[river09Participant]

Out of curiosity how many people think that not having a true center hurts a team?… Lately I’ve been thinking that it might just be better to have a forward who is a high energy dirty work player instead of a slow moving tree…  Aside from maybe the top ten centers in the league to me it seems like a majority of them are very underproductive… Just throwing this out there to see what kind of response i’ll get… 

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Centers are like the Key to defense . Would you rather go for a lay up on a 6’8 or 6’9 forward or a 7 foot center.But IMO I think they need to just get rid of Centers and more power forward to Center unless the Center is good enough but they need a lineup more like this

PG-Your normal passing point guard(Jason Kidd or D-Rose  or Nash)

Sg-Should be a combo guard or a short shooting guard(Monta Ellis ,Jason Terry ,J.J Barea,Dwayne Wade)

Sf-Taller shooting guards and smaller small forward and those tweeners(Kobe Bryant,Andre Igoudala,Wesley Johson)

Pf-Taller Small forwards and Shorter Power forwards and regular power forwards (LeBron James ,Michael Beasly,Luis Scola)

C- Best post man from Power Forwards and Centers(Kevin Garnet,Tim Duncan,Dwight Howard)

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 Centers are like the Key to defense . Would you rather go for a lay up on a 6’8 or 6’9 forward or a 7 foot center.But IMO I think they need to just get rid of Centers and more power forward to Center unless the Center is good enough but they need a lineup more like this

PG-Your normal passing point guard(Jason Kidd or D-Rose  or Nash)

Sg-Should be a combo guard or a short shooting guard(Monta Ellis ,Jason Terry ,J.J Barea,Dwayne Wade)

Sf-Taller shooting guards and smaller small forward and those tweeners(Kobe Bryant,Andre Igoudala,Wesley Johson)

Pf-Taller Small forwards and Shorter Power forwards and regular power forwards (LeBron James ,Michael Beasly,Luis Scola)

C- Best post man from Power Forwards and Centers(Kevin Garnet,Tim Duncan,Dwight Howard)

[NardDog NationParticipant]

 I think you need legitimate big men to anchor your defense, as the other poster alluded to. Like they say, you can’t teach height and height is very valuable on a basketball court. The more space you take up laterally and vertically, the harder it is to score on your defense. That’s why as good as Turiaf is defensively, we can’t expect him to be our starting center.

[NardDog NationParticipant]

 I think you need legitimate big men to anchor your defense, as the other poster alluded to. Like they say, you can’t teach height and height is very valuable on a basketball court. The more space you take up laterally and vertically, the harder it is to score on your defense. That’s why as good as Turiaf is defensively, we can’t expect him to be our starting center.

[BoomshakalakaParticipant]

Why do you think starting a small team is better…     all of those SG’s you named besides Wade are defensive liabilities      why would you prefer a short SG and a Shooting Guard as your SF??

[BoomshakalakaParticipant]

Why do you think starting a small team is better…     all of those SG’s you named besides Wade are defensive liabilities      why would you prefer a short SG and a Shooting Guard as your SF??

[BoomshakalakaParticipant]

PG- Any height.   Primary skills- must be able to handle the ball and have good court vision, passing ability.  Secondary skills- respectable 3point shooter, able to penetrate the lane, vocal player       Ex Jason Kidd

SG- 6’4 plus.  Primary skill- Score, Score, Score  isolation, midrange jumper, penetrate the lane.    Secondary skill- the taller of the guards so will have to pick up the harder defensive assignment, passing, rebounding  Ex Dwayne Wade, Micheal Jordan

SF- 6’7 to 6’9.  Primary skill- All round guy, Jack of all trades, Speed, does alot of slashing,  streach the floor hit 3’s   Seconday skill- Everything, Score, Rebound, Post up, Defend positions 2,3, and 4  Ex   Grant Hill, Shaw Marion

PF- 6’8 plus  Primary Skill- Rebounding, Strength, post up scoring, help defense, blocking, the more athletic of the two bigmen Seconday skill- Mid-range jumper, high motor, scaring people out of the lane    Ex Chris Webber

C- 6’11 plus Primary Skill- Scaring people out of the lane, blocking, put backs, Rebounds,  just being big,   Secondary skill- Passing out of the lane, Runs the floor well, post up scoring      Ex. Shaq

[BoomshakalakaParticipant]

PG- Any height.   Primary skills- must be able to handle the ball and have good court vision, passing ability.  Secondary skills- respectable 3point shooter, able to penetrate the lane, vocal player       Ex Jason Kidd

SG- 6’4 plus.  Primary skill- Score, Score, Score  isolation, midrange jumper, penetrate the lane.    Secondary skill- the taller of the guards so will have to pick up the harder defensive assignment, passing, rebounding  Ex Dwayne Wade, Micheal Jordan

SF- 6’7 to 6’9.  Primary skill- All round guy, Jack of all trades, Speed, does alot of slashing,  streach the floor hit 3’s   Seconday skill- Everything, Score, Rebound, Post up, Defend positions 2,3, and 4  Ex   Grant Hill, Shaw Marion

PF- 6’8 plus  Primary Skill- Rebounding, Strength, post up scoring, help defense, blocking, the more athletic of the two bigmen Seconday skill- Mid-range jumper, high motor, scaring people out of the lane    Ex Chris Webber

C- 6’11 plus Primary Skill- Scaring people out of the lane, blocking, put backs, Rebounds,  just being big,   Secondary skill- Passing out of the lane, Runs the floor well, post up scoring      Ex. Shaq

[Ball Is LifeParticipant]

 Centers in this league USE to be a MASSIVE factor to a team.. I mean, they still are, and a team needs a good center to rebound, defend, help, etc. But I don’t think centers are near as important as they use to be. Think about past centers, and centers now. Wilt Chamberlin, one of the best players this league has ever seen, Shaq in his prime, versus all of the centers now. It’s sad to be honest. Anybody with me?

[Ball Is LifeParticipant]

 Centers in this league USE to be a MASSIVE factor to a team.. I mean, they still are, and a team needs a good center to rebound, defend, help, etc. But I don’t think centers are near as important as they use to be. Think about past centers, and centers now. Wilt Chamberlin, one of the best players this league has ever seen, Shaq in his prime, versus all of the centers now. It’s sad to be honest. Anybody with me?

[GrovesinternationalParticipant]

Where have these dominant centres disappeared to, they just don’t have the young guys coming through anymore and i can’t think of any reason why

[GrovesinternationalParticipant]

Where have these dominant centres disappeared to, they just don’t have the young guys coming through anymore and i can’t think of any reason why

[KHAM83Participant]

Centers are important to a teams defense, we all can agree. True centers are a dying breed because prospects now of days all want to shoot jump shots! They call want to be Kobe :-/ Think of a guy like Beidrens of Golden State, if he could ever stay healthy, Golden State will easily be a playoffs teams. Why do you this Jonas V. was a top pick this year with the Raptors? Skinny, but plays like an old school center and teams know how important and rare that is.

[KHAM83Participant]

Centers are important to a teams defense, we all can agree. True centers are a dying breed because prospects now of days all want to shoot jump shots! They call want to be Kobe :-/ Think of a guy like Beidrens of Golden State, if he could ever stay healthy, Golden State will easily be a playoffs teams. Why do you this Jonas V. was a top pick this year with the Raptors? Skinny, but plays like an old school center and teams know how important and rare that is.

[lakersfan4lifeParticipant]

I think it’s necessary for a contending team to have a solid center. Look at the impact that Tyson Chandler had with the Mavs during the NBA Finals…in comparison to Joel Anthony for the Heat.

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[lakersfan4lifeParticipant]

I think it’s necessary for a contending team to have a solid center. Look at the impact that Tyson Chandler had with the Mavs during the NBA Finals…in comparison to Joel Anthony for the Heat.

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[BigDParticipant]

If you look at all the recent title winners, all of them had a legit center to anchor the defense and clog the lane, that sums it up how important it is to have that guy who makes the key his own

[BigDParticipant]

If you look at all the recent title winners, all of them had a legit center to anchor the defense and clog the lane, that sums it up how important it is to have that guy who makes the key his own

[omphalosParticipant]

I agree about the jump-shots; all the taller players in HS get bored of posting up and dominating against guys half their size so they start jacking 3s and jump-shots to stay entertained, and because so many Cs go one and done, they don’t get to hone their games against players their own size in college, and often are drafted as defensive players who don’t get touches in the NBA where wings take most of the shots, and so don’t develop there either. Just look how long it took Dwight to get a decent post-game, and even now he’d be destroyed by the Cs of old.

Scouting has something to do with it; I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a young C have "must add jump-shot" in his profile, when really, learning to play like a C should offensively is the most important thing.

I think there are a few Cs around who have some semblence of a big-man offensive game; Dwight (obviously), Andrew Bynum (if he could ever get healthy), Bogut (same again), Marc Gasol, Noah, Kaman (if healthy), Greg Monroe, Gortat, Roy Hibbert, Greg Oden (if healthy), Demarcus Cousins (though he drifts to the perimeter too much) and Valanciunas (who has no illusions of being anything but a physical C, but a bit early to tell).

[omphalosParticipant]

I agree about the jump-shots; all the taller players in HS get bored of posting up and dominating against guys half their size so they start jacking 3s and jump-shots to stay entertained, and because so many Cs go one and done, they don’t get to hone their games against players their own size in college, and often are drafted as defensive players who don’t get touches in the NBA where wings take most of the shots, and so don’t develop there either. Just look how long it took Dwight to get a decent post-game, and even now he’d be destroyed by the Cs of old.

Scouting has something to do with it; I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a young C have "must add jump-shot" in his profile, when really, learning to play like a C should offensively is the most important thing.

I think there are a few Cs around who have some semblence of a big-man offensive game; Dwight (obviously), Andrew Bynum (if he could ever get healthy), Bogut (same again), Marc Gasol, Noah, Kaman (if healthy), Greg Monroe, Gortat, Roy Hibbert, Greg Oden (if healthy), Demarcus Cousins (though he drifts to the perimeter too much) and Valanciunas (who has no illusions of being anything but a physical C, but a bit early to tell).

[river09Participant]

 hibbert is going to be one of the best c’s in the league for the next 6 years atleast… He’s a true post player… 

[river09Participant]

 hibbert is going to be one of the best c’s in the league for the next 6 years atleast… He’s a true post player… 

[aamir543Participant]

Defensive center that can hold his own. Look at the past cahmpions, Tyson Chandler, Bynum, Perk, Timmy D, Shaq, Ben Wallace, Shaq, and now we are into the MJ era. If you don’t include the MJ Bulls, every team since 91 has had a good defensive center that can hold his own, and some are superstars.(Shaq, Timmy, Hakeem.)

[aamir543Participant]

Defensive center that can hold his own. Look at the past cahmpions, Tyson Chandler, Bynum, Perk, Timmy D, Shaq, Ben Wallace, Shaq, and now we are into the MJ era. If you don’t include the MJ Bulls, every team since 91 has had a good defensive center that can hold his own, and some are superstars.(Shaq, Timmy, Hakeem.)

[omphalosParticipant]

MJ’s Bulls had decent defensive Cs, and so did the Miami Heat, what is lacking in a lot of teams are well-rounded Cs who can cause trouble for teams without defensive Cs. Chandler did well for the Mavs as a defensive presence, but he also moved well off the ball and got a lot of hustle points, like Noah.

[omphalosParticipant]

MJ’s Bulls had decent defensive Cs, and so did the Miami Heat, what is lacking in a lot of teams are well-rounded Cs who can cause trouble for teams without defensive Cs. Chandler did well for the Mavs as a defensive presence, but he also moved well off the ball and got a lot of hustle points, like Noah.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 There aren’t a lot of scoring centers, but if you don’t have a big guy who can at least partially stand up to the other team’s big guy, you are in for a long long night. So a defensive center is key. And scoring center is great as well because it will expose the other team if they don’t have a defensive center to handle your scoring center as well. It is very telling when you look at the actual champions and the centers that they had. I would go so far as to say that Dallas really had two centers because Nowitzki is so tall. 

I think the original post pointed out that if we just played more high skill powerforwards then teams would be better. Looking at the boxscores you might think so. But the big centers change the game in ways that don’t show up. Think how many times you’ve seen a big defensive center get subbed out for a scrub and the opposing team immediately starts changing its attack strategy. The post guy gets a deeper position, the guards drive fearlessly into the lane. The center is really pften more about changing what the other team thinks it can do than about collecting individual stats. 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 There aren’t a lot of scoring centers, but if you don’t have a big guy who can at least partially stand up to the other team’s big guy, you are in for a long long night. So a defensive center is key. And scoring center is great as well because it will expose the other team if they don’t have a defensive center to handle your scoring center as well. It is very telling when you look at the actual champions and the centers that they had. I would go so far as to say that Dallas really had two centers because Nowitzki is so tall. 

I think the original post pointed out that if we just played more high skill powerforwards then teams would be better. Looking at the boxscores you might think so. But the big centers change the game in ways that don’t show up. Think how many times you’ve seen a big defensive center get subbed out for a scrub and the opposing team immediately starts changing its attack strategy. The post guy gets a deeper position, the guards drive fearlessly into the lane. The center is really pften more about changing what the other team thinks it can do than about collecting individual stats. 

[Author]

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