Much has been said about the Memphis Grizzlies hot start this year. Memphis has the best record in the NBA at 12 wins and 2 losses. Well you might ask how are the Memphis Grizzlies 12-2? Well alot of answers come to mind. Great defense, good bench player’s, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley, who is a very good pure Point guard. The only thing that comes to mind for the Grizzlies hot start is the emergence of “The Big Bad Grizzly Bear” Marc Gasol!
In 2012-13 NBA season Marc Gasol won the defensive player of the year award. This season, Marc is ranked 2nd in the NBA for defensive win shares and having a career year in the defensive rating category with an impressive 107. Marc averaged 10 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assist, and 1.4 blocks per game for Spain’s national team. This year for the Grizzly Bears Gasol looks slimmer and has been very explosive averaging 20 points per game (a career high) on 50% shooting, 8 rebounds per game, 3 assist per game, and 1.2 steals per game (a career high). Gasol has 8 games with 20+ points matching his total he had all last year. In the 1st 14 games this season Gasol has three 30+ point games. Through out Marcs career (436 games) he’s only had one 30+ point game. Still not impressed?
Marc Gasol was dealing with nagging injuries all last year. Gasol missed 23 games out of 82 games last year. From January 14, 2014 to now with Marc Gasol in the line-up the Memphis Grizzlies are posting a record of 45-15 (.750) the best in the NBA during that span! If “The Big Bad Grizzly Bear” can keep this up and stay healthy, look for Memphis to be in the finals come June!
