By Dionysis Aravantinos/ info@eurohoops.net
The Gasol Brothers have had a major role in their respective teams, using their experience to lead, while the Hernangomez Bros have been really helpful, improving their weaknesses and becoming more useful for their coaches off the bench.
Eurohoops presents the season Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Juan Hernangomez and Willy Hernangomez have had so far as well as their head to head matchups.
Pau Gasol / San Antonio Spurs
– Stats: 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds
– Team Record: 19-9 (3rd in Western Conference)
To start off the new season, Don Pau was our 7th best European NBA player (remember the list) and so far, this season has been successful for him. The San Antonio Spurs have been without Kawhi Leonard but have managed to win 19 of their 28 games thus far. The 37-year-old Spaniard is averaging 10.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting an efficient 48.7% from the field and 41.8% from the three-point line. He has been a leader on and off the court for coach Popovich’s team, next to LaMarcus Aldridge, helping him and also taking a lid off his shoulders.
Despite being 37 years of age, Gasol is providing 25 valuable minutes a night on both ends of the court. His best games this season came against the Chicago Bulls where he finished with a double-double: 21 points and ten rebounds, but also against the Dallas Mavericks where he put up a season-high 25 points and six rebounds.
Marc Gasol / Memphis Grizzlies
– Stats: 18.9 points, 8.6 rebounds
– Team Record: 8-20 (15th in Western Conference)
From a team’s perspective, it has not been a great year for the Memphis Grizzlies. On November 28, head coach David Fizdale was fired after an eight-game losing streak, and Marc Gasol confirmed that they did not always see eye to eye. Gasol, however, is putting up impressive individual numbers: 18.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 blocks being a force and presence down low.
With his experience, his skill set down low and also his ability to facilitate from a center position, Gasol is finding his teammates, assisting and making plays but also scoring down low, inside the paint. The Grizzlies have to improve, get back on track, and it all begins with their leader, Marc Gasol. His best games this season have come against Indiana Pacers and the defending champions, Golden State Warriors. Gasol scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on a win against the Warriors, while in a loss to the Pacers he finished with 35 points and 15 rebounds.
Willy Hernangomez / New York Knicks
– Stats: 5.4 points, 3.6 rebounds
– Team Record: 14-13 (9th in Eastern Conference)
The New York Knicks have started this season off on the right foot, as the team is just one game below five hundred. Due to Enes Kanter’s trade in New York, Willy Hernangomez’s minutes have fallen to 10.9 a game, as he comes off the bench with the second unit. The second-year player has played just 14 games this season, and he has been able to put up 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting a high 57.4% from the field, in just eleven minutes of play. Head coach Jeff Hornacek as the season progresses is starting to play him more and give him the opportunities.
The 23-year old managed to put up a double-double in just 17 minutes of play, as he finished with 14 points, ten rebounds and three assists coming off the bench. Offensively he can finish inside the basket, with a post move or a mid-range shot but he also has the athletic ability to make things happen. Hernangomez has been doing the things he has to do, to gain more minutes on the court. It is also important to note that if he played 36 minutes a night, he would average 17.2 points and 12.0 rebounds a game.
Juancho Hernangomez / Denver Nuggets
– Stats: 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds
– Team Record: 15-13 (5th in Western Conference)
Just like his brother, Juan Hernangomez is providing off the bench for coach Mike Malone. In an excellent 15-13 Denver Nuggets team, the second year Spaniard is averaging 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds on 37.3% shooting from the field. As he is trying to find an essential role on the team, the 22-year-old is playing 13,6 minutes a night, coming off the bench, helping his team get a victory with his passion, tenacity and energy.
So far, his best game has come against the Utah Jazz where he managed to put up, seven points and ten rebounds. In a game against the Sacramento Kings, Juan finished with a season-high 11 points and four rebounds. He has played 13 games this season as he was also sidelined due to mononucleosis.
Brother vs Brother
So far, the Hernangomez brothers have not competed against each other this season, because when the Nuggets visited New York, Juan did not participate in the game while Willy played only three minutes.
On the other hand, on November 29th, Marc Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies visited San Antonio to take on the Spurs. The game ended 95-104 in favor of the Spurs, but the story was the Gasol vs Gasol showdown. The two brothers competed and the older brother got the last laugh. Marc finished with 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Pau managed to put up four points, six rebounds and two steals.