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Marcin Gortat had a perfect shooting performance against the Timberwolves

The Polish Machine isn’t getting rusty folks.

Marcin Gortat slumped this season as a scorer. His Per-36 minute scoring average dropped from 16.1 points per 36 minutes played to 11.7 this season. And some some were wondering if he was truly declining.

On Friday, Kevin Broom noted that Gortat isn’t declining due to age but because he’s less involved in the offense. In other words, Gortat may not really be declining at all.

In addition to the stats Kevin laid out, here are some other stats that support Gortat’s consistency from last season to this season and his lack of touches:

Marcin Gortat’s FG%, Usage, and Ratings 2016-17 vs. 2015-16

Stat 2015-16 2016-17
Stat 2015-16 2016-17
Field Goal Percentage 56.70% 58.30%
Usage Rating 18.90% 14.30%
Ind. Offensive Rating 114 115
Ind. Defensive Rating 104 107

If anything, Gortat has become a more efficient player on offense while remaining serviceably on defense. The moral of Kevin’s story and the stats above is pretty clear: FEED MARCIN MORE!

That’s exactly what we saw on Friday when the Wizards defeated the Timberwolves, 112-105. Gortat scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots to deliver one of his strongest performances this season.

Marcin Gortat’s Stats vs. Timberwolves on 1/6 vs. 2016-17 Averages

Stat vs. Timberwolves on Jan 6 2016-17 Season Avg
Stat vs. Timberwolves on Jan 6 2016-17 Season Avg
Points 19 11.7
Rebounds 10 12
Assists 1 1.8
Blocks 3 1.1
Field Goal Percentage 100% 58.30%
Usage Rating 22.70% 14.30%

Gortat’s double double wasn’t anything new. This was his 20th of the 2016-17 season.

However, Gortat was more involved in the offense, which can be reflected by his higher usage rate. He also shot 9 of 9 from the field, provided help on the defensive end, and almost had a “perfect game” scoring the basketball. The only blemish Gortat had on Friday was one missed free throw.

Gortat’s shooting performance is also one for the record books. No other player in Wizards franchise history shot 9 of 9 from the field since the 20th century:

On April 29, 1999, Ben Wallace scored 20 points on 9 of 9 shooting in a 20 point, 10 rebound performance in a 97-86 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gortat may not be a superstar center like DeMarcus Cousins of the Kings. However, when sound backcourt players like John Wall and Bradley Beal find Gortat when he’s open, the Polish Hammer capitalizes on those opportunities as well as anyone. You can watch Gortat’s highlights above from DownToBuck’s YouTube channel.

Finally, don’t forget to give Marcin Gortat an #NBAVOTE! Here’s a tweet to help you out.