Fansided

NBA: 10 Best Frontcourts In the League

By Brad Rowland

NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (left) talks with forward Kevin Love (0) during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (left) talks with forward Kevin Love (0) during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 11
Next
NBA – Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) listens to center Marc Gasol (33) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum. Memphis defeated Milwaukee 99-90. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
NBA – Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) listens to center Marc Gasol (33) during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum. Memphis defeated Milwaukee 99-90. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

8) Memphis Grizzlies

Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter

No one gets excited about the Memphis Grizzlies, but all they do is win 50 games per season behind their dynamic duo of big men. Marc Gasol is the most underrated center in the NBA, and the 2012-2013 Defensive Player of the Year is healthy after missing 23 games last season due to injury. The now 29-year-old big man from Spain will never “wow” you with statistical production, but Gasol is good for approximately 15 points and 8 rebounds per game with impeccable defense and passing ability (3.9 assists per 36 minutes last season), and he is the heart and soul of everything in Memphis.

Of course, Gasol is often overshadowed (at least in name recognition) by his partner-in-crime, Zach Randolph. At 33, Randolph isn’t quite as explosive as he was during his apex when the left-hander surpassed 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in three straight seasons, but Z-Bo was highly productive last season in averaging 17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. The Grizzlies are a “throwback” team in that they rarely ever play “small ball”, but with Randolph’s offensive acumen and rebounding and Gasol’s defensive abilities, there is no need to change what they do on a match-up basis, even as the rest of the NBA moves smaller.

Memphis made a significant addition in the off-season, when they added Vince Carter to the mix. Frankly, the Grizzlies would not have cracked the top ten of this list last season, as the Tayshaun Prince experiment failed miserably, and Quincy Pondexter missed all but 15 games. However, the now 37-year-old Carter was a revelation in Dallas, and regardless of whether he starts every game in Memphis, he is their best small forward. At this stage, Vince is a pure role player, shooting better than 39% from three last season while playing high-end defense, and because he will fit in perfectly with the Grizzlies on both ends, his considerable talents will be magnified while his limitations (largely due to age) will be hidden.

Home/Atlanta Hawks