The Memphis Grizzlies, a playoff fixture for seven straight seasons, are slipping badly in the Western Conference and in need of a fix. They’ll seek relief through the draft lottery but they haven’t been as fortunate in that route — and one player who did help them is speaking out.
Pau Gasol feels for his brother, Marc, who’s in a tough spot. Marc Gasol has been caught in the middle of a coach firing (David Fizdale, 19 games into 2017-18), a losing season and playing without his star guard (Mike Conley, out for season). Marc Gasol voiced some of his frustration with the Grizzlies recently and, although he hasn’t asked for a trade, has said he wouldn’t stand in the franchise’s way if that move was made.
Pau Gasol, who won Rookie of the Year honors with Memphis, was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007 after demanding a trade from the Grizzlies. He spoke recently with Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal about the plight of his brother:
“Of course, he’s upset. He should be upset,” Pau, a forward with the San Antonio Spurs, said on the eve of their game Monday night at AT&T Center. “Any player who competes and cares would be upset. That’s a good sign from a player who cares and is a leader. He’s putting his body on the line and not quitting.”
Marc is expected to play after sitting out for rest Saturday when the Grizzlies’ losing streak swelled to 13 games after a loss to the Orlando Magic. The Grizzlies have decided not to play Marc in back-to-back games for the rest of the season – something Marc doesn’t like but has accepted.
Pau advised his brother to remain professional and mentally tough. Memphis (18-44) is mired in its second double-digit game slide this season. The Grizzlies, who lost 11 in a row earlier this season, own the NBA’s lowest winning percentage (.290) and have the fewest wins of any team in the league.
“What I told him is, ‘Do your best. Keep competing.’ That’s the only thing you can control,” Pau said. “You can’t control that one of your best players, Mike Conley, is out for the year. You can’t control that (Chandler) Parsons, one of your biggest signings, has an (injury) issue and so forth. All you can control is your effort, your work ethic, your mindset going into games.”
Although Marc has played better lately, he’s having a sub-par season by his standards as a three-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year. He’s shooting a career-low 41 percent and experiencing slippage defensively with a lack of mobility and inconsistent reads.
