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Top 10 Things Memphis Grizzlies Fans Should Be Thankful For

By Christian Dudley

SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 21: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies before the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 21, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX - NOVEMBER 21: Mike Conley #11 of the Memphis Grizzlies before the game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 21, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – NOVEMBER 21: Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates with teammate Shelvin Mack #6 after making the game winning free throws during an NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 21, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Memphis Grizzlies won 104-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Edward A. Ornelas/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – NOVEMBER 21: Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates with teammate Shelvin Mack #6 after making the game winning free throws during an NBA game against the San Antonio Spurs on November 21, 2018 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The Memphis Grizzlies won 104-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Edward A. Ornelas/Getty Images) /

Marc Gasol’s Inspired Play

In speaking of Marc Gasol, the 7’1″ big man has been outstanding for the Memphis Grizzlies. He persevered through the miserable 2017-18 season and is now able to focus on winning along with the rest of his teammates.

For Marc, it is a lot easier to get motivated to rebound and defend when the team is winning games. At almost 34 years of age, it is expected that Gasol will be on the decline any season now. Through 17 games, he is playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career, which is an excellent sign for the Grizzlies in sustaining their early-season success.

When No. 33 is on the floor, Memphis is a +9.1 better in offensive rating than when he is taking a seat. To put this into perspective, Mike Conley is a +3.6 when present on the hardwood. Additionally, the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James comes in at a -1.8. James Harden is a +4.8 for the Houston Rockets. Stephen Curry is a +11.9 for his Warriors.

You get the picture. Scoring has been difficult at times for this Grizzly club, but it becomes much easier whenever Marc Gasol is placed within the five-man group. This demonstrates why it is critical for “Big Spain” to stay away from foul trouble on a nightly basis. With No. 33, Memphis is tough to beat.

For statistical numbers, Marc is enjoying near-double-double figures with 17.0 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. This is a career-best mark for his boards. At 39% accuracy, he is making the most triples per contest of his 11-season career. Defensively, his current 1.7 steals-per-game average is nearly double than he has ever produced.

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