How good was Pau Gasol in Memphis?

ChrisKreager · Post #1 » by **ChrisKreager** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:28 pm

I know they didn't win a playoff game during his time, but the guy was a building block for the team after they made the move from Vancouver, the first building block for this team once they arrived in Memphis.

Guy averaged 18.5 PPG his first five years, 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year, 2006 All-Star.

His best teammates weren't exactly the most talented teams ever (Mike Miller, Shane Battier, James Posey), but won 50 games in two of those years.

They got bad luck in some of their postseason draws:

2004 Spurs- Defending NBA Champions

2005 Suns- Best record in NBA, MVP Steve Nash, Peak D'Antoni, one of the best offenses ever

2006 Mavericks- 60 win NBA Finalist

They might have made an Eastern Conference Finals had they been realigned

Young gun 6 · Post #2 » by **Young gun 6** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:32 pm

In 06 he was elite.

Was the best scorer, rebounder, facilitator and defender on the team who won 49 games, not a small feat.

prophet_of_rage · Post #3 » by **prophet_of_rage** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:33 pm

Pau was always very very good. LA he had way more talent around him so you could really see it, but he was as good in Memphis as he was in LA and the first option. The beautiful thing about Pau's game was that he didn't really fall off when he became second fiddle. There was an adjustment period, but Kobe knew he wasn't winning without Pau.

smartyz456 · Post #4 » by **smartyz456** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:35 pm

3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

Young gun 6 · Post #5 » by **Young gun 6** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:36 pm

In 2005 they went 28-28 with him and 17-9 without him with a starting lineup of:

Jason Williams
Mike Miller
Shane Battier
James Posey
Lorenzo Wright

madmaxmedia · Post #6 » by **madmaxmedia** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:36 pm

prophet_of_rage wrote:Pau was always very very good. LA he had way more talent around him so you could really see it, but he was as good in Memphis as he was in LA and the first option. The beautiful thing about Pau's game was that he didn't really fall off when he became second fiddle. There was an adjustment period, but Kobe knew he wasn't winning without Pau.

This- he really moved the needle in LA, which everyone expected based on his play in Memphis.

Post #7 » by **Capn'O** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:37 pm

Hellcrooner · Post #8 » by **Hellcrooner** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:41 pm

smartyz456 wrote:3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

prime pau on one leg with an arm tied to his back would beat BOTH his less talented bro and his fatty friend playing on cahoots.

be serious.

Post #9 » by **Harry Garris** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:45 pm

Hellcrooner wrote:
smartyz456 wrote:3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

prime pau on one leg with an arm tied to his back would beat BOTH his less talented bro and his fatty friend playing on cahoots.

be serious.

Yeah Pau was a better player at his peak than Marc or Zbo, but Marc and Zbo accomplished more as Grizzlies.

Hellcrooner · Post #10 » by **Hellcrooner** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:49 pm

Harry Garris wrote:
Hellcrooner wrote:
smartyz456 wrote:3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

prime pau on one leg with an arm tied to his back would beat BOTH his less talented bro and his fatty friend playing on cahoots.

be serious.

Yeah Pau was a better player at his peak than Marc or Zbo, but Marc and Zbo accomplished more as Grizzlies.

did they?

get to 50 wins with one of the WORST suporting casts from the last 20 years on a crazy deep west

vs

making it to second round a couple of times in a slightly less deep west playing TOGHETER and with a better supporting cast.

nah.

im not buying.

i also tells you this.

if lakers waited for marc, then traded bynum for some SF, they might or might not have still won the rings, probably not.

it lakers traded for zbo insted, they would have won NO rings.

Post #11 » by **Harry Garris** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:55 pm

Hellcrooner wrote:
Harry Garris wrote:
Hellcrooner wrote:prime pau on one leg with an arm tied to his back would beat BOTH his less talented bro and his fatty friend playing on cahoots.

be serious.

Yeah Pau was a better player at his peak than Marc or Zbo, but Marc and Zbo accomplished more as Grizzlies.

did they?

get to 50 wins with one of the WORST suporting casts from the last 20 years on a crazy deep west

vs

making it to second round a couple of times in a slightly less deep west playing TOGHETER and with a better supporting cast.

nah.

im not buying.

i also tells you this.

if lakers waited for marc, then traded bynum for some SF, they might or might not have still won the rings, probably not.

it lakers traded for zbo insted, they would have won NO rings.

I'm not disagreeing with you about Pau being the best player out of the 3. I'm just saying that if you ask a Grizzlies fan who had the greatest Grizzlies legacy they'd list Marc and Zbo before him.

HBK_Kliq_33 · Post #12 » by **HBK_Kliq_33** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:03 pm

Similar impact level as Anthony Davis the last few seasons. Outstanding as a second option, limited ceiling for any team with him as the clear cut best player.

smartyz456 · Post #13 » by **smartyz456** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:07 pm

Hellcrooner wrote:
smartyz456 wrote:3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

prime pau on one leg with an arm tied to his back would beat BOTH his less talented bro and his fatty friend playing on cahoots.

be serious.

go ask grizzlies fans then

ask them how they would rank their players and i guarantee you 90% of them will say marc and zbo at top, pau just below them

the grit and grind's grizzlies records for 8 years speak for themselves. a lot of opposing wc teams were always scared of the grizzlies despite being a lower seed. they could have been in the nba finals in some of those 8 years

as a laker fan, i'd put him as the best pf the lakers ever had but for a grizzly fan, i understand them putting marc and zbo above pau

TheBonzaiEffect · Post #14 » by **TheBonzaiEffect** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:22 pm

Pau was great. Problem was, he wasn't quire a first option scorer on a championship caliber team. He wasn't near the offensive level of Dirk, yet didn't have the defensive level of KG or TD. He was the perfect fit next to Kobe. One of the best second options ever.

Pythagoras · Post #15 » by **Pythagoras** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:38 pm

TheBonzaiEffect wrote:Pau was great. Problem was, he wasn't quire a first option scorer on a championship caliber team. He wasn't near the offensive level of Dirk, yet didn't have the defensive level of KG or TD. He was the perfect fit next to Kobe. One of the best second options ever.

This. I know a lot of people will disagree but I actually view Embiid’s optimal role as similar to Pau’s, more of a second option than a first.

Sigh, I miss Pau and Kobe.

Unbiased hater · Post #16 » by **Unbiased hater** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:45 pm

Pau was for Memphis what Vince was for Raptors

msanchez2725 · Post #17 » by **msanchez2725** » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:50 pm

If they get LeBron in 2003 how many titles do they win? That team was set up perfect for him.

Rednation91 · Post #18 » by **Rednation91** » Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:08 am

He was so good that I was terrified when the Lakers got him to team with Kobe.

minami · Post #19 » by **minami** » Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:15 am

Great memories. One of the best power forwards ever and then a better person, i am glad he won a deserved success at LA and Spain (FIBA). And for all the 'soft' bull**** towards him i must say he showed huge balls since the rookie season, as the face and soul of the franchise. The dunk on Garnett as a kid never gets old!;

Watch on YouTube

Lowtech801 · Post #20 » by **Lowtech801** » Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:38 am

smartyz456 wrote:3rd best grizzly of all time

1. marc
2. zbo
3. pau

Pau was better than both

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