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Pau: Marc Gasol 'should be upset' with Grizzlies

Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Injuries, lackluster play, and questionable decision-making have marred the Memphis Grizzlies' 2017-18 campaign, sinking a team that had been a mainstay in the Western Conference playoff picture right to the bottom of the standings.

Marc Gasol has been vocal over his displeasure with the direction the team is headed, focusing more on developing talent rather than putting the best players on the floor. His older brother, Pau Gasol, can vouch for his brother's frustrations.

"Of course, he’s upset. He should be upset," said Pau ahead of Monday's matchup between Memphis and the San Antonio Spurs, according to The Commercial Appeal's Ronald Tillery. "Any player who competes and cares would be upset. That’s a good sign from a player who cares and is a leader. He’s putting his body on the line and not quitting."

The 18-44 Grizzlies are in the middle of a 13-game losing streak, having not won a game since Jan. 29 when they pulled out a nine-point victory over the Phoenix Suns, who are currently just two-tenths of a percentage point better than them.

All Pau can do for his brother is offer words of encouragement at a time when there's little reason to be optimistic or motivated.

"What I told him is, ‘Do your best. Keep competing.’ That’s the only thing you can control," Pau said. "You can’t control that one of your best players, Mike Conley, is out for the year. You can’t control that (Chandler) Parsons, one of your biggest signings, has an (injury) issue and so forth. All you can control is your effort, your work ethic, your mindset going into games."

Pau spent the first seven years of his career with the Grizzlies, experiencing the highs of their first-ever postseason berth in 2004, and the lows that come with winning just 23 games before forcing his way out via trade. Marc's run in Memphis has been far more successful in comparison. The team has gotten as far as the conference finals in 2013, and set a franchise record with 56 victories with him in the middle.

Marc - who is locked into his contract through 2019-20 - is being held out on the second night of a back-to-back slate for the rest of the season, much to his disdain. He's also converting a touch over 40 percent of his shots - his lowest mark since entering the Association.

“Marc has enjoyed the best years of the franchise. They had very good teams. They’ve consistently been a competitive team. Right now, they’re going through a lot of changing with maybe some questionable decisions upstairs," added Pau. "It’s been a hard year. No question. Marc is a great professional. He gets upset, but he knows he has to just go out and play."

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