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Defending Marc Gasol from Los Angeles Lakers fans

By Kevin Germany

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 01: Marc Gasol #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 01: Marc Gasol #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Jan 5, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (17) backs in against Los Angeles Lakers center Marc Gasol (14) in the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

How Marc Gasol stacks up with his peers on defense:

Marc Gasol has a higher defensive win share total than Miami’s Bam Adebayo, the Clippers’ Serge Ibaka, and Philadelphia’s Dwight Howard – three big men widely considered to be much better than Gasol on defense. I agree the Lakers should have kept Howard as a fallback option, but the numbers say Gasol is a better defender than Howard.

What the eye test on Marc Gasol shows:

The eye test shows Marc Gasol has slowed down quite a bit this season. It is not as if he is in his prime any longer. Gasol’s peak coincided with the height of the Grit-and-Grind era for the Memphis Grizzlies, which was during the 2012-13 season when Memphis reached their only Western Conference Finals appearance.

In all fairness, I get why fans would be upset whenever Gasol cannot block the same shots JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard would when contesting the same shot. It is obvious Gasol’s rim protection is not as good as McGee or Howard.

Like McGee and Howard, he has a hard time staying in front of opposing point guards when trying to play drop coverage on opposing pick-and-rolls. Gasol’s issue defending the pick-and-roll is far more glaring for Gasol because he does not make up for it with his shot-blocking ability.

But the concern over Gasol’s lack of rim protection is overblown. This season, the Lakers are tied for second with the Houston Rockets in blocked shots per game. Their shot-blocking totals led the league by a wide margin last season. Perhaps Lakers fans have been spoiled by the level of shot-blocking on the court.

Moreover, Gasol’s on-ball defense is routinely criticized, as if any other center is expected to shut down Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic. And he did not even do that poorly against either of them, judging by how he did against those two stars.

  • Joel Embiid scored 28; Embiid is averaging 29.3 points per game this season
  • Nikola Jokic only had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists vs Gasol

It is fair to say Joel Embiid got the best of Marc Gasol in Philadelphia; it is also fair to say Gasol got the best of Nikola Jokic in the Staples Center. Against any other traditional center, Gasol still holds his own and then some.

Detroit’s rookie big man Isaiah Stewart learned that the hard way.

Again, the Lakers are first in points allowed and defensive rating at the time of this article. So maybe Marc Gasol’s defense isn’t the problem?

However, if the numbers are to be taken at face value, offense is a big problem. Marc Gasol scored two points in the overtime win against Oklahoma City.

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