Marc Gasol, Center – Memphis Grizzlies
At 7’1″, Gasol is the team’s third leading scorer at 14.3 points per game and leads the team in blocked shots at 2.0 per game. The younger brother of Lakers forward Pau Gasol, Marc, born in Barcelona, has tasted basketball success at the international level with the Spanish national team and earned gold and silver medals in the FIBA World and European Championships (2006-2011) as well as the 2012 Olympics. Playing in the relative obscurity of Memphis, Tennessee has allowed Gasol to quietly develop his game. Nearly immovable on the blocks, he has a deep shooting touch (he leads his team in free throw percentage), solid passing skills and a frame strong enough to withstand and deliver the physicality that is typical of the NBA playoffs.
Carlos Delfino, Forward – Houston Rockets
Another argentino, Delfino is the first player from his country to be drafted in the first round (selected 25th in 2003 by the Detroit Pistons). Following stops in Toronto (2007) and Milwaukee (2009-2012), where he had career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game, Delfino was traded to the Houston Rockets and is the primary player to complement the dynamic duo of James Harden and Jeremy Lin. Delfino and the 7th-seeded Rockets’ – with their high-octane, up-tempo offense – will be a nightmare opponent for San Antonio or Oklahoma City who are battling for top seed supremacy in the Western Conference.
