If you haven’t already heard, Marc Gasol is going to finish his career at FC Barcelona, meaning it puts an end to his wonderful time for the Toronto Raptors.
2772 minutes. That’s how many total minutes Marc Gasol has played in a Toronto Raptors jersey and we’re going to be reviewing 2579 minutes and 15 seconds of it. In his short stint here, Gasol played a vital piece in the Raptors’ first-ever championship. He did everything he was asked of and more on both ends of the floor and without him, we can’t be so sure that the Raptors see the same kind of success in 2019.
This is where Masai Ujiri doesn’t get enough credit for the acquisition of Marc Gasol. Yes, it was hard to see the long time Raptor Jonas Valančiūnas leave Toronto. But Marc’s play and character made that break-up easy to deal with.
It’s with great pleasure that I’ll remind every Toronto fan why we’ll forever be grateful for his time here counting every big moment and every minute starting with a fan favorite.
5. Marc Gasol holds Embiid to 0 points (34 minutes)
This was probably the moment Gasol got the most attention from the NBA while in a Toronto Raptors jersey. Marc Gasol held one of the best centers in the league to zero points. Embiid went 0/11 from the field, 0/4 from three, and even failed to score at the free-throw line missing all three. Most importantly they would go on to win the game 101-96.
This moment was very historic because this was the first time Embiid has been held to zero points in an NBA game and probably the last time it will ever happen. Embiid is a spectacular talent and the fact that Gasol is one of the few defenders who can always shut him down made Raptors fans comfortable when playing against the 76ers.
Let’s also not forget the 2018-2019 playoffs, where Gasol held Embiid to 32 percent shooting on 47 field goal attempts and pretty much kept Embiid from getting any sort of momentum. Even in the most recent season, Embiid has only scored one, I repeat one field goal when defended by Gasol — that is on 16 field goal attempts resulting in a 6.3 percent field goal percentage.
Matchups against the 76ers won’t be the same anymore and who knows who will defend Embiid at the level Gasol did. All we know for sure is that Embiid and 76ers fan will be delighted having not to face future Hall of Famer Marc Gasol.
4. Gasol comes up big in do or die Game 3 against Milwaukee Bucks (45 minutes)
Any Toronto Raptors fan who watched last season’s playoff run should remember this game vividly. A must-win game at home that went all the way to double-overtime. But one thing they may not remember is how badly Gasol had played in Games 1 & 2. Gasol shot 3-20 from the field and was part of the reason the Raptors went down 2-0 in the first place. However, in probably what was Gasol’s biggest game of his life, Gasol played out of his mind in Game 3.
Gasol’s stat line:
- 16 points/12 rebounds/7 assists/5 blocks/1 steal
If it weren’t for Gasol, we can’t be so sure that this game even goes the distance. Gasol did absolutely everything here. Huge box-outs, four threes, two three-point blocks, and three blocks alone on Giannis, and last but not least a team-high seven assists. He also had five points in the second overtime that would seal the Bucks fate.
This is probably the Marc Gasol game Toronto Raptors should remember him for, more so than the Joel game. Not only because it was a big bounce game in the playoffs but also because every other role player couldn’t get it going. Key players like Ibaka, VanVleet, and Green combined shot a horrendous 4/29 from the field. Ultimately, it wouldn’t matter as Gasol’s vintage Grizzlies performance would secure them the win.
3. Gasol’s transformation from star to role player in Championship run (735 minutes)
Game 3 was surely the Gasol’s best game in the 2019 playoff run, nonetheless, it was only a small part of what he did in the championship run. Gasol did it on both ends of the floor in the playoffs like he did his whole career. The main difference this time around was that Gasol wasn’t the focal point of the team like he was in Memphis.
Gasol who is regarded as the best Memphis Grizzlies player in franchise history personified the Grit and Grind era alongside Conley, Allen, and Randolph. Gasol was in most seasons the best player and he accepted that responsibility. Even up to his last season, Gasol was the defensive anchor and the one leading the Grizzlies offense right until he was traded.
This is where life changed for Marc Gasol, a player who had to adjust to a much more supportive role on the Toronto Raptors. His points and field goal attempts would be the lowest its ever been, and Gasol for the first time in a long time wasn’t the player where everything would fall on him.
To go from first to fourth-fifth option is hard to do for most. But for Marc Gasol, he handled like a true professional and embraced the role. Not once did Gasol look out of place and he made the transition look easier than it usually is and showed everyone he’s really all about winning.
2. Highest win percentage in Toronto Raptors history (1809 minutes,70 regular-season games)
Yes, that’s right. Out of all Raptors players with at least 50 games, Marc Gasol is the player with the highest win rate in franchise history. In the 70 games Gasol has been a part of, he has won 53 and lost 17, leading to a win percentage of 75.71 percent.
This regular season alone, when Gasol was in the starting lineup, the Raptors were 35-9. The regular starting lineup of Lowry-VanVleet-Anunoby-Siakam-Gasol posted a +13.1 in points difference per 100 possesions. Switch Ibaka in place of Gasol, and that number changes to a -2.5 in points difference per 100 possesions.
My intention isn’t to bash Ibaka, he’s been great this year. I just wanted to show you just how crucial Gasol is to the starting lineup and everything he does contributes to winning basketball more than anything else. He opened everyone’s game around him with his shooting and playmaking, and his selflessness complemented the Raptors’ core to perfection.
1. Chugging a bottle of wine at Toronto Raptors championship parade (15 seconds)
We’d be lying if we said this wasn’t the most impressive thing he has done with the Toronto Raptors. For those who don’t know, Marc Gasol chugged a whole bottle of wine in only 15 seconds.
Yes, he holds the Toronto Raptors highest ever win percentage, he held a superstar talent who is ten years younger than him to zero points, yes he blocked Giannis Antetokounmpo three times in the same game. But this has to be number one on the list. After years of early playoff exits with the Memphis Grizzlies, this was his sigh of relief and something no other ordinary human can do.
Thank you, Marc, now go win a title in Barcelona.