Marc Gasol: Grizzlies Euro Thug

by Moondog, The World According to Moondog

The day after the Memphis Grizzlies played their season opener against the Houston Rockets, a Houston sports talk radio host referred to Marc Gasol as a "Euro Thug."

I don't know if you can differentiate between a good thug and a bad thug, but Gasol has proven to be exactly what the Grizzlies needed.

Memphis acquired the rights to Gasol as part of the trade that sent his older brother Pau to the Los Angeles Lakers last season. The Grizzlies signed him this past July to a three-year, $9.7 million deal.

Marc spent the past five years in the Spanish ACB League, playing for Akasvayu Girona last season where he was named the league's MVP. Gasol averaged 16.2 PPG and 8.3 RPG in 34 games.

In the Grizzlies four games this season, Gasol is averaging 13.8 PPG and 10.3 RPG, exploding for 27 points and 16 rebounds in Memphis' 90-79 win over Golden State Monday night.

Gasol has given Memphis the interior presence its lacked since allowing Lorenzen Wright to walk after the 2005 season. The Grizzlies have never had a center that could combine the physical strength, scoring punch and rebounding ability every team in the NBA needs.

That is until now. Gasol gave Houston's Yao Ming and Orlando's Dwight Howard fits in earlier games this season. He got under Howard's skin so much he caused the Magic's center to get a technical foul during the Grizzlies come from behind win on November 1.

Unlike his older brother who avoided contact like the plague, Marc utilizes his 7-1, 265-pound frame to battle opposing centers. His ability to occupy the paint with authority has given the Grizzlies talented nucleus of Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley, Jr. and Hakim Warrick opportunities to score.

Memphis is a young team and their lack of experience has shown during the Grizzlies first four games. The Grizzlies aren't a playoff team this season and they'll need at least another year and added depth to get back to the NBA's postseason.

But the youthful roster has given fans of the team hope for the future, and Gasol will play a major role in the Grizzlies long term success.