Dwyer: Power Forward Rankings 1-10 [Archive]

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picc84

08-25-2010, 06:26 PM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Ranking-the-power-forwards-10-through-1;_ylt=AjHM5bjQ6qNpn7UdxmTQSZO8vLYF?urn=nba-265161

Looks like he got this one about right.

Pauer to the people. :toast

noob cake

08-25-2010, 06:33 PM

lol Pau.

Dirk, Bosh > Pau

Nathan89

08-25-2010, 06:36 PM

34 years old and still the second best pf in the game. Nice

Cane

08-25-2010, 06:40 PM

Like when Dwyer ranked Wade over Kobe, I've got no beef with this. Wade and Gasol are simply younger and more athletic - Duncan and Bryant have too many miles and it shows compared to those guys.

JamStone

08-25-2010, 06:48 PM

I think I'd still take Duncan over Pau right now, but I wouldn't knock someone for going with Pau. Pau has improved his game a lot and even added some toughness. But I do think if a team consistently stays physical with him throughout the game, his game will sooner or later be negatively affected, whether by forcing him more into a face-up player on offense or simply shying away from the physical contact down low.

Duncan's numbers are all right on par with Pau's or better if you even out the minutes played. Pau is younger and, because of that, quicker and more athletic. I think I go with Duncan because Duncan's level of play is still very close with Pau's and when it's a close game, I trust dumping the ball down to Duncan without fearing he'll get bullied. Pau may not get bullied as often as he used to be, but I have more confidence that Duncan won't be.

But again, I don't knock anyone for taking Pau over Tim.

Amare over Dirk is kind of funny.

Purch

08-25-2010, 06:49 PM

Amare is better then Dirk

/Worthless article

picc84

08-25-2010, 06:51 PM

Cane

08-25-2010, 06:54 PM

Amare over Dirk is kind of funny.

Yea but to Dwyer's credit he basically said they were interchangeable ( "But, really, I'd have no qualms with anyone switching his and Amar'e's rankings.") and that he wasn't going "half empty" on his assumptions about Amare's transition to the Knicks. He seemed to also have penalized Dirk for having a better team, especially since Mike D'Antoni won't help when it comes to defense.

I'd rank Dirk over Amare as well but they're both pretty close to the same type of PF in the sense that they're both incredibly efficient on offense but relatively lackluster defensively and on the boards.

BlackSwordsMan

08-25-2010, 06:56 PM

tim duncan is a power forward?

Cane

08-25-2010, 06:58 PM

Killakobe81

08-25-2010, 08:08 PM

JamStone

08-25-2010, 08:08 PM

I think you'd be a fool to take Duncan over Pau at this point.

Did you notice how much his defense has declined during those Mavs and Suns series? He was a turnstile. Gasol has him on both offense and defense.

Perhaps true. I do think Duncan has lost quite a bit defensively. But then again, he's coming down from such an elite level that his standards are much higher. And while Pau has improved a lot defensively, he's not always consistently good defensively. Let's not forget the couple of games a broken down KG punked Pau in the Finals. Duncan actually still rebounds defensively at a better rate than Pau, and they have similar defensive ratings in both the regular season and the playoffs last year. I think it's the perception that Duncan was such a defensive wall that now that he's come down to earth and lost a few steps defensively that he's just bad. He's still pretty good.

In fact, if you compare Amare's stats in the playoffs against the Lakers and against the Spurs, even with the Suns sweeping the Spurs and losing to the Lakers, Amare shot better from the field (52.6% FG against Lakers, 47.5% FG against the Spurs) and shot more free throws (11.5 FTA against the Lakers, 7.8 FTA against the Spurs) against Pau and the Lakers than he did against Duncan and the Spurs. Now I know neither Pau nor Duncan defended Amare exclusively, but I'm not about to go through every play of each game in those playoff series. Heck, KG shot 51.1% from the field on Pau after he had just gotten done shooting 39% from the field on Rashard Lewis in the conference finals.

In reality, while Duncan has lost quite a bit defensively, Pau's defense still isn't consistently great either. And as shown in the Finals, it's not like he was coasting in games that didn't matter. He wasn't a shut down defender in all of the big games either.

I think it's closer to being a push defensively with the two players. Pau is better offensively, but again I revert back to what I said earlier about having more confidence in Duncan late in a game to get things done and to not get bullied. By no means does that mean Pau isn't a great player. He certainly is. And if you prefer Pau, I can understand why. I think it's short-sighted and naive to suggest it's foolish to still think Duncan could be better. Perhaps it's a wash between the two. But it's not a significant difference either way.

DPG21920

08-25-2010, 08:10 PM

Duncan is still a better defender than Pau, no question. If you stick Ron Artest and Bynum around Duncan, the Spurs are an elite defensive team.

Red Hawk #21

08-25-2010, 08:13 PM

Does Dwyer not like Troy Murphy or something? Almost every picture was a picture of Murphy getting dunked on or burnt on defense.

HarlemHeat37

08-25-2010, 08:24 PM

SomeCallMeTim

08-25-2010, 09:07 PM

Does Dwyer not like Troy Murphy or something? Almost every picture was a picture of Murphy getting dunked on or burnt on defense.

Something of a running joke. The SG series had Mayo getting clowned on (don't you remember the Mayo-guarding-Mayo pic?) and the SF had James looking foolish.

Pretty funny actually. :lol

sribb43

08-25-2010, 09:09 PM

Surprised this bitch didnt put Chris Anstey, Donald Hodge or Doug Smith @ #1 to disrespect Dirk even more

picc84

08-25-2010, 09:30 PM

Duncan's man defense is still solid. Its his help defense that has nosedived. He looked horrible out there trying to rotate and contest interior shots, like his feet were stuck in blocks of cement. Gasol plays good man D, but at this point he is a substantially better help and PnR defender, because he is much more mobie than Duncan is and has a greater wingspan. His overall defensive impact is greater than Tim's, and his offense goes without saying.

HarlemHeat37

08-25-2010, 09:44 PM

I'm a bigger Pau fan than most of the Laker fans here, but I disagree..

This season, Gasol had Duncan beat in 2 defensive categories..Gasol was better than Tim at defending face-up big men and defending from outside the paint..defenders scored on around 42% of their chances against both, but Gasol had significantly more plays, thus making his efficiency more impressive..

Gasol was a lot better than Duncan at rotating to outside shooters, this is his main defensive advantage over Duncan..it wasn't even close..there's pretty much no doubt that Gasol is more mobile than Duncan by a good margin..

Duncan has the advantage in a few categories as well..

Post-Up D wasn't close..offensive players shot 42% against Duncan out of post-up situations, they shot 46% against Gasol..they scored on 39% of their overall chances against Duncan, while scoring on 45% against Gasol..

Surprisingly, Duncan's pick and roll D was better as well..the margin was close enough, but Duncan was better by a less than 1% margin..

In overall defensive rankings, it's extremely close..players scored on 41.5% of their chances in plays where Gasol is the main defensive focus, while 41.4% against Duncan..however, opponents drew 2% more fouls vs. Gasol, a decent margin considering the circumstances..

Now you have to account for the fact that Duncan's help on D is Matt Bonner(average overall defender), McDyess(average defender, occasionally above), Blair(poor defender)..his stoppers are Manu Ginobili(above average defender), Richard Jefferson(below average defender) and George Hill(average overall defender)..

Gasol's defensive supporting cast is Bynum(above average defender when injured, for his size alone), Odom(good defender)..his stoppers are Ron Artest(great defender) and Kobe(above average defender)..

Not exactly fair..

ezau

08-25-2010, 11:00 PM

Dirk should have been ranked higher than Pau. I mean right now, nobody in the entire league can guard Dirk. I love TD and I respect every facet of Pau's game, but right now, Dirk is slightly ahead of both of them.

sefant77

08-25-2010, 11:36 PM

0-12 for #1

DAF86

08-25-2010, 11:47 PM

0-12 for #1

Actually it's O & 12! for #4.

tee, hee.

Giuseppe

08-25-2010, 11:54 PM

If you stick Ron Artest and Bynum around Duncan, the Spurs are an elite defensive team.

Then we're crossing fingers & toes--wishin' & hopin', gettin' our Dusty Springfield on that Artest implodes, eh, tights?

tee, hee.

DJ Mbenga

08-26-2010, 12:46 AM

why is duncan in here? he has been a Center for the last 7 years.

mystargtr34

08-26-2010, 01:27 AM

I think Pau Duncan and Dirk are the clear 1 2 3... different people will have them in different orders.. Amare doesnt belong with those guys.

ezau

08-26-2010, 01:40 AM

why is duncan in here? he has been a Center for the last 7 years.

Don't you like it? That way, DJ Mbenga doesn't have to contend as the top center in the league, tee hee

Giuseppe

08-26-2010, 06:34 AM

tee hee

I'm a trend setter.

I set trends.

ezau

08-26-2010, 06:48 AM

I'm a trend setter.

I set trends.

Yes :lol

Ashy Larry

08-26-2010, 08:34 AM

30. michael beasley (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4388/;_ylt=atiw1g_nexjxrszibt6srr3yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4388/news;_ylt=alaakqxzphqjqpmya8uqqh3yryz4), minnesota timberwolves (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/min/;_ylt=amx4f.9bdgyuaxwzlfvdscxyryz4) (last year: Unranked)

beas certainly has the talent to vault into the top ten of this list, but for now he remains a sort of nonentity whilst on the court. Sure, he gets some points, some rebounds, but not a ton of either. And after two years i'm trying hard to remember a time that he really swayed the character of a particular game in any meaningful way. He'll get his chances in minnesota, bouncing between forward spots and possibly coming off the bench. Here's hoping for a turnaround, while the pressure focuses elsewhere.
(in case you're wondering, it's defense. Yes, he scores more than a lot of other people on this list, and he was part of a very good defensive team this year. But until he shows me more, he's 30.)

29. kenyon martin (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3400/;_ylt=ahkmlhnniey7rz_vakpyo2hyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3400/news;_ylt=aimrka1yqbfeo2rigopyxnlyryz4), denver nuggets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/den/;_ylt=asmyzno6gbowo_02cegbw0ryryz4) (last year: Unranked)

i still appreciate martin's defense, and this is a "if healthy" type of ranking. If he can play, martin's ability to finish off of a screen-and-roll, cover the same play on the other end and pin shots to the glass keeps him worth the minutes. Not worth the salary, mind you, but perhaps denver can find something to do with that $16.5 million expiring deal.

28. taj gibson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4631/;_ylt=aimjbtinqvveg25bhzy2nvlyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4631/news;_ylt=ahsl.12vtvjnotbvlgcelejyryz4), chicago bulls (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/chi/;_ylt=alael.2tqp4vwwpogs9mhonyryz4) (last year: Unranked)

at the bottom of this list, it really came down to, "who would i rather have on my team in 2010-11: Taj gibson, or [name redacted]?" and taj kept winning out. It's a giant mea culpa for me, because i didn't even think taj was the 26th-best player in last year's draft when he was taken at that slot, but his all-around game and defensive work have me on his side as we enter his second season.

27. thaddeus young (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4290/;_ylt=asv1whynnep9quoo9mywo6jyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4290/news;_ylt=avjj_8vnvxrzhm0cq0pwnfpyryz4), philadelphia 76ers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/phi/;_ylt=ajj4vigyyoqu.yilp23qnjjyryz4) (last year: Unranked)

thaddeus' production has declined in the two years since his impressive rookie campaign, and though he's just 22, it is time for him to get it together. With an ultra-focused coach in doug collins and a defined role on offense, perhaps 2010-11 is his season to bounce back. He's certainly got the all-around skills to make it happen.

26. j.j. Hickson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4481/;_ylt=amusupxqesgmgve_rphsswnyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4481/news;_ylt=agbds3pnfkceoitwfs3ekctyryz4), cleveland cavaliers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cle/;_ylt=aotfv6erezkgaa8pf.osppjyryz4): (last year: Unranked)

for all the talk of hickson working as some untradeable prospect for the cavaliers last season, it might surprise some to see him this low. I've got to admit that i think this might be too high, actually.
J.j. Is a good screen-and-roll partner, pretty good going in either direction to the hole. He finishes well, and though he doesn't often take a jumper, he has the form to put it together. His work on the other side of the ball is ok. He's a fringe starter, though. One you'd prefer to replace.

25. jeff green (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4247/;_ylt=apban5in_k6tuudpxitr2e_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4247/news;_ylt=am_c5fihy.fgyqllbwmebhzyryz4), oklahoma city thunder (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/okc/;_ylt=atdogb2qy7yo366an1gq_mpyryz4) (last year: 30th)

i just don't understand what i'm missing with green.
He's a below-average shooter from long range who shoots too much, he's not a great interior finisher. He's a poor rebounder, a good defender at either forward slot to the naked eye (if not to the stat ledger (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=auv2cto9guqqb.wje.xyytlyryz4/sig=11k63oqa6/**http%3a//www.82games.com/0910/09okc12.htm%23bypos)), and at 24 he's not some prospect worth taking your time on. He just appears to be a below-average forward to me. Why he's being counted on as the third tier in oklahoma city, or a potential member of team usa, i just don't get.

24. elton brand (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3324/;_ylt=ajbtwopytiw8x56qropkawtyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3324/news;_ylt=agjhnujsbirhdbodzvmd0dfyryz4), philadelphia 76ers (last year: 17th)

the slide continues for the too-proud power forward. Elton hurts himself because he over-thinks just about every possession he's part of offensively, though his defensive skills came in handy when his relatively short height isn't a huge deal. Brand missed only six games last year, and he gave his team 13 and 6 in just 30 minutes (along with 2.2 combined steals/blocks), so this might be too low a ranking for him. Then again, he'll turn 32 before this season ends.

23. tyrus thomas (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4132/;_ylt=ai9ddwhvgvnedkjqaqb.89zyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4132/news;_ylt=avm0kkm6b04a.8xhqewaymdyryz4), charlotte bobcats (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cha/;_ylt=arykaipaqjduk7yu7pvgni7yryz4) (last year: 29th)

it's yet another make-or-break season for tyrus in a career of them. Truly, it was his rookie campaign that was his make-or-break year. The bulls failed to get through to him, thinking that a veteran-heavy locker room would do the trick, and he's been flailing ever since.
Now we get to see how he responds to getting that second contract. Every bit of it is guaranteed, so it hardly matters if he goes in or out of larry brown's doghouse. For now, they're playing nice. One or 12 missed defensive assignments later, who knows?

22. rashard lewis (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3275/;_ylt=aobpouj6zmopxjb_6nydl6pyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3275/news;_ylt=agfl0dbgamfu8lw7vtvxjsdyryz4), orlando magic (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/orl/;_ylt=aqwockjfsokepb5pxipwmsjyryz4) (last year: 16th)

if i'm honest, the only reason lewis is ranked this high is because the skill he's best known for contributing (sound shooting from behind the arc) is so hard to find at this position, and he can be a matchup nightmare.
Can be.
Because, too often, lewis doesn't take advantage of his own gifts. And when he passes on being aggressive offensively, his terrible defense and position-worst rebounding tend to bring out the worst in him.

21. andray blatche (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3975/;_ylt=ahigb8schiyggbgd1qxqhndyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3975/news;_ylt=amymwzyfdk5yxp.msqfmnhvyryz4), washington wizards (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/was/;_ylt=ahr.qnv3niaailk4h__wrxhyryz4) (last year: Unranked)

this is a glass-half-full ranking.
If blatche really gets into flip saunders' offense, plays hard and keeps his attitude in the right place? He'll have a great year, possibly better (i'm not going to get too optimistic, considering his defense) than a few of the players ranked ahead of him.
It's not likely to go that way. He'll have good stretches and bad. Which is unfortunate, because he remains a tantalizing talent.

20. udonis haslem (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3765/;_ylt=aq_svb1klxwlkmab9kguu9vyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3765/news;_ylt=alaakqxzphqjqpmya8uqqh3yryz4), miami heat (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mia/;_ylt=aqgema_e0jcnawqjegthpz7yryz4) (last year: Unranked)

i'm still shaking my head at udonis' defensive work from last season. I'm sure my co-workers here at y! Are sick of hearing about it, but the guy was just everywhere last season, and that's while taking into consideration his already-staunch career-long history of defensive work. Haslem's return to miami gives this team so, so much versatility, as he can defend two positions expertly while covering for the mistakes of guys named chris bosh (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3707/;_ylt=av8fzcth5bvzgbsa5emas7lyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3707/news;_ylt=aimrka1yqbfeo2rigopyxnlyryz4).

19. lamar odom (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3327/;_ylt=aug5_7fxi9q57_99xsswncnyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3327/news;_ylt=ahu48nqad3tgxtks296.x57yryz4), los angeles lakers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/lal/;_ylt=avwjlxbgwqn3z_lyxtxg8hzyryz4) (last year: 12th)

l.o. Was rightfully ranked that high last season because he set so much up within the confines of los angeles' offense that didn't show up in the box score, alongside some pretty happenin' help defense. The defense was there last year, but he didn't seem to have as much of an impact offensively, and i was more than dismayed by his slight-but-still-annoying uptick in 3-point attempts, without an uptick in 3-point percentages (31.9 percent on the year, right in line with his career averages).
Still, there are few players in this league i enjoy watching more.

18. blake griffin (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4561/;_ylt=atlby6yomk6dkq37j1whojpyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4561/news;_ylt=akky0zdtrqv1novykqq6njfyryz4), los angeles clippers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/lac/;_ylt=agcu_srks402lpn84e4zpwxyryz4) (last year: 20th)

there are nights where blake will act the part of a top five player at his position, even in his official rookie year. His hands, explosiveness, touch and timing will do well, and he'll be a terror coming down the lane and coming through with the last play we saw him make just before he destroyed his kneecap.
There's still a long way to go, though, before we'll see the real blake. And baron davis (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3326/;_ylt=aj7flfxm_lasy.rzars937_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3326/news;_ylt=aobhqjartzynw27ttzmgnzpyryz4) is his point guard. So, your patience is appreciated.

17. paul millsap (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4175/;_ylt=am2wsc1oyuo7cqdopoamnvhyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4175/news;_ylt=aondb5dumcgfarh0o7s8gk_yryz4), utah jazz (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/uth/;_ylt=amjtxl5v8kuevza55ewt9lnyryz4) (last year: 13th)

why does paul drop four spots despite the absence of carlos boozer (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3632/;_ylt=amldkc1nt5n2avx79eyfigzyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3632/news;_ylt=ajuruofdw85k3zizqyqb5wtyryz4) in the utah lineup?
Well, though he has the talent for it, paul's not going to just step in and start handing out 20 and 10s. andrei kirilenko (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3347/;_ylt=arbrgqjfnkxn_akqdssunz_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3347/news;_ylt=agq3ahhx0_9q_pz7p.kmyhvyryz4) will eat up some power forward minutes, and al jefferson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3832/;_ylt=aio_ktfjm2mblcqtafedwopyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3832/news;_ylt=auv8imxjcrq0bldhoom3z63yryz4) will jump between the center and power forward slot at times, and his game more closely resembles millsap's than it does the departed boozer's. Big paul, as he's usually done, will take it all in stride.
Also, this guy catches passes that have no business being thrown, and still turns them into buckets. Fantastic player.

16. antawn jamison (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3247/;_ylt=aqvv9zbmnkdwtvlkny4qubnyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3247/news;_ylt=anos8sicv18smcmax7vgo2ryryz4), cleveland cavaliers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/cle/;_ylt=aqmwnpaufsaxxipcggfe6styryz4) (last year: Sixth)

with lebron james (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3704/;_ylt=al2yh5irwk6xjda4e23vqytyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3704/news;_ylt=anrvxf3em7dl3zguh1axdp3yryz4) gone and the cavaliers hurting for scoring, one would think that antawn would be the guy to step up and step in with what could be his finest scoring season in years.
that might happen, but efficiency and defense matter here, and it's worth noting that the 34-year-old jamison was dropping off in production even before his trade to cleveland. Appreciate the heck out of the guy, i'd just want some more well-rounded big men on my team before him at this point.

15. carl landry (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4309/;_ylt=aluztrjqzz_s22wekmotfjlyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4309/news;_ylt=amymwzyfdk5yxp.msqfmnhvyryz4), sacramento kings (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/sac/;_ylt=ai583yb4bwfslalh0dzoy0hyryz4) (last year: 19th)

landry is an uncanny scorer who scores at a very efficient rate, and he gives the kings the sort of interior presence offensively they've lacked since chris webber (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/1272/;_ylt=amoz5chf0iik0gxirkke36_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/1272/news;_ylt=algg5ht72sy6dq3dfqhapj_yryz4) fell apart.
but he also falls short on the glass and on defense, and his minutes could be leveled with demarcus cousins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4720/;_ylt=ak8ke79m.q_snw7p.xog64_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4720/news;_ylt=asen8lruegzs9xc3zxikfsjyryz4) trying to find a position in this league and jason thompson's (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4474/;_ylt=ankumfvdnkkawjmzm9q6tr7yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4474/news;_ylt=ara5suzw08gccxdzhjfaakryryz4) presence. This leaves him just a step behind the sort of starting-quality studs that rank ahead of him.

14. luis scola (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3653/;_ylt=ajvghkcssufi.ogjzyzmu6dyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3653/news;_ylt=aogwste6je6bkdvlndcchrnyryz4), houston rockets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/hou/;_ylt=atman5bid3zglt9ysrnki53yryz4) (last year: 25th)

in 16 games spread in the month of march last season, luis scola averaged 20.5 points on 52 percent shooting and 10.5 rebounds. He also played 39 minutes a contest. And if he just approximates that run for most of 2010-11, than this 14th ranking will be a joke.
the problem is, i don't know if he will. I don't know if he'll get the ball enough or play enough minutes. I'd like to see him get the ball more -- and with trevor ariza (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3860/;_ylt=aqkhzwdfmssc0nc6lnke.yxyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3860/news;_ylt=apnz1fin0ydob6myvhiewaxyryz4) gone, he'll certainly have his chances -- but i just can't be too confident. Here's hoping he turns this middle-of-the-road rating into a joke, instead of leaving it as merely a potential joke.

13. troy murphy (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3524/;_ylt=aubqhe.2d4w0dpi_whlxszryryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3524/news;_ylt=avajvl7umn1z09zyjhxpqapyryz4), new jersey nets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/njn/;_ylt=ajya5il1kr5u7wfrcaaavpbyryz4) (last year: 26th)

talk about a hiring straight out of central casting. You weren't? Oh.
murphy's shooting gifts and rebounding acumen (10.2 caroms a game last year in just 32 minutes a contest) will act as a perfect fit in new jersey this season. His defense? Not so much, but he's also a massive expiring contract and a jersey native. Acquiring him was the best move for all involved.
the worry with murphy is that he turned 30 last may, and that his production could fall off. That said, i turned 30 last may. And despite all the carpal tunnel and crying and grey hair and growing obsession with the temperature dial in my house, i feel as if i'm chugging along with the gusto of a man many weeks younger than i. Like, three weeks.

12. david west (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3721/;_ylt=anonebdtq0fxrddy5pyu90ryryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3721/news;_ylt=ain_cyjjqxfgxaj22ls7zbxyryz4), new orleans hornets (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/nor/;_ylt=auo.6c__u20p_mox1gm0ewpyryz4) (last year: Ninth)

you hate to predict a fall-off for a guy who doesn't turn 30 until next week -- and someone who has been remarkable in his year-to-year consistency following an injury-plagued rookie campaign. With chris paul (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3930/;_ylt=asratryntptymoioefkfpk_yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3930/news;_ylt=anrjeudpumfnhqqy5teh1l7yryz4) hopefully back for a full season, west's step-back jumpers and solid-enough rebounding will likely carry over to yet another season spent on the fringe of the all-star rankings.

11. lamarcus aldridge (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4130/;_ylt=alho0e6s14dljlf3hmhca.dyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4130/news;_ylt=aslpirufez61mdsefoq9s5nyryz4), portland trail blazers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/por/;_ylt=agy_m_075xuggn099r.jvrryryz4) (last year: Seventh)

factoring in minutes and pace and efficiency and all that, and lma has more or less been the same player since his rookie year. That might disappoint some who see the potential for stardom in him (people like me, who see those gifts and that length and wonder why he can't do more with it), but if you're going to get stuck in a rut, 18 points and a little under eight boards a game isn't all that bad a rut to find yourself in.

10. kevin love (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4391/;_ylt=agj9ews6as_zy4gszbiondfyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4391/news;_ylt=alaakqxzphqjqpmya8uqqh3yryz4), minnesota timberwolves (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/min/;_ylt=amx4f.9bdgyuaxwzlfvdscxyryz4) (last year: 15th)

this man was sixth in rebound rate last year. Sixth. Two of the players ahead of him combined to play just 51 games (clearly, they played for the trail blazers), and all the men ahead of him played the center position. If i'm starting a team from scratch tomorrow, there might not be another player on this list - 1 through 30 - that i'd rather have starting at power forward.
As it is now, the guy averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes a game last season. At age 21. And i'm feeling pretty ridiculous for ranking him this low.

9. zach randolph (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3531/;_ylt=aottkyrmbje4ktmob_q2.ozyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3531/news;_ylt=aimrka1yqbfeo2rigopyxnlyryz4), memphis grizzlies (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mem/;_ylt=ajx8_h69zvacwt1oq4i8mm3yryz4) (last year: 14th)

randolph didn't really change the way he looked just before he tossed in another lefty hook or pulled in another defensive rebound last season, but the way he went about setting up those hooks changed completely.
Or, "sped up quite a bit."
zach didn't hold the ball last season. He got the pill, made a move and didn't muck about. Either passed it back out or put it up. Didn't wait for everyone to leave his side of the court. And helped, kind of, defensively. So, though his statistics didn't change much, his impact did. More of the same in 2010-11, please.

8. kevin garnett (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3007/;_ylt=aql9mbntwkam61ef.0y1ctpyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3007/news;_ylt=ahsl.12vtvjnotbvlgcelejyryz4), boston celtics (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/bos/;_ylt=amsnzp99qcmfzzevbb6yryryryz4) (last year: Third)

kevin garnett is just about the best power forward i've ever seen, so it hurts to rank him this low. But when he fell off last season -- and you saw it -- the man fell hard. At his peak? No doubt, perhaps still the best in the game at times. But those were just times. They popped up enough to keep us around, but they were merely times. Pity.
I'd still trust him, above anyone else, to guard that screen-and-roll.
I'd still trust his voice above anyone else's to tell me where i went wrong. I mean, i know i went wrong, but i'd really like to hear it from a guy who has been paying expert attention since the fall of 1995 to tell me just how i went wrong. If he wouldn't mind.
I'd still trust him covering my guy and his somehow at the same time, especially after i predicted a zig, and my guy zagged.
I'd still trust him turning over that right shoulder, going baseline with the turnaround jumper.
I'd still trust him down there, guarding any name you want to throw out. Names 1-through-30 on this list. Go ahead.
I still know that he's the best all-around player of his generation. Better than duncan, better than kobe, better than shaq. In the era after bird and before lebron, nobody put it all together like k.g.
Enjoy him, please, in 2010-11.

7. josh smith (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3834/;_ylt=alasnz2ebvivcaq06qttudxyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3834/news;_ylt=avjj_8vnvxrzhm0cq0pwnfpyryz4), atlanta hawks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/atl/;_ylt=annjznkqtbfuki2evvjskl_yryz4) (last year: 11th)

smith just got it together last season. And when you're a player of josh's considerable skill and athletic ability, getting it together leads to big things.
He's just an all-rounder, tossing in a relatively paltry 16 points and nine rebounds (and that's rounded up), but shooting over 50 percent while averaging 3.7 combined steals/blocks and 4.2 assists. My man, that works.
Famously, at least around these parts, he also gave up on 3-pointers last season. After averaging 112 3-point attempts between 2005 and 2009, josh attempted just seven last season, and to these eyes nearly all of them were last-second heaves from half court or beyond.

6. carlos boozer (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3632/;_ylt=as8wmayysgenuiryu3waaudyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3632/news;_ylt=agbds3pnfkceoitwfs3ekctyryz4), chicago bulls (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/chi/;_ylt=ai0e7kcaqmclfll7zy7caw3yryz4) (last year: Eighth)

it was a weird run for carlos in utah. He stabbed a cba-cheating owner in the back by reneging on an illegal handshake agreement to sign with the jazz, and then ran injured for a while, drawing the ire of his new team's front office. Then paul millsap (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4175/;_ylt=asu7ttpi9dcutwxv007dnu3yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4175/news;_ylt=am_c5fihy.fgyqllbwmebhzyryz4) popped up, and while boozer's backup didn't exactly make him redundant, he did allow for the trade rumors that really escalated before boozer's 2009-10 player option, assumed-but-eventually-declined 2009 free agency and eventual split in 2010.
Yikes. So, it's as if he never was a member of the jazz. Now he's a bull, he sets screens, he gathers well and finishes expertly with either hand, and truly comes straight out of central casting for a team like chicago. Assuming he averages 65 games a season. Anything less, and chicago will continue to have jazz-like issues.

5. chris bosh (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3707/;_ylt=apmbwlyd9r1_4otx_jh7tdzyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3707/news;_ylt=aieplkaqyktbvhbqrgfdxt_yryz4), miami heat (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mia/;_ylt=allcqq9yqu5pezqshfm6bszyryz4) (last year: Fourth)

given his own team, lots of possessions and plenty of space around him, there's a great chance bosh could average, oh, the 24 and 11 he managed last season on his own in toronto. But his numbers will go down in miami. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if bosh topped out at 15 or 16 points per game this season.
It also wouldn't surprise me if he shot about 97 percent from the field.

4. dirk nowitzki (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3252/;_ylt=aiwj80yprjmoy8d5bybaejnyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3252/news;_ylt=auv8imxjcrq0bldhoom3z63yryz4), dallas mavericks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/dal/;_ylt=asls8lkkbym2gyutlsulowlyryz4) (last year: Second)

nowitzki figures to come close to sustaining the 25 points and eight rebounds he came through with last season. He'll be 32 on opening night, but his shooting is as strong as ever and we could see an uptick in 3-point attempts during 2010-11.
But defense and the demands of a team that is far, far more talented than the squad amar'e stoudemire (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3607/;_ylt=ah133s2v77csyvqrntxlhw3yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3607/news;_ylt=aqilq971qswcvaobbwwzrf_yryz4) will be on this year, could play a part. But, really, i'd have no qualms with anyone switching his and amar'e's rankings.

3. Amar'e stoudemire, new york knicks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/nyk/;_ylt=aikfwwmm7tww.pvnoe99rm_yryz4) (last year: Fifth)

free to fly in new york, stoudemire will miss the presence of steve nash (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3103/;_ylt=agbyxdl1pkcqvgbpzkf3wdxyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3103/news;_ylt=ahh4ryveylnxyqzxf3svox7yryz4) in his backcourt ... Until he realizes that he's probably the best pure paint scorer this league has, and that he can drop 25 points with or without the expertly placed pass.
His defense can be crummy, and it's possible that he won't have as much all-around impact as several of the players ranked below him, but i'd like to see the knicks play for a while before i go half-empty with my assumptions.

2. tim duncan (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3173/;_ylt=akzweyrppn0raisldaywhsryryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3173/news;_ylt=aj41a0ut.8rxquzobvejxyzyryz4), san antonio spurs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/sas/;_ylt=asublsqtuqahyzqudyg4b2zyryz4) (last year: Second, but ranked at center)

huh?
Weren't you the guy bleating on and on about how duncan was mischaracterized as a power forward for years?
Well, first off, thanks for calling me a guy. And, secondly, sure. Tim duncan played in the low post for years and guarded centers. His teammates at "center" played away from the low post and guarded power forwards or sometimes even small forwards. Duncan was a center.
This year, i don't think he's a center. I think tiago splitter (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4306/;_ylt=aosoxccz1hhmv50jwm88vk7yryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4306/news;_ylt=alfiopw6bsoesp..kfqgd87yryz4) is a center, and i think duncan moves to the high post more often in 2010-11. There's a good chance i'm wrong, but this is what i'm going with.
And i'm going with a guy who might only top out at 31 minutes per game as the spurs try to rest him. I'm going with the best big man of his generation, and i think (even considering defense) he'll have a slightly poorer year than pau gasol (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3513/;_ylt=auuouufxdy3prd984aclgsdyryz4)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3513/news;_ylt=aqyaq5yqsihtq3.c4t97hw_yryz4) once everything wraps up.

1. Pau gasol, los angeles lakers (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/lal/;_ylt=ao7ahfkpepkk2_gg1ykw4elyryz4) (last year: First)

big men don't get more versatile than this guy. He's bad at absolutely nothing, and top gear in just about everything. Scores with either hand on either block. Dominates from the high post. Nails cutters, sets screens and finishes off the good or bad pass. He can play defense now, he's worked his way into becoming a fierce rebounder and his brain is bigger than our brains are.
Even with tim duncan's history, his smarts, his ability and his formidable all-around play, there isn't a power forward in this league that i think can help me win more than pau gasol. He just does things too excellently too often to overlook.

Ashy Larry

08-26-2010, 08:43 AM

What's funny is Rashard Lewis and where he's placed with that God-awful contract ......

sefant77

08-26-2010, 09:55 AM

LakasRool4eva

08-26-2010, 10:08 AM

been sayin Pau was da best PF for years...........sup now??????????????

redzero

08-26-2010, 10:13 AM

So the guy that won not even a single playoff until the age of 27 (as franchise player) and then get his miracle ass traded to a stacked Lakers team with Kobe Bryant is 2.5 years at age 30 the best PF in the NBA?

:rollin

He isnt the best PF, he is the luckiest PF in the NBA.

I just don't get this. One player plays the same way he's been playing for his entire career, but he is now somehow better than he was before because he is now on a better team.

That's true with Rondo, too. Nobody would consider him even a top five point guard if he didn't play for a stacked Celtics team for most of his career.

DAF86

08-26-2010, 11:13 AM

I just don't get this. One player plays the same way he's been playing for his entire career, but he is now somehow better than he was before because he is now on a better team.

That's true with Rondo, too. Nobody would consider him even a top five point guard if he didn't play for a stacked Celtics team for most of his career.

That's not true, he's playing better right now.

DJB

08-26-2010, 12:20 PM

sefant77

08-26-2010, 01:10 PM

That's not true, he's playing better right now.

Because every weak point of his game get covered by the team and in general his life and game is 10 times more easy in a stacked team as 2nd banana.

But that doesnt make him the best PF in the game.

Thats not even hating Pau or Dirk homerism, thats logical argumenting.

Or was Pippen the best SF in the 90s?

DAF86

08-26-2010, 01:25 PM

Because every weak point of his game get covered by the team and in general his life and game is 10 times more easy in a stacked team as 2nd banana.

But that doesnt make him the best PF in the game.

Thats not even hating Pau or Dirk homerism, thats logical argumenting.

Or was Pippen the best SF in the 90s?

I don't know, I don't remember all of the 90's.

And what you say about Pau is your opinion, others can think it's because he has matured as a player, or because of the system he now plays in, whatever the case, the fact remains that he's playing at a higher level than some years ago.

picc84

08-26-2010, 01:35 PM

Yeah, Pau's in his prime and he's still not even close to as good as a prime Duncan.

No, but he's done something Tim never has and never will....win outside the U.S. of A.

Soon as that Duncan boy hits international waters his game sinks ugly and fast....like a rusted anchor.

Killakobe81

08-26-2010, 02:41 PM

Duncan's defense against Amare really wasn't that bad, I still don't know why anybody would say that..his defense was better against Amare last year than it was in any other year against him during the playoffs IMO..

Duncan struggled with the switching scheme against the Suns, he was having trouble stopping Nash in 1 on 1 situations, and he was also having trouble helping out at the same time..I don't think some people understand how much responsibility Duncan has with this current Spurs defense, the rest of the team is pretty poor defensively, and Popovich does him no favors with some of the lineups he puts out there..

Excellent post Harlem!! I agree though i do love Pop, he has sacrificed defense for offense the past few years and the Spurs have lost their identity. The Cahmpionship level spurs didnt go small or offensive to match teams, they FORCED teams to play spurs basketball...i know i hated it!

I must say I saw less spur games last year because im inthe Dallas market now, but besides the decline in his abilty "to show" I don't think duncan has lost THAT much. I know it is probably frustrating to see a Pau or Bynum score on him, but those are both long players ...that are talented on offense. It's not like Dampier was lighting him up ...And Amare or Dirk those guys score on everybody.

People forget the first half of the season duncan looked more like the "old" duncan, rather than an "old duncan" ...