With Jermaine O'Neal back in Boston to rest his sore knee, out of the lineup as the Celtics take on the Grizzlies to close out their four-game road trip, we're left with an interesting matchup in the low post. It's one of the NBA's oldest starting centers against one of the youngest.
The 38-year-old Shaquille O'Neal is expected to make his fifth regular-season start in Celtic green on Saturday night. In Memphis, he'll take on 25-year-old Marc Gasol, who's quickly emerging as one of the league's best young big men.
One guy is active on both ends, explosive, and works like a dog on the glass. The other is old and hobbling but can still score and still commands a double-team on the low post. It's an interesting matchup, and one that could set the tone for Saturday's contest.
Shaquille O'Neal has a "brother," Jermaine, who will work to rehab his injured knee and return soon. Meanwhile Marc Gasol has an actual brother, Pau, who played for the Grizzlies before him between 2001 and '08.
They've also both got impressive groups of teammates. Here's the lineup card for Celtics-Grizzlies:
Celtics
Rajon Rondo, PG
Ray Allen, SG
Paul Pierce, SF
Kevin Garnett, PF
Shaquille O'Neal, C
Grizzlies
Marc Gasol, C
Zach Randolph, PF
Rudy Gay, SF
O.J. Mayo, SG
Mike Conley, PG
