Arcadian
03-16-2012, 02:09 AM
When do you think was the best year for power forwards in NBA history? I am sincerely torn between 2003 and 2004, but if I must pick one I will say 2003 because it was arguably Tim Duncan痴 best year. However, 2004 was an improvement for several other power forwards. I also looked at 2002. The following lists are ranked by points per game (minimum 13 ppg; ties are broken with rebounds per game).
2001-02 season:
Tim Duncan - 25.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.5 bpg, 0.7 spg, 50.8 fg%
Chris Webber - 24.5 ppg, 10.1, 4.8 apg, 1.4 bpg, 1.7 spg, 49.5 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 23.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.1 spg, 47.7 fg%
Karl Malone - 22.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.3 apg, 0.7 bpg, 1.9 spg, 45.4 fg%
Antoine Walker - 22.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 5.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.5 spg, 39.4 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 21.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.0 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 21.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.3 spg, 46.1 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.8 spg, 44.7 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.3 spg, 46.9 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 19.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 1.6 apg, 2.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 47.9 fg%
Elton Brand - 18.2 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, 52.7 fg%
Pau Gasol - 17.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 bpg, 0.5 spg, 51.8 fg%
Antonio Davis - 17.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.4 spg, 45.3 fg%
Derrick Coleman - 15.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.9 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.0 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 14.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.2 spg, 46.3 fg%
Donyell Marshall - 14.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.2 bpg, 0.9 spg, 51.9 fg%
Juwan Howard - 14.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.6 spg, 46.0 fg%
Clifford Robinson - 14.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.1 spg, 42.5 fg%
Vin Baker - 14.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.4 spg, 48.5 fg%
Kurt Thomas - 13.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.9 spg, 49.4 fg%
Al Harrington - 13.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.9 spg, 47.5 fg%
Duncan had his best year overall statistically, and he won league MVP. However, no one on this list won the championship, which went to the Lakers, and Shaq won Finals MVP. Gasol was a rookie, and Malone was still putting up impressive numbers for his age.
2002-03 season:
Dirk Nowitzki - 25.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.4 spg, 46.3 fg%
Tim Duncan - 23.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg, 0.7 spg, 51.3 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 23.0 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.4 spg, 50.2 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.6 spg, 46.1 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 22.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.9 spg, 47.0 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 20.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.3 bpg, 0.9 spg, 48.4 fg%
Karl Malone - 20.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.7 spg, 46.2 fg%
Antoine Walker - 20.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.8 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.5 spg, 38.8 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.1 spg, 46.1 fg%
Pau Gasol - 19.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.8 bpg, 0.4 spg, 51.0 fg%
Elton Brand - 18.5 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 50.2 fg%
Juwan Howard - 18.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.0 spg, 45.0 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 18.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, 47.1 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 16.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.3 spg, 47.0 fg%
Lamar Odom - 14.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.9 spg, 43.9 fg%
Kurt Thomas - 14.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 spg, 48.3 fg%
Amare Stoudemire - 13.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.1 bpg, 0.8 spg, 47.2 fg%
Donyell Marshall - 13.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg, 45.9 fg%
Duncan dominated 2003, winning the NBA championship, the league MVP, and the Finals MVP. Stoudemire was a rookie.
2003-04 season:
Kevin Garnett - 24.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.2 bpg, 1.5 spg, 49.9 fg%
Tim Duncan - 22.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.7 bpg, 0.9 spg, 50.1 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 21.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 1.2 spg, 46.2 fg%
Amare Stoudemire - 20.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.5 fg%
Zach Randolph - 20.1 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.8 spg, 48.5 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 20.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.6 bpg, 0.8 spg, 43.4 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 20.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.8 spg, 48.5 fg%
Elton Brand - 20.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.2 bpg, 0.9 spg, 49.3 fg%
Chris Webber - 18.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.6 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.4 spg, 41.3 fg%
Pau Gasol - 17.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 bpg, 0.6 spg, 48.2 fg%
Lamar Odom - 17.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 4.1 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.1 spg, 43.0 fg%
Juwan Howard - 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.3 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.3 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 16.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.5 spg, 48.8 fg%
Carlos Boozer - 15.5 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.7 bpg, 1.0 spg, 52.3 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 14.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.0 spg, 53.5 fg%
Antoine Walker - 14.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.8 spg, 42.8 g%
Rasheed Wallace - 13.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.1 spg, 43.1 fg%
Jamaal Magloire - 13.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.2 bpg, 0.5 spg, 47.3 fg%
Al Harrington - 13.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.3 bpg, 1.0 spg, 46.3 fg%
Karl Malone - 13.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.9 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.2 spg, 48.3 fg%
Garnett was the league MVP in 2004, and Wallace won the championship with the Pistons, but the Finals MVP went to a point guard (Chauncey Billups). Webber, Gasol, and Wallace went down in stats, Bosh was a rookie, and Malone was in his final season. However, it was an up-year for Stoudemire, Randolph, Brand, and Boozer - especially Randolph, who won the Most Improved Player award.
For some additional insight, we can look at playoff stats from those years. Player comparisons are not entirely fair in the playoffs because the variability in the number of games played is high.
2002 playoffs:
Dirk Nowitzki - 28.4 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 bpg, 2.0 spg, 44.5 fg%
Tim Duncan - 27.6 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 4.3 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.3 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 25.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.7 bpg, 0.7 spg, 40.6 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 24.0 ppg, 18.7 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.7 spg, 42.9 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.6 bpg, 0.9 spg, 50.2 fg%
2003 playoffs:
Kevin Garnett - 27.0 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.7 spg, 51.4 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 25.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.9 fg%
Tim Duncan - 24.7 ppg, 15.4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 3.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 52.9 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.1 bpg, 1.4 spg, 49.6 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 22.8 ppg, 17.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 3.0 bpg, 0.5 spg, 46.7 fg%
2004 playoffs:
Dirk Nowitzki - 26.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.6 bpg, 1.4 spg, 45.0 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 24.3 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.3 bpg, 1.3 spg, 45.2 fg%
Tim Duncan - 22.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.0 bpg, 0.8 spg, 52.2 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 19.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.2 bpg, 0.5 spg, 42.3 fg%
Chris Webber - 18.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 0.8 bpg, 1.3 spg, 45.2 fg%
Overall best year: 2003. What do you think?
2001-02 season:
Tim Duncan - 25.5 ppg, 12.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 2.5 bpg, 0.7 spg, 50.8 fg%
Chris Webber - 24.5 ppg, 10.1, 4.8 apg, 1.4 bpg, 1.7 spg, 49.5 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 23.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.1 spg, 47.7 fg%
Karl Malone - 22.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.3 apg, 0.7 bpg, 1.9 spg, 45.4 fg%
Antoine Walker - 22.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 5.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.5 spg, 39.4 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 21.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.0 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 21.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.3 spg, 46.1 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 19.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.8 spg, 44.7 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 19.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.3 spg, 46.9 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 19.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 1.6 apg, 2.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 47.9 fg%
Elton Brand - 18.2 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, 52.7 fg%
Pau Gasol - 17.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 bpg, 0.5 spg, 51.8 fg%
Antonio Davis - 17.0 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.4 spg, 45.3 fg%
Derrick Coleman - 15.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.9 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.0 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 14.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.2 spg, 46.3 fg%
Donyell Marshall - 14.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.2 bpg, 0.9 spg, 51.9 fg%
Juwan Howard - 14.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.6 spg, 46.0 fg%
Clifford Robinson - 14.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.1 spg, 42.5 fg%
Vin Baker - 14.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.4 spg, 48.5 fg%
Kurt Thomas - 13.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.9 spg, 49.4 fg%
Al Harrington - 13.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.9 spg, 47.5 fg%
Duncan had his best year overall statistically, and he won league MVP. However, no one on this list won the championship, which went to the Lakers, and Shaq won Finals MVP. Gasol was a rookie, and Malone was still putting up impressive numbers for his age.
2002-03 season:
Dirk Nowitzki - 25.1 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.4 spg, 46.3 fg%
Tim Duncan - 23.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg, 0.7 spg, 51.3 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 23.0 ppg, 13.4 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.4 spg, 50.2 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.6 spg, 46.1 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 22.2 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.9 spg, 47.0 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 20.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.3 bpg, 0.9 spg, 48.4 fg%
Karl Malone - 20.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.7 spg, 46.2 fg%
Antoine Walker - 20.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.8 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.5 spg, 38.8 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 19.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.1 spg, 46.1 fg%
Pau Gasol - 19.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.8 bpg, 0.4 spg, 51.0 fg%
Elton Brand - 18.5 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 50.2 fg%
Juwan Howard - 18.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.0 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.0 spg, 45.0 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 18.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg, 47.1 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 16.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.3 spg, 47.0 fg%
Lamar Odom - 14.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.9 spg, 43.9 fg%
Kurt Thomas - 14.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 spg, 48.3 fg%
Amare Stoudemire - 13.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.1 bpg, 0.8 spg, 47.2 fg%
Donyell Marshall - 13.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg, 45.9 fg%
Duncan dominated 2003, winning the NBA championship, the league MVP, and the Finals MVP. Stoudemire was a rookie.
2003-04 season:
Kevin Garnett - 24.2 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 5.0 apg, 2.2 bpg, 1.5 spg, 49.9 fg%
Tim Duncan - 22.3 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.7 bpg, 0.9 spg, 50.1 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 21.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 1.2 spg, 46.2 fg%
Amare Stoudemire - 20.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.5 fg%
Zach Randolph - 20.1 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.8 spg, 48.5 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 20.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.6 bpg, 0.8 spg, 43.4 fg%
Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 20.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.8 spg, 48.5 fg%
Elton Brand - 20.0 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.2 bpg, 0.9 spg, 49.3 fg%
Chris Webber - 18.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 4.6 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.4 spg, 41.3 fg%
Pau Gasol - 17.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.7 bpg, 0.6 spg, 48.2 fg%
Lamar Odom - 17.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 4.1 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.1 spg, 43.0 fg%
Juwan Howard - 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.3 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.3 fg%
Kenyon Martin - 16.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.5 spg, 48.8 fg%
Carlos Boozer - 15.5 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.7 bpg, 1.0 spg, 52.3 fg%
Antawn Jamison - 14.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 0.4 bpg, 1.0 spg, 53.5 fg%
Antoine Walker - 14.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 4.5 apg, 0.8 bpg, 0.8 spg, 42.8 g%
Rasheed Wallace - 13.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.8 apg, 2.0 bpg, 1.1 spg, 43.1 fg%
Jamaal Magloire - 13.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.2 bpg, 0.5 spg, 47.3 fg%
Al Harrington - 13.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.3 bpg, 1.0 spg, 46.3 fg%
Karl Malone - 13.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.9 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.2 spg, 48.3 fg%
Garnett was the league MVP in 2004, and Wallace won the championship with the Pistons, but the Finals MVP went to a point guard (Chauncey Billups). Webber, Gasol, and Wallace went down in stats, Bosh was a rookie, and Malone was in his final season. However, it was an up-year for Stoudemire, Randolph, Brand, and Boozer - especially Randolph, who won the Most Improved Player award.
For some additional insight, we can look at playoff stats from those years. Player comparisons are not entirely fair in the playoffs because the variability in the number of games played is high.
2002 playoffs:
Dirk Nowitzki - 28.4 ppg, 13.1 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 bpg, 2.0 spg, 44.5 fg%
Tim Duncan - 27.6 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 5.0 apg, 4.3 bpg, 0.7 spg, 45.3 fg%
Rasheed Wallace - 25.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.7 bpg, 0.7 spg, 40.6 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 24.0 ppg, 18.7 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.7 spg, 42.9 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.6 bpg, 0.9 spg, 50.2 fg%
2003 playoffs:
Kevin Garnett - 27.0 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.7 bpg, 1.7 spg, 51.4 fg%
Dirk Nowitzki - 25.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.9 bpg, 1.2 spg, 47.9 fg%
Tim Duncan - 24.7 ppg, 15.4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 3.3 bpg, 0.6 spg, 52.9 fg%
Chris Webber - 23.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.1 bpg, 1.4 spg, 49.6 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 22.8 ppg, 17.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 3.0 bpg, 0.5 spg, 46.7 fg%
2004 playoffs:
Dirk Nowitzki - 26.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 2.6 bpg, 1.4 spg, 45.0 fg%
Kevin Garnett - 24.3 ppg, 14.6 rpg, 5.1 apg, 2.3 bpg, 1.3 spg, 45.2 fg%
Tim Duncan - 22.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.0 bpg, 0.8 spg, 52.2 fg%
Jermaine O誰eal - 19.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, 2.2 bpg, 0.5 spg, 42.3 fg%
Chris Webber - 18.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 3.7 apg, 0.8 bpg, 1.3 spg, 45.2 fg%
Overall best year: 2003. What do you think?