Fansided

Marc Gasol does the Conor McGregor strut

ByWes Goldberg|
Nov 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) celebrates after a three point basket in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Grizzlies won 111-107. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) celebrates after a three point basket in the second half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Grizzlies won 111-107. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes NBA players do such wild and crazy things that I get so excited that I donā€™t know what to do with my hands. Apparently this isnā€™t a problem for Marc Gasol, because after hitting a 3-pointer that iced a win for the Memphis Grizzlies over the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night, Gasol broke out the Connor McGregor strut.

A lot of history was packed into that victory strut.

You may be asking ā€œwhy?ā€ but what you should be asking is ā€œhow?ā€.

How did we end up in a world where Gasol did this? Ā A world where he ā€” MARC GASOL ā€” hit a 3-POINTERĀ to ice the game and then McGREGORā€™D.

I gotchu.

First, I have to take you back to this:

What does this has to do with Mic Gregsolā€™s 3-pointer, you ask? Allow me to answer your question with a question. Itā€™s a two-parter.

Who was the Miami Heatā€™s assistant coach when Chris Bosh hit that 3-pointer, and who is the current head coach of the Grizzlies?

Answer: David Fizdale and David Fizdale.

Fizdale has said he wants to play like the Big Three era Heat, making Chandler Parsons into their version of LeBron James. He hasnā€™t quite succeeded in that, but he has apparently turned Gasol into Bosh 2.0. Bosh learned to shoot 3s as part of transitioning into a small-ball center, and Gasol is doing the same. Heā€™s already made moreĀ 3s this season as heā€™s made in his first eight years.

You know what? That doesnā€™t even do it justice. Here are a few players that Gasol has made as many or more 3s than this season.

  • LeBron James
  • Joe Johnson
  • Draymond Green
  • Manu Ginobili
  • Bradley Beal
  • Paul Millsap
  • Harrison Barnes

THIS. IS. CRAZY.

So now Gasol has experience hitting 3s late in games. Earlier this season, he forced overtimeĀ against the Washington Wizards with a game-tying 3-pointer.

Yes ā€” donā€™t freak out ā€” Iā€™m telling you that Gasol has become aĀ clutchĀ 3-point shooter.

So heā€™s got confidence after this fourth game of the season. Then heā€™s probably watching UFC 205 a few days agoĀ and sees McGregor pull the strut.

And then three days agoĀ weĀ saw other athletes doing it! Hereā€™s Manchester Unitedā€™s Paul Pagba.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMzkAO7Dypd/?taken-by=paulpogba

Guys, itā€™s going viral!Ā Gasol sees that and decides, ā€œhey, Iā€™m gonna do that when I hit a dagger 3-pointer against the Clippers tomorrow!ā€

And so thatā€™s how we got here. To this. To this right here.

And so now you know how it happened. How we got Mic Gregsolā€™d. I suspect this wonā€™t be the last time we see the McGregor Strut outside of the Octagon.

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