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NBA Memphis Grizzlies

Marc Gasol Leading Charge For League-Leading Grizzlies

By @TheSizzle20

Marc Gasol

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The Memphis Grizzlies have long been a team in the postseason-mix in the powerful Western Conference. After the first month of the 2014-15 NBA season, though, the Grizzlies are looking like serious contenders. With a 14-2 overall record, an 8-0 record at home and a 10-0 record against Western Conference opponents, it’s hard to say Memphis isn’t the best in the league right now.

What’s also hard to say is that center Marc Gasol isn’t the primary catalyst for the Grizzlies hot start to the 2014-15 season. Sure, Mike Conley has continued to quietly be fantastic for this team, but with the role players for Memphis showing major inconsistency, it’s been Gasol that has led this team on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis.

Through the first 16 games of the season, Gasol is having bar-none his best statistical season. He’s putting up 20.2 points per game (that would be 5.6 points higher than his previous career-high), 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor.

Gasol has long been the heart of the Grizzlies on both ends of the floor. His Defensive Player of the Year victory two years ago was more than warranted for his statistical production and how he dictates one of the league’s best defensive units. More than that, though, the way he runs the offense out of the high post with his passing and versatility keeps the Memphis offense on-track. That hasn’t changed this season as the Grizzlies are 1.2 points per 100 possessions better defensively and 3.6 points per 100 possessions better offensively with Gasol on the floor.

The defense has been consistent for Gasol and, for the most part, so has the offense. Gasol still leads the league in elbow touches per game at 14.4 per contest, meaning he’s still running things out of the high post often. The two major changes that have influenced his spike in production offensively this season, though, are the fact that more of his attempts are coming closer to the rim and that he’s getting to the foul line at a career-best rate.

There’s no doubt that going at the rim more often and getting to the charity stripe more often are related, but they both have helped the big man increase his production thus far this year. Last season, only 24.9 percent of Gasol’s field goal attempts came from inside of five feet. Through 16 games, 32.9 percent of his attempts are from that range. Subsequently, his 7.1 trips to the foul line per game dwarf the 4.1 free throw attempts per game he posted last year.

Gasol is certainly in the conversation for being the best center in the game. There aren’t many players that affect the game on both ends of the floor at the level that he does. What’s more impressive, though, is that even in his prime at 29 years old, the veteran is finding ways to improve and help his team even more. If nothing else, you have to give Gasol immense respect for what he’s doing this season and how vital he is to the Grizzlies and their success.

Cody Williams is a Senior Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20, add him on Google and like his Facebook page.

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