Locked up in a tight position battle out West are the Memphis Grizzlies.

With a 22-14 record, they are currently ranked 6th, but very close on the Utah Jazz’s backs who possess a 21-13 slate. The main force behind Memphis’ attack is their man in the middle, Marc Gasol.

The seven-foot Spaniard is having one of his better years, averaging career-highs of 19.5 points and 4.1 assists per game. But the numbers don't matter much for the two-time All-Star.

“I never really care about numbers. To me, numbers, they’re just not important. Numbers is something easy. It’s how can you get the team to win and the result, you’ll get the numbers. If you shoot the ball enough times, you’re going to get numbers. To me, numbers is an easy way to explain something. It’s just a part of it.”

For his part, the numbers do explain a lot. Gasol’s presence enables the Grizzlies to come up with defensive stats that are among the league’s best. The team owns the NBA’s best defensive rating while allowing the fewest points in the paint.

With the return of Chandler Parsons, who is still being eased into form, Memphis is now slowly working its way back to being considered as one of the top contenders out West. Meanwhile, Gasol’s status is currently listed as day-to-day due to a sprained left ankle.