Marc vs. Pau

[deja vu]

Both in their primes. Who's the better player?

[ImKobe]

Marc because of what he offers on defense.

[YouGotServed]

Marc because of what he offers on defense.

:facepalm Negged.

[I<3NBA]

2>0

end.

[bdreason]

Current Marc Gasol is approaching prime Pau Gasol... but let's see if he can keep it up.

[ImKobe]

:facepalm Negged.

And your reasoning is?

Marc is currently arguable for league MVP. Dude is averaging 20/8/4/1/2 a game on 59%TS. Memphis is 7th in ORTG & 4th in DRTG, team has won 14 out of 16 games to start the season.

Memphis without him last season struggled big time. They finished with a 50-32 record (61% win pace), with Marc, they won 40 out of 59, which is a 68% win pace. That would be 6 more wins in the 23 games he was missed.

Pau Gasol as the leading guy in Memphis won 0 Playoff games. Marc has been proven to be a great leader and he's led a team to the WCF and has won numerous Playoff games, took a healthy OKC to 7 games without HCA.


No doubt that Pau brings more when it comes to scoring and rebounding, but the difference between the two on defense gives Marc the edge. Dude has a DPOY and his teams have always been near the top defensively.

Put the current version of Marc on the 08 Lakers and they are at least as successful as they were with Pau, even better with the way he's playing right now.

[ImKobe]

Current Marc Gasol is approaching prime Pau Gasol... but let's see if he can keep it up.

He's a late bloomer. He came into the league at 24 years old, too. He's the type of player that will have the best years of his career in his 30s.

[CeltsGarlic]

2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48th overall

[deja vu]

2>0

end.
Replace Pau with Marc on those Lakers teams. How many titles do they win?

[ImKobe]

2007 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48th overall

Marc: won 21 Playoff games in 4 Playoff appearances for Memphis
Pau: won 0 Playoff games in 4 Playoff appearances in Memphis

And they only had HCA once in the first round, Marc has made it out of the 1st round 2 times, and without HCA :confusedshrug: and it looks like his team could finally break out and turn into a legit contender this year.

Marc has had a better start this his career than Pau in terms of team success, and now he's coming along individually as well. He was always a great defensive player, and now his offense seems to be getting better as well.

Pau could obviously protect the rim as well, but he wasn't as strong as Marc or as savy on that end of the floor. Dude benefited big time thanks to Phil & Kobe.

I would love to see the Gasol brothers face off in the Finals this year.

[IMObjective]

Pau's probably the better overall player to answer the question, but I think I would take Marc as a coach. The value of an elite defensive big can't be understated and I think marc will be stronger mentally than Pau, and won't crumble on the court because of personal problems. Give me the tougher guy.

[finchyyy]

Current Marc is an MVP candidate... I don't think Pau was ever that.

[SpanishACB]

Current Marc is an MVP candidate... I don't think Pau was ever that.

Pau could of been in the run if the was a first option in his peak ring years in the right team, with a comparable current Memphis cast and a good coach.

It's an arbitrary way of measuring how good a player is

why are we suddenly assuming the people that choose the MVPs are the intelectual authority? It's because they've never messed up or were influenced by things alien to actual sport skill? It's silly.

[swagga]

look at the spanish NT to see how pau works as a true first option and look at what he is doing with the bulls right now, you could ask pau vs marc today and it's be a close one.

peak wise pau > marc by some distance, pau can take over a game and should have a fmvp.

[I<3NBA]

Replace Pau with Marc on those Lakers teams. How many titles do they win?
zero

Marc won't stay around to be the whipping boy of Kobe

or

he'll slap Kobe's face so hard Kobe would be crying for forgiveness

[masonanddixon]

Marc if he wins MVP this season but Pau's offensive ability is far more valuable to winning a ring.

[JohnMax]

Marc is not soft either. Never seen anyone try to punk him.

[T_L_P]

Marc right now is he playing the best basketball of his life...and he's definitely more valuable than Pau is currently.

But prime Pau is obviously the better player. Marc is the exact kind of player that would go from a 20/9 season to 16/6 on under 45% shooting in the Playoffs.

Meanwhile peak Pau was giving his team 20/11 on insane efficiency, converting Kobe assists at an unprecedented rate.

[VeeCee15]

Obvious answer is Pau.

He is taller and a lot LONGER than marc..he's better on defense just cause of sheer length. Pau can contain dwight howard.

Pau is also more agile and skilled offensively.

[navy]

What are you talking about here? Pau was primarily a back the basket player on the Lakers and wasn't really an elite shooter outside of 5 feet (which he seldom took) nor finisher around the rim (ala DeAndre Jordan). Hardly an assist magnet. Where do you come up with this stuff?
Kobe assist = rebounding a Kobe brick

[G0ATbe]

Gasoft was and still is a terrible defender. Marc is better than he ever was on both ends.

[Top Gun]

Got to be Gasol for me.

[Twiens]

Obvious answer is Pau.

He is taller and a lot LONGER than marc..he's better on defense just cause of sheer length. Pau can contain dwight howard.

Pau is also more agile and skilled offensively.

Whaaaaat? Pau at his peak was above average on D. I'd take Marc in a close one due to his two-way play.

[TaLvsCuaL]

I do not like this kind of comparison, but these Kobe stans trying to belittle Pau, to praise Kobe is absolutely pathetic.

[navy]

Answer is Pau up until 2011/2012ish. Then Marc. However Pau has had a resurgence in Chicago, Marc at the moment is an mvp candidate. We shall see where they end up.

[RidonKs]

What are you talking about here? Pau was primarily a back the basket player on the Lakers and wasn't really an elite shooter outside of 5 feet (which he seldom took) nor was he finisher around the rim (ala DeAndre Jordan). Hardly an assist magnet. Where do you come up with this stuff?
wait what?

pau wasn't an elite shooter outside of 5 feet? maybe he wasn't an elite shooter, but he was definitely a good shooter right out to 15 feet, just as he is today.

his floor spacing was incredibly important to both laker championships. especially once bynum started to come into his own.

he also played a lot of pick and roll/pop with kobe, as would be expected.

his post iso's were comparatively few and far between.

[RidonKs]

to answer the thread....


well its impossible to answer. marc is having a career year right now. but we're only 16 games in. if he keeps playing what he's shown us so far, i take his this year peak over any incarnation of pau.

but since we only have a 16 game sample, pau's consistency of 20/10 over like ten years gives him the edge. nevertheless in none of those years was he as well rounded and polished a player as marc is right now.

[KG215]

Marc: won 21 Playoff games in 4 Playoff appearances for Memphis
Pau: won 0 Playoff games in 4 Playoff appearances in Memphis

And they only had HCA once in the first round, Marc has made it out of the 1st round 2 times, and without HCA :confusedshrug: and it looks like his team could finally break out and turn into a legit contender this year.

Marc has had a better start this his career than Pau in terms of team success, and now he's coming along individually as well. He was always a great defensive player, and now his offense seems to be getting better as well.

Yeah, and none of that is due to Marc having much better supporting casts than Pau had in Memphis.

[Genaro]

I'm biased since I root for the Lakers but give me Pau. And I don't think Lakers would win with Marc. Pau's post game and passing from the post was very important for that team.

[tpols]

Both with Memphis...

Marc Gasol playoff W/L record = 14-15
Pau Gasol playoff W/L record = 0-12

Pau is more talented but not nearly as tough.. Marc seems to have a heavier/sturdier build which probably allows him to take and dish out more contact than paus lanky frame . are is probably a better leader for it.. Can give his team a more physical identity

[DMV2]

Both with Memphis...

Marc Gasol playoff W/L record = 14-15
Pau Gasol playoff W/L record = 0-12

Pau is more talented but not nearly as tough.. Marc seems to have a heavier/sturdier build which probably allows him to take and dish out more contact than paus lanky frame . are is probably a better leader for it.. Can give his team a more physical identityOn their playoff W/L records:
Pau never played with another big like Randolph. Marc's Grizzlies are ten times better than Pau's Grizzlies though. A reason why Pau's Grizzlies were always #8 seed when they made the playoffs.

[AnaheimLakers24]

pau easily

id take marc as well too but pau was on another level. people need to stfu about paus defense. it was good

[tpols]

On their playoff W/L records:
Pau never played with another big like Randolph. Marc's Grizzlies are ten times better than Pau's Grizzlies though. A reason why Pau's Grizzlies were always #8 seed when they made the playoffs.
Paus team was weaker but he still had a solid cast and a great coach.. The grizz last year were the 7 seed.. They upset the spurs as an 8 seed a few years ago. Pau couldn't get a single game in three straight years.

[DMV2]

Didn't Pau Gasol have Dwight Howard in 2013? :confusedshrug:
Yeah, an unhappy and an unhealthy Dwight in a toxic environment as 7th or 8th seed. Plus, refs/NBA helped them get into the playoffs.

[DMV2]

Paus team was weaker but he still had a solid cast and a great coach.. The grizz last year were the 7 seed.. They upset the spurs as an 8 seed a few years ago. Pau couldn't get a single game in three straight years.
Pau's Grizzlies: Miller, White Chocolate, Battier, cant remember anybody else. All as #8 seed.

Marc's Grizzlies: Randolph, Conley, Gay(for 4 years), Tony Allen, Battier(1 year)

[SpanishACB]

Stop comparing their H2H playoff record. Basketball is a team sport.

It's as silly as saying, but they both had Battier! Because Battier plays the same every year like a robot right?

Like plenty have said though if Marc somewhat continues with his current form I'll have to give him the edge just on longevity alone.

[DMV2]

Posey was good. Mighty Mouse was a hasbeen by then wasn't he?

Still though.... Marc's team >>>> Pau's team

[tpols]

Pau's Grizzlies: Miller, White Chocolate, Battier, cant remember anybody else. All as #8 seed.

Marc's Grizzlies: Randolph, Conley, Gay(for 4 years), Tony Allen, Battier(1 year)
Mike Miller was one of the greatest shooting and rebounding guards in the league. High quality support player. Battier was one of if not the best perimeter defender in the league, very valuable player. 5 guys outside of Pau in double figures.. Great defenders throughout paus roster, one of the better benches in the league, and a very good coach.

It's not a big enough difference to where one guy should have a .500 record and the other a .000. Today's West also has better competition.

[red1]

pau was still slightly better than current marc. current marc obviously shits on current pau

[Genaro]

Yeah, an unhappy and an unhealthy Dwight in a toxic environment as 7th or 8th seed. Plus, refs/NBA helped them get into the playoffs.
I didn't know Kobe was a ref.

[MMM]

Gashard
over
Gasoft

[SpanishACB]

Gashard
over
Gasoft

Has quite a few posterizations of Garnett (including as a rookie) for a soft guy

[hawksdogsbraves]

Overall you've got to say Pau, we'll see what Marc can do this season though, it certainly looks like he's in his prime right now. He'd pretty much have to win a ship as the best player on the team to have any chance at passing his older brother though.

[SpanishACB]

Overall you've got to say Pau, we'll see what Marc can do this season though, it certainly looks like he's in his prime right now. He'd pretty much have to win a ship as the best player on the team to have any chance at passing his older brother though.

I'm pretty sure you add something like Paul George to this memphis team, lose Zach for a serviceable PF and they're a chip team.

But I'm not sure Marc can carry the whole offensive load to a championship, the team would need a HOF coach.

[T_L_P]

Internationally Pau Gasol is the better player without question.

In the NBA.. so far a strong argument can be made for Marc.

No argument can be made.

Look at the numbers. Marc with a weaker cast than he's had the past 4 years isn't beating the 04 Spurs, 05 Suns or 06 Mavs (all great teams).

When he beat a great team in the Playoffs (11 Spurs, who had an injured Manu and Duncan at the lowest point of his career), he wasn't the best player in the series (Z-Bo was). 13 Clippers were good but Conley was the clear best Grizzly(?)

You can have a better team and be the better player. Anyone who watched 09-10 Pau wouldn't entertain the thought that Marc was/is the better player.

[MMM]

Has quite a few posterizations of Garnett (including as a rookie) for a soft guy

actually got respect for Gasol just throwing the gsoft as a bit of a joke. against the magic front courts and Celtics in back to back finals he definitely wasn't soft.

[oarabbus]

I do not like this kind of comparison, but these Kobe stans trying to belittle Pau, to praise Kobe is absolutely pathetic.

:applause:


pau easily

id take marc as well too but pau was on another level. people need to stfu about paus defense. it was good

A Lakers fan acknowledging the truth :applause:

Marc is scarier, a better leader, tougher, etc. Pau is definitely softer. But Pau was the better player.

[Andrew Wiggins]

marc may currently be slightly better beacuse of his defense but pau at his best was better. far more skilled offensively and could carry an offense.

[VeeCee15]

Looking at STATS now:

Current Pau stats > Current Marc Gasol stats

[Sakkreth]

pau was still slightly better than current marc. current marc obviously shits on current pau

I agree with this.

[oarabbus]

pau was still slightly better than current marc. current marc obviously shits on current pau

Shits on him? Marc is on a great team. Look at old man Pau performing with good teammates under a great coach in a well formed system, not the garbage the Lakers have ran for the past few years.

Pau put up 25/13 with 2 blocks on 75% today. Oh yeah he's the 4th best blocker in the league this season, btw.

Marc may be the better player currently but "shits on" I dunno about that

[VeeCee15]

SHITZ on pau?

Pau Gasol is arguably playing better than Marc RIGHT NOW in their current forms.

Pau is averaging close enough to 20-11 with more blocks than Marc.

Marc Gasol is averaging 20 - 8 with more assists.

Pau is also taller, and longer.

[KyleKong]

Marc because of what he offers on defense.

This is why Kobe stans are ****ing hilarious.

Always trying to discredit Kobe's great teammates to make Kobe seem like a greater player.