Year of the Power Forward

[Arcadian]

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’s 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’Neal - 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’Neal - 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’Neal - 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’Neal - 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’Neal - 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?

[Rapper]

Great thread

brought and reminded me of a lot of memories. miss the old time man. the league at that time was a Forward's League .but now it turns to be PG 's league

2002-2003 season is definately the year of PF

[Arcadian]

[Arcadian]

2003 playoffs, Duncan vs. Nowitzki



2004 playoffs, Garnett vs. Webber (see the crossover at 6:40!)

[The_Worlds_finest]

04 brings back the memory of my buddy and I sneaking a fifth into the wolves game, we finished it by the end of the game, totally shiiit faced. It was an outstanding year for the pf

[Latarian Milton]

06 for me tbh, PFs enjoyin a great year back then IIRC all western playoff teams that year were PF-oriented. clips made the playoffs that year and that was like their only playoff berth in more then 20 years, while on the other hand the rockets who were a perennial playoff participant the past decade failed to make it in 06, and what we know is their best PF was juwan ing howard at that time. barring that year the rockets managed to make the playoffs in EVERY ing year from 04 till 09

[Latarian Milton]

and also in that year, the soft naziass carried a load of dip s into the NBA finals and only came 2 games shy of winning this

[endrity]

Nice to see Dirk still going on strong after all these years.

[MavDynasty]

I miss athletic n!gger dirk bringing the ball down the floor and slamming it down or pulling up