, the Grizzlies will surely like their chances in this series.
The last likely matchup is one that many basketball purists would surely enjoy: the battle of the Gasol brothers. For the first time ever, Marc and Pau Gasol square off against each other in the playoffs. They may be the best brothers in basketball history, both displaying a rare finesse for their size. In saying this, Marc can’t let his brother get going offensively. Despite his age, Pau can still work in the post. If the Spurs do Spurs things through Pau, the Grizzlies will be in for a long night.
On the offensive end of the court, Marc needs to exploit his brother’s defensive deficiencies. As he’s aged, Pau has gotten exposed on defense. The Memphis Grizzlies need “Assertive Marc” in full force if his brother is guarding him.
Related Story: New Chapter for Gasol Brothers
Postseason Expectations
For the Memphis Grizzlies to have a shot in this series, they need the Marc Gasol from before the All-Star break to show up – where he averaged 20.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists. They need post All-Star break Gasol (16.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists) as far away as possible.
His post All-Star break numbers may not look terrible, but he did have a negative +/- and had his worst shooting numbers of the season. The poor play also gave the Grizzlies bad results, as they’re 8-14 since the break.
Ideally, the Grizzlies need their offense running through Marc. The Spurs will probably place Kawhi on Mike Conley – which should be considered cruel and unusual punishment for any player in the league. If this is the case, Marc needs to serve as the Grizzlies’ go-to scorer and their primary playmaker. In doing so, that could open up opportunities for guys like Troy Daniels to get open perimeter looks or Tony Allen to get the ball off cuts to the basket.
For the Grizzlies to advance, Marc Gasol needs a stat-line in the 22/7/5 ballpark with efficient shooting numbers. If “Passive Marc” shows up, then kiss the Grizzlies’ season good-bye.
Next: Harrison is ROY for Grizz
As the Grizzlies prepare for the Spurs, tune in these next several days as we profile each player and what they must do in this series.