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Ja Morant vs. Pau Gasol: Whose Rookie of the Year season was better?

By Amaar Burton

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 5 : Pau Gasol #16 of the Memphis Grizzlies watches the game against the Washington Wizards on April 5, 2002 at the MCI Center in Washington DC. 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 G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 5 : Pau Gasol #16 of the Memphis Grizzlies watches the game against the Washington Wizards on April 5, 2002 at the MCI Center in Washington DC. 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 G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 21: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on February 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 21: Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on February 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Team success

The 2001-02 Grizzlies finished with the same win-loss record with Gasol as they did the previous year without him: 23-59 (.389 win percentage).

They began the season with an eight-game losing streak and lost 11 of their first 12 games. They had another eight-game skid covering late February and early March. Their best stretches of the season for Memphis were winning four out of five in late December, and a three-game win streak in early January.

The 2001-02 Grizzlies beat the eventual NBA champion Lakers one night in December, withstanding a 36-point effort from Kobe Bryant and 26 from Shaquille O’Neal. Gasol had 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the victory. Memphis secured a November win over the Sacramento Kings, who many believed were the best team in the league that season and fell to the Lakers in a controversial and close Western Conference Finals. Gasol went for 15 points, six rebounds and three assists in that game, while Sacramento was playing without star forward Chris Webber.

There were also two wins over the defending Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers, but Allen Iverson wasn’t out for one of those games.

That Grizzlies finished in last place in the seven-team Midwest Division in the Western Conference, 21 games out of a playoff spot.

*****

The 2019-20 Grizzlies finished 34-39 (.465 win percentage) in a pandemic-shortened season. They were a half-game behind the Portland Trail Blazers in the race for eighth place in the Western Conference, qualifying for a postseason play-in mini-series, which Memphis lost to Portland.

They began the season 2-7 before a three-game win streak in November, immediately followed by a six-game losing streak. There was a seven-game win streak in January that was part of an 11-2 stretch, and a five-game losing streak in February.

In December, the Grizzlies beat the eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat behind Morant’s 20 points and 10 assists. Memphis kicked off its seven-game win streak in January by defeating the LA Clippers, a popular championship favorite at the time, getting 22 points and nine assists from Morant.

One night in February, Memphis blew out the eventual Western Conference champion Lakers, who were at full strength with LeBron James and the entire crew. Morant put up 27 points, six rebounds and 14 assists in that game. In the final game of the regular season, in the bubble, the Grizzlies beat the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the league’s best record. Morant recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. The Bucks, however, rested league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for that game.

When the league suspended play in March due to COVID-19, the Grizzlies were sitting in eighth place in the West and poised for a return to the playoffs. When the league ended its hiatus and resumed play in July, the Grizzlies lost their first four games in the “bubble” and were eventually overtaken by the Trail Blazers for the eighth spot.

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