Pau Gasol got a close-up look at what he always aspires to be when the Bulls played — and beat — Tim Duncan and the Spurs on Monday. Gasol and Duncan went mano a mano, with Gasol saying afterwards: “Tim is obviously way above me, but he is a guy I looked up to since I got in the league.” Against San Antonio Gasol had a very Duncan-like stat line, with 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks including a timely late rejection of LaMarcus Aldridge. Gasol continued about Duncan: “Just to be in the same sentence with him, I appreciate it and it’s an honor. He’s a guy I think every young player should resemble.”
Gasol may not qualify as a young player anymore, but he certainly went out the next night and tried to resemble the Spurs superstar. In a 99-90 win against Denver, Gasol had 26 points and 19 rebounds, marking five straight double-doubles. Gasol also blocked four shots. Duncan may be, as Gasol says, “way above” him, but they’ll be housemates one day in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
