​How Marc Gasol Is Keeping The Shorthanded Grizzlies In Playoff Contention

The Memphis Grizzlies aren't going to win the 2017 NBA Championship. You know this, I know this, and your little cousin who thinks Chandler Parsons is super cute knows this. But I'm not sure Marc Gasol knows this, and thank God, too. Let's make sure no one tells him, because he's almost single-handedly keeping an injury-ravaged Grizzlies team in Western Conference playoff contention.

After a 88-86 win over the visiting Portland Trailblazers on Thursday night, the Grizzlies are 16-8 on the season, winners of their last four and seven of their last 10. If the playoffs started today, they'd be the No. 5 seed in the West. Looking at their injury list—most notably, Mike Conley and Chandler Parsons have gone down—it's fair to ask, how the hell is this happening? The answer is pretty simple.

No one thought Memphis would be in the thick of the Western playoff seeding, but that's because we all forgot about the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Marc Gasol.

Marc busted his right foot last season, which might explain why some have failed to mention him when talking about the league's best performers this year. On top of that, today's space-and-pace NBA largely ignores big men of his ilk. Witness the lack of interest Milwaukee is getting for Greg Monroe (a free agent coup two summers ago), and the difficulty Philadelphia is having in unloading Jahlil Okafor. Despite how unfashionable paint-patrolling Redwoods are in today's game, Gasol has shown so far this year how important they can be, particularly on the side of the ball where he's not traditionally known as a commanding presence.

Marc added some range to his set shot during his convalescence. After knocking down 12 three-pointers in his first eight NBA seasons, he has more than tripled that total (37) in his first 23 games this year. Not only that, but the lumbering seven-footer is ripping nylon at a remarkable 44 percent clip on a healthy 3.7 attempts per game from downtown. For comparison's sake, that's how many three-pointers per game Ray Allen attempted when he was a rookie.

Gasol's value to the Grizzlies on offense is more important than simply spreading the floor as a newly minted stretch five, though.

Memphis is scoring a lot more efficiently when he's between the lines. When Marc's plopped on the bench, the Grizzlies score a dreadful 91.8 points per 100 possessions, which would be almost give points fewer than the worst scoring team in the league (Philadelphia, at 96.4). But when he's on the court, that revolting offensive efficiency jumps more than 11 points per 100 possessions to 103.3, which is around league average.

Marc's also doing more on the offensive end, acting as their focal point during Conley's protracted absence. Gasol's still deadly from the high post, where he's initiated the offense in the past, except now he can perform those functions at the arc. And even further away from the hoop, he's still a cagey passer to cutters along the baseline, a Tony Allen staple:

So far this year, Gasol is posting career highs in usage and assist percentage, as well as a career low in turnover percentage. Plus, he's drawing opposing bigs to the arc as a trailer in transition, and in the half court his new-found range opens up things for his teammates:

When opponents—knowing he's their only real threat—attempt to double and triple-team Gasol, he has the vision to spot the open cutter:

Gasol is one of the most valuable defensive players in the league, too. When opponents are at the rim, they're shooting 7.7 percent wrose on attempts when Gasol is nearby. But the true measure of his defensive mastery can be found in his on/off numbers. When Gasol sits, the Grizzlies give up 104.8 points per 100 possessions, which is around league average (16th) in defensive rating. Conversely, when he's on the court, they only give up 97.7 points per 100 possessions, which would be the best defensive rating in the NBA by more than two points per 100 possessions (the Grizz are No. 1 overall, with a rating at 99.9 after beating the Blazers).

With Gasol on the court, the Grizzlies are the best defensive team in the league by a pretty wide margin, while also scoring around league average. When Gasol sits, they're average defensively and the worst offensive team since those abysmal Sixers from a couple years ago. That's impact.

Gasol is leading the Grizzlies in points, assists and blocks per game, as well as assist percentage, offensive win shares, and PER. With everyone so banged up in Memphis, Gasol is keeping his team afloat, and then some. The only question is how long it can last.