Marc Gasol’s Los Angeles Lakers tenure got off to a rough start. In his first game, he looked slow and not very effective. While he’s not the All-Star level player he was several years ago, he’s turning out to be a strong addition to the team.
In fact, Gasol and LeBron James have formed the best duo in the NBA when it comes to Net Rating. When the two veterans play together, they have a Net Rating of +28.3.
LeBron James & Marc Gasol have the best Net Rating (+28.3) of any two players in the league who have played at least 100 minutes together so far this season.
Now, it has to be noted that four of the top-10 duos in the NBA feature LeBron. He just makes the players around him better in every way. The Lakers star may be 36-years-old but he continues to play at a high level. Gasol and LeBron already have a strong rapport and should only get better as they play more games together.
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Anthony Davis Learning From Gasol
Anthony Davis is already one of the best players in the NBA but he could still add some tools to his game. He’s an elite defender and scorer but isn’t known for his passing. He’s now playing alongside one of the best passing big men in the NBA in Gasol. Davis is in the process of learning from his new teammate.
“It’s good that I have Marc here because I’ve been learning a lot from Marc as far as passing bigs from the top, the elbow, from the post — just trying to figure out ways to kind of steal that from him, and also Bron,” Davis said Sunday.” He’s been talking to me about that as well over the past couple of years. I’m just trying to get better and continuously add to my game.”
Davis is already pretty much unstoppable but if he can become a great passer, the NBA is in serious trouble. So far, it’s looking like the Gasol addition was a smart move in a number of ways.
LeBron Has Previously Praised Gasol’s Basketball IQ
Gasol has been playing basketball for a long time and proven to be one of the smarter players in the league. LeBron is another player with a very high basketball IQ and that’s a big reason why he’s had success with Gasol. The Lakers superstar recently had some very high praise for his new teammate.
“Certain guys that just see plays before they happen,” LeBron said, via Lakers Outsiders. “They do it with their mind, do it with their pass, and Marc is one of those guys. His basketball IQ…not many happen to see the game like that. I’ve been privileged, back-to-back years, to be alongside [Rajon Rondo] and now to be alongside Marc who sees the game very similar to the way I see it.”
Smart players have always thrived with LeBron and Gasol is no exception. The Lakers have done a really good job of filling their roster with high-IQ players and absolute dogs. It appears to be a recipe for success in the early goings of this season.
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LeBron James & Unlikely Lakers Teammate Have Formed Best Duo in NBA