Sporting Green
7-footers Bogut, Gasol are versatile, large cogs in lineups
Andrew Bogut and the Warriors face Memphis in Game 1 of their series. Bogut’s matchup with Marc Gasol will be key.
Center play has been so depleted that the NBA removed the position from the All-Star ballot.
Fans now can vote for three “frontcourt” players, leaving out the big men altogether if they wish.
The Warriors’ Western Conference semifinal series against Memphis could go a long way toward returning respect to the center position because of the multifaceted games of Andrew Bogut and Marc Gasol.
“They’re very similar players with their feel, passing and defense,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “They’re two beautiful centers to watch. I love to watch both guys play basketball because of their skill. It’ll be a fun matchup.”
At 7-foot-1, 255 pounds, Gasol put up 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and five assists per game in Memphis’ first-round victory over Portland. He was the first player to average at least 20 points, nine rebounds, five as- sists and two blocked shots in a postseason series since LeBron James did it against Chicago in 2010.
Gasol’s stellar postseason series followed a career-best regular season. He averaged a career-high 18.9 points per game and posted seven of the nine highest-scoring games of his career. He scored at least 20 points 27 times, after doing so 17 times over the first 436 games
and six seasons of his career.
“He plays all facets of the game, which is pretty impressive for a big man,” Bogut said. “He can score, pass, shoot the jumper and defend, so I think he’s the focal point of their team. I think when he plays well, they usually win.”
Save for shooting the jumper, the same might be said about Bogut. The Warriors went 58-9 when the 7-foot, 260-pounder played and 9-6 when he was out of the lineup.
Bogut finished third in individual defensive rating (95.2), while anchoring the league’s best defensive unit. He also became a big part of the Warriors’ offense this season, often initiating the offense from the top of the key and playing a major role in moving the ball from one side of the court to the other and in setting screens in the team’s dribble-handoff game.
“I think the guy is a brilliant basketball player at both ends,” Kerr said. “He’s one of the best passing big men in the league, and he’s possibly the defensive center in the league. I knew that I was getting a hell of a player (when taking the Warriors’ job), and I was excited about that.”
Bogut and Gasol won’t always be matched against each other. In the teams’ three regular-season meetings, the Warriors often used a cross-matchup at center and power forward, defending Gasol at the high post with Draymond Green and using Bogut to defend Zach Randolph on the low post.
“I expect Bogut to be hyped up and ready to make an impact,” Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said. “This is the kind of situation where he shines. Whether he’s guarding Z-Bo or Marc, he’s going to do what he does. He’s going to make it tough on them.
“This is why he’s here. We’re going to need him every single game. I think he’s ready and excited about it. The way he’s been playing all season, I’m betting on a big series from him, so it’s going to be fun.”
Bogut is as healthy as he has been for a postseason series. During the Warriors’ two-series playoff run in 2013, he had to take anti-inflammatory shots just to get through games, and last season, Bogut sat out with broken ribs.
“This is a big moment for him, because the past two years haven’t been ideal with his health and the way he is able to impact the game in the playoffs,” Curry said. “Obviously, you can look at the stat line and make judgments, but if you’re watching our games, that guy is impacting the game on both ends of the floor.
“There’s a reason that he’s doing what he’s doing. He realizes this is a great opportunity, and he’s been waiting for this for a long time.”