My greatest power forwards of all-time list.

[ElNono]

He missed the Finals in LA because he was injured (lol no, he was washed up and hitting on little mexican girls)

[Galileo]

1. Tim Duncan.

2. Dirk Nowitzki. Now I know many Mav hating Spur fans will scoff at this selection, but which power forward in the modern era other than Duncan has been better in the playoffs? 7th highest playoff PER all-time, [yeah, yeah, I know "lol PER."] and one of the few players to average 25 and 10 over his playoff career.

3. Charles Barkley.

4. Kevin Garnett. Although not as consistent offensively as the players above, KG always brought a superlative defense presence and a smoldering on court intensity that few players in the history of the game have ever matched. KG can be a sometimes, but that's also what makes him effective. He gets in your head and annoys you, much like Rodman or Laimbeer

5. Kevin McHale. 3 les as the second option, but on any other team outside of the Lakers and Bulls of the 80s, he would've been the first option. Great fundamentals, possessing one of the best post-games of all-time.

6. .463. Pretty much here by default by virtue of playing 75 years and stat whoring like no one's business. Should've had a ring or two, and no, the reason he doesn't have a championship is not because he had to face Jordan . It's because he choked.

7 through 10 could be a variety of players. Pet , Willis Reed, Shawn Kemp. Arguments could be made for Dennis Rodman, Bob McAdoo, etc.

So there's mine. Who's yours? I think the first six are set in stone, really. No legitimate arguments can be made to put one above the other. Maybe you can bring someone like a Pet up and place him in the sixth slot, but it would be a tough sell, considering Pet played in much weaker era.

Elvin Hayes was the greatest power forward of all time.

[Girasuck]

People still think Duncan is a PF?

[midnightpulp]

People still think Duncan is a PF?

People still think the only reason Malone doesn't have a ring is because he had to face Jordan ?

[DMC]

People still think Duncan is a PF?

Sloan run off by Deron Williams

[Killakobe81]

Webber is underrated, because of the timeout and the lack of a championship. At his best, only Duncan, O'Neal, Garnett, McGrady and Bryant, were better than him. He doesn't have the length of Duncan and Garnett and wasn't the defensive presence they were, but offensively, he was the only other big who could do virtually everything.

But longevity matters, as do accomplishments and Nowitzki has him beat on both counts, which is why I give Nowitzki the edge. I had Nowitzki as the fifth best PF of all time before the championship and I have him there after it, because he didn't suddenly became a more complete player just because he has a championship.

1. Duncan, 2. Malone, 3. Garnett, 4. Barkley, 5. Nowitzki

I don't see how anyone could rank Nowitzki ahead of Malone, Garnett or Barkley. And no one ever did up until the past few months. But now, Nowitzki is benefiting from revisionist history to nearly the extent Bryant is.

It's most inexplicable that people could say he's better than Garnett, considering they played in the same era, had their primes intersect for a large stretch of that and no one, outside of some Mavs homers, ever claimed Nowitzki was on Garnett's level, let alone above him. Now, because Nowitzki has a championship as the undisputed go-to guy on his team, that's all forgotten? Garnett is vastly superior at everything, save for range shooting.

agree with all this Except the snarky Kobe point ....save Barkley all those guys are better defenders and all of them kill him on the boards.


but Dirk did have the most amazing shooting season (and through Finals) I have ever seen. doesnt put him over those guys ... but Mj/kobe was never as money on jumpers consistently for as long as Dirk was last season.

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

I don't have a list for this category, but I'm open to considering one. First, I'm old school. When I learned the game ages ago the basics said you had a center, two forwards, and two guards. Splitting the latter two positions came much later. I first starting hearing the term power forward in the 70's, and can't honestly say when I remember the terms shooting guard and point guard were used regularly. so, when I think best forward, I have to think of players like Larry Bird, Dr. J, Elgin Baylor, and even LeBron James who were/are better forwards than many on a list of power forwards.

That all said, Kevin McHale is probably at least number 2, and Bird would have 0 les without him. McHale was always active in the paint either clearing space or grabbing boards. I don't remember all his stats, but I do know the clinching game where the Lakers finally beat the Celtics in the finals in 1985, he beasted before fouling out.

You could argue McHale would have led the Spurs to the same 4 les Tim won, not so much other power forwards on the list.

[Lincoln]

agree with all this Except the snarky Kobe point ....save Barkley all those guys are better defenders and all of them kill him on the boards.


but Dirk did have the most amazing shooting season (and through Finals) I have ever seen. doesnt put him over those guys ... but Mj/kobe was never as money on jumpers consistently for as long as Dirk was last season.

Crofl, not to be a dirk nuthugger but the stats are there....he has been shootin like that since the 08 Hornets series bro. Take a look

[Venti Quattro]

Another ring for Dirk undisputedly cements him at #2.

[Tuddy]

Including trips to the free throw line, Malone would have got at least 20000 points from Stockton. I can't think of any post moves he had down pat and facing up with jumper's was his only way to score in iso's

[JoeTait75]

So we're still pretending Tim Duncan is a power forward and not a center?

tbh I also think Webber is underrated. Obviously he had shortcomings as far as clutch play and leadership but he also had an array of great skills- shooting, rebounding, passing. In terms of passing big men he's there with anybody.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

anyone who glorifies Webber

[Axe Murderer]

anyone who glorifies Webber

I agree with JoeTait and TD 21 (for the first time ever). Although it's funny for a guy that loves to bring up Dirk's shortcomings, for TD 21 to throw out the "c'mon guys let's ignore Webber's shortcomings for a second and admire what a great player he was"

But at his absolute peak Webber was a complete post player. The problem was that his peak didn't last too long

[JamStone]

1. Duncan
2. Barkley
3. KG
4. Dirk
5. Malone

It's difficult trying to weigh different factors, like the difference between real dominance offensively versus being a better all around player. I ranked Barkley because of his dominance because he even admits now that he wasn't a good defender. But his impact on the game overall lessens the fact that he was a subpar defender, especially when you consider how big a rebounder he was.

As for KG and Dirk, I do believe that this past season puts Dirk into a new light. And I think it's a good debate between the two. I wouldn't argue too much with people who place Dirk over KG. I do think Dirk's championship is more impressive than KG's considering supporting casts. But looking overall careers, I do give the edge to KG because during his prime he was not only an outstanding defender but a very, very good offensive player. Dirk is better offensively, more clutch, and has been more consistent offensively in the playoffs. I think it's close either way.

I agree with the notion that Malone stat d, plus he was in a perfect offensive system that was catered to him stat whoring. But there's still something to be said of longevity and sustained great production. And I don't knock him too much for a .463 FG%. The best PF of all time won a Finals MVP shooting 41.9% from the field in the Finals.

As for Chris Webber, he seems to be a polarizing guy. He might be both underrated and overrated at the same time. He's nowhere near the top 5 among PFs all time. At best, he'll be in the conversation of the top 10. That's at best. I'd have to think about it more. He did consistently put up great numbers, and did it largely for good teams. He wasn't putting up 20/10 on Clippers teams that were always 30-52. So his stats were not meaningless. He was a choker, and particularly in big games. And he would routinely get outplayed by other great PFs. But he might have been the most complete offensive PF in my lifetime. He could do everything on the offensive end. Not a great defender and for all his natural talent, he lacked intangibles to the game that sometimes means the difference between winning and losing. Some people just hate him, and I understand it. He definitely has some Dirk envy. He's a silly little man for that. But his career is more impressive than the haters depict it. I would certainly rank him ahead of a guy like Shawn Kemp, as has been mentioned.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Yeah that's just the point. If you're gonna criticize Dirk for being unclutch (which is pretty stupid to call the reigning finals MVP unclutch), you shouldn't be glorifying Chris ing Webber

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I agree with the notion that Malone stat d, plus he was in a perfect offensive system that was catered to him stat whoring. But there's still something to be said of longevity and sustained great production. And I don't knock him too much for a .463 FG%. The best PF of all time won a Finals MVP shooting 41.9% from the field in the Finals.

Tbh the best PF of all time put up those numbers against the best defensive team in recent memory.

Duncan woulda never gotten shut down by a 37 year old Dnnis Rdman

[JamStone]

Tbh the best PF of all time put up those numbers against the best defensive team in recent memory.

Duncan woulda never gotten shut down by a 37 year old Dnnis Rdman

So noted on the first point.

A 34-35 year old Tim Duncan might, on the second point.

[midnightpulp]

1. Duncan
2. Barkley
3. KG
4. Dirk
5. Malone

It's difficult trying to weigh different factors, like the difference between real dominance offensively versus being a better all around player. I ranked Barkley because of his dominance because he even admits now that he wasn't a good defender. But his impact on the game overall lessens the fact that he was a subpar defender, especially when you consider how big a rebounder he was.

As for KG and Dirk, I do believe that this past season puts Dirk into a new light. And I think it's a good debate between the two. I wouldn't argue too much with people who place Dirk over KG. I do think Dirk's championship is more impressive than KG's considering supporting casts. But looking overall careers, I do give the edge to KG because during his prime he was not only an outstanding defender but a very, very good offensive player. Dirk is better offensively, more clutch, and has been more consistent offensively in the playoffs. I think it's close either way.

I agree with the notion that Malone stat d, plus he was in a perfect offensive system that was catered to him stat whoring. But there's still something to be said of longevity and sustained great production. And I don't knock him too much for a .463 FG%. The best PF of all time won a Finals MVP shooting 41.9% from the field in the Finals.

As for Chris Webber, he seems to be a polarizing guy. He might be both underrated and overrated at the same time. He's nowhere near the top 5 among PFs all time. At best, he'll be in the conversation of the top 10. That's at best. I'd have to think about it more. He did consistently put up great numbers, and did it largely for good teams. He wasn't putting up 20/10 on Clippers teams that were always 30-52. So his stats were not meaningless. He was a choker, and particularly in big games. And he would routinely get outplayed by other great PFs. But he might have been the most complete offensive PF in my lifetime. He could do everything on the offensive end. Not a great defender and for all his natural talent, he lacked intangibles to the game that sometimes means the difference between winning and losing. Some people just hate him, and I understand it. He definitely has some Dirk envy. He's a silly little man for that. But his career is more impressive than the haters depict it. I would certainly rank him ahead of a guy like Shawn Kemp, as has been mentioned.

But that was for a single series against perhaps the best defensive front line of all-time (only defensive front line I can think of that was better were '99 Duncan and Robinson, and perhaps Rodman, Laimbeer, Mahorn), while Malone shot that over his playoff career, most of which was played in an era that lacked the long, athletic power forwards (who are basically centers) of today.

Don't disagree with anything else. Good list

[NRHector]

He wonders why you haven't called.

[JamStone]

But that was for a single series against perhaps the best defensive front line of all-time (only defensive front line I can think of that was better were '99 Duncan and Robinson, and perhaps Rodman, Laimbeer, Mahorn), while Malone shot that over his playoff career, most of which was played in an era that lacked the long, athletic power forwards (who are basically centers) of today.

Don't disagree with anything else. Good list

I realize that. But that one series was .419% FG. And for that playoff season, he was at .464% FG.

I'm no Karl Malone fan. I do think he's overrated. But especially towards the second half of his career, he became more and more of a jumpshooting PF, with that extended free throw line midrange game. Interestingly enough, Dirk is coincidentally a .463% FG shooter in his playoff career as well. That wasn't a criticism of Dirk for those who ranked him high. And I assume it's because he's a jumpshooter, and that has to be part of the consideration. Malone was a jumpshooter too, just not a long range threat.

[FkLA]

The Finals MVP helps alot, but like TD21 said it still doesnt magically make Dirk a more complete player. He still doesnt stack up with Duncan, KG, Malone, and Barkley when it comes to the overall impact they had on the game. Dirk is a great offensive player, the fact that hes average at best in every other facet of the game yet still is unanimously in everyone's Top 5 list is testament to just how ridiculous that s offensive game is. But he's still just an offensive player and tbh I cant think of any other one-dimensional player that is glorified the way Dirk is, placing him any higher than #4 is ridiculous imho.

You also have to take eras into account, I know sometimes its weak to pull the Jordan card but he really did it up for alot of great players. Malone and Barkley couldnt beat him, but lets be honest Dirk wouldve struggled to do so as well. Then when Jordan retires the GOAT PF takes over the league, so Malone aside from some chokes also happened to have some bad luck playing against several Top 10 players of all-time. The 11' Mavs on the other hand, not to take anything away from them since those s deserve it after being the Chokericks for so long, didnt really face any great/legendary teams...it was a relatively easy road, the Lakers are clearly on the decline and the Cheat are still trying to get their together before they start dominating the league.

[FkLA]

Also Malone stat d some and the system was catered towards him and Stockton, but that system worked. The Jazz made the playoffs for what, like 20+ straight years? And that team was elite for a good portion of that time too, him and Stockton perfecting the pick-and-roll was the main reason so you have to give the credit for that.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Also Malone stat d some and the system was catered towards him and Stockton, but that system worked. The Jazz made the playoffs for what, like 20+ straight years? And that team was elite for a good portion of that time too, him and Stockton perfecting the pick-and-roll was the main reason so you have to give the credit for that.

I worked in a similar way that Mike D'antoni's system worked. It was great at making the playoffs and losing.

[FkLA]

I worked in a similar way that Mike D'antoni's system worked. It was great at making the playoffs and losing.

Not even close imo. Defense was a big part of Sloan's system, its not like they were simply trying to outscore teams with the pick-and-roll. Those Jazz teams played the type of style that could win it at all and wouldve been good enough in a lot of eras, just not in the GOAT's era.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Defense was a big part of Sloan's system

This is classic revisionist history. Sloan was never a great defensive coach or anything. The Jazz were an above average defensive team but never an elite defensive team. Sloan's system was offense first.

The 1998 Jazz for example had the 17th best defensive rating in the NBA:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTA/1998.html