Center: Pau Gasol vs Marcin Gortat
Dec 23, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (4) in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Bulls won 99-91. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Where Gasol is a juggernaut offensively, Gortat is similarly dominant on the defensive end. He’s a beast protecting the paint and coupled with his long frame, he’ll likely give Pau some trouble trying to score on post-ups.
In the four games they have played against each other this season, here are their respective numbers:
- Pau Gasol: 15.75 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 blocks, 52.2% from the field and 77.8% on free throws
- Marcin Gortat: 14.5 points, 11.25 rebounds, 0.75 assists, 2.0 blocks, 55.3% from the field and 54.5% on free throws
So while Gortat is better defensively, he hasn’t been far off in terms of offensive production either in head-to-head match-ups.
What has been missing though is the Derrick Rose we’ve seen since his comeback these past couple of games. Rose attacking the way he has and facilitating with an impressive vision of the court will make things so much easier for Gasol. The pick-and-pop should be used as a valuable asset by the duo, and forcing Gortat out of the paint should give Pau the edge.
Advantage: Pau Gasol
Next: Bench vs Bench