Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is asking NBA fans and pundits to put more respect on Marc Gasol's name. Jokic lauded the veteran center following the Los Angeles Lakers' win over the Nuggets on Monday night.
He pointed out the fact Gasol–who has mostly been a reserve option for L.A. as of late–has plenty of accolades in his career:
“I think we all forget who Marc Gasol is,” Jokic said, via Mike Singer of the Denver Post. “The guy who won two defensive players of the year.”
Gasol did not exactly “shackle” Jokic on Monday night. The likely league MVP still scored 32 points and was +3 in terms of plus-minus. But Gasol did make things more difficult for Jokic.
“The Joker” had not shot below 50 percent from the field in any of his last five games entering Monday night's showdown with the Lakers. But Jokic shot just 42.9 percent against L.A., including 1-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Gasol made an enormous impact on both Jokic and the game as a whole. He scored 10 points and pulled down seven rebounds in under 17 minutes, finishing +17 for the contest.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel is still trying to get a feel for his rotations with L.A. possessing quite the crowded frontcourt. That has often made Gasol the odd man out over the course of the past four weeks.
But the 36-year-old's skill set is still incredibly valuable to the Purple and Gold when it comes to matching up with bruising big men like Jokic. Gasol can space the floor offensively and is a terrific passer in the frontcourt. And above all else, he remains one of the best interior defenders in the game.
Gasol might be in the final stage of his career, but Jokic can see the quality is still there.
Follow Us
Subscribe