Top 10 NBA Power Forwards

[MidwestChomp]

Sorry for stealing your thunder '78.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarankPFs/ranking-greatest-power-forwards-nba-history

1. Duncan
2. The Mailman
3. Dirk 'Vanilla Gorilla' Nowitzki
4. Sir Charles
5. Garnett
6. McHale
7. Bob Pettit
8. Elvin Hayes
9. Pau Gasol
10. Rodman

I am surprised Gasol made the list, and they left off the original power forward Dolph Schayes. I do find it interesting players like Garnett and Duncan probably could have been centers in a different era or even if they fell to a different team from the get go. And I will never forgive the Bucks for trading Dirk for Tractor Traylor.

 

[URGatorBait]

Muggsy Bogues

Jesus t

 

[t-gator]

I'd definitely have Rodman over gasol

 

[I Have No Friends :(]

It would be hard to argue against Tim Duncan. If I was building a team and had enough scorers to go around, for my money I'm taking Rodman. The sheer amount of off the court entertainment coupled with his defensive and rebounding skills on the court would just be too much for me to pass up.

 

[t-gator]

I'd have Chris Webber on that list aswell. He was better than gasol.

 

[GatorJ]

Gasol? Is this a joke?

I don't know about the rest, but they got the top three right.

 

[MidwestChomp]

Gasol? Is this a joke?

I don't know about the rest, but they got the top three right.

With the exception of Gasol, I think this is a good list.

 

[MatthewM.]

The nba sucks ass

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

WTF...No Shawn Kemp or Karl Malone???

 

[MidwestChomp]

WTF...No Shawn Kemp or Karl Malone???

Malone is #2. I don't think Kemp is top 10.

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

Malone is #2. I don't think Kemp is top 10.

I don't know how I missed the mailman. Kemp was a beast before he got on the "nose candy"

 

[maheo30]

I have no problem with the list. Once you get past 8, you could interchange a few guys.

 

[GatorBart]

I obviously haven't watched much NBA in a while as I had to look up the Vanilla Gorilla was.
Duncan is THE MAN. Championships, championships, championships (five of em). 2 MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs, Rookie of the Year, etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Duncan
I was sitting in front row seats at the ODome at one of the ends of the court and he almost stepped on me chasing a ball down to make an inbound pass after we made a bucket. Believe it was 95-96 season. His team crushed us that night.

 

[AlexDaGator]

I know he played center, but how imagine putting Bill Russell at the 4 on your all-time team.

He's a better defensive player and rebounder than Rodman. He's 6'9" or 6'10" to Rodman's 6'7". He averaged over 22 rebounds per game over the course of his career; Rodman averaged less than 10 and his best season ever he averaged only 16. They didn't keep track of blocks back then but I guarantee Russell was way ahead of Rodman in that category too. Russell was a better passer and a much better scorer than Rodman. Russell could guard the 5 (he guarded Wilt) as well as opposing forwards. He could run the court like a guard.

Now let's compare him to the best player on ESPN's list--Duncan.

Duncan averages 19.5 per game. Russell 15.1. Duncan is a better scorer but the difference isn't great.
Duncan averages 2.1 assists per game. Russell 4.3. More than double.
Duncan averages 9.1 rebounds per game. Russell 22.5. More than double.
Again, I'm certain even though they didn't keep the stat, Russell doubles and probably triples Duncan's blocks per game. Blocks were Russell's specialty.

So Duncan gets you 4 more points per game, but Russell gets you a dozen more rebounds, two more assists, and a helluva lot more blocks. He's a better defender across the board.

What about intangibles? Russell is legendary for his intensity and will to win. And he's got 11 rings to prove it (and a college national championship playing for U. of San Fransisco).

I think Russell would destroy most everybody on that list. Duncan would score a few on him, so would Mailman and Dirk. A few. Not many. The rest he utterly destroys.

So uhh, yeah. My all-time 4 is a 5. Bill Russell.

Alex.

 

[t-gator]

I know he played center, but how imagine putting Bill Russell at the 4 on your all-time team.

He's a better defensive player and rebounder than Rodman. He's 6'9" or 6'10" to Rodman's 6'7". He averaged over 22 rebounds per game over the course of his career; Rodman averaged less than 10 and his best season ever he averaged only 16. They didn't keep track of blocks back then but I guarantee Russell was way ahead of Rodman in that category too. Russell was a better passer and a much better scorer than Rodman. Russell could guard the 5 (he guarded Wilt) as well as opposing forwards. He could run the court like a guard.

Now let's compare him to the best player on ESPN's list--Duncan.

Duncan averages 19.5 per game. Russell 15.1. Duncan is a better scorer but the difference isn't great.
Duncan averages 2.1 assists per game. Russell 4.3. More than double.
Duncan averages 9.1 rebounds per game. Russell 22.5. More than double.
Again, I'm certain even though they didn't keep the stat, Russell doubles and probably triples Duncan's blocks per game. Blocks were Russell's specialty.

So Duncan gets you 4 more points per game, but Russell gets you a dozen more rebounds, two more assists, and a helluva lot more blocks. He's a better defender across the board.

What about intangibles? Russell is legendary for his intensity and will to win. And he's got 11 rings to prove it (and a college national championship playing for U. of San Fransisco).

I think Russell would destroy most everybody on that list. Duncan would score a few on him, so would Mailman and Dirk. A few. Not many. The rest he utterly destroys.

So uhh, yeah. My all-time 4 is a 5. Bill Russell.

Alex.

There's probably an all time center list too

 

[AlexDaGator]

There's probably an all time center list too

Yeah, but Wilt gets that top spot.

Look, Shaq can't be a 4. Olajuwon...maybe. WIlt can't be a 4. Kareem can't be a 4.

Bill Russell can defend Wilt and Kareem. He can also defend Duncan and Nowitzki. He can also defend LeBron, Pippen, and Bird.

Bill Russell CAN be a 4. It's kind of his natural position.

Alex.

 

[GatorJ]

Yeah, but Wilt gets that top spot.

Look, Shaq can't be a 4. Olajuwon...maybe. WIlt can't be a 4. Kareem can't be a 4.

Bill Russell can defend Wilt and Kareem. He can also defend Duncan and Nowitzki. He can also defend LeBron, Pippen, and Bird.

Bill Russell CAN be a 4. It's kind of his natural position.

Alex.

Yeah it will be Wilt and then Russell. But if I was making an all-time list I would flip those two guys. Russell would come before Wilt.

If I was making a team:

Magic
Jordan
Nowitski
Russell
Wilt

Nowitski is technically a PF, but I would slide him in at SF. He would be deadly on the perimeter. LeBron is not a consistent enough 3 point shooter. I don't want to create plays at the SF slot. I have Magic to do that. Nowitski isn't a Top 5 All time player but he would be a great fit on that team. His defense is mediocre but I don't care about that. At 7 feet he would give an SF fits and the interior is locked down defensively by Wilt and Russell. The wing is locked down by Jordan and the point by Magic.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Yeah it will be Wilt and then Russell. But if I was making an all-time list I would flip those two guys. Russell would come before Wilt.

If I was making a team:

Magic
Jordan
Nowitski
Russell
Wilt

Nowitski is technically a PF, but I would slide him in at SF. He would be deadly on the perimeter. LeBron is not a consistent enough 3 point shooter. I don't want to create plays at the SF slot. I have Magic to do that. Nowitski isn't a Top 5 All time player but he would be a great fit on that team. His defense is mediocre but I don't care about that. At 7 feet he would give an SF fits and the interior is locked down defensively by Wilt and Russell. The wing is locked down by Jordan and the point by Magic.

It would be hard for a 3 like Bird, Pippen, or LeBron to guard a 7 foot deadly shooter like Nowitzki but wouldn't he be a liability on defense? You expect your 3 to be able to guard other threes and sometimes 4s and 2s. Nowitzki isn't a great defensive player to begin with but 2s and 3s are going to blow right past him. It would be a fascinating matchup game to play. Dirk is a walking matchup problem. He'd be automatic on offense. On defense you would need a really good defensive 4 and 5 playing behind him. Would the other team sub in a longer dude to defend him on the perimeter or let him get his and try to take advantage of his perimeter defense against a lightning quick 2 or 3?

Alex.

 

[GatorJ]

It would be hard for a 3 like Bird, Pippen, or LeBron to guard a 7 foot deadly shooter like Nowitzki but wouldn't he be a liability on defense? You expect your 3 to be able to guard other threes and sometimes 4s and 2s. Nowitzki isn't a great defensive player to begin with but 2s and 3s are going to blow right past him. It would be a fascinating matchup game to play. Dirk is a walking matchup problem. He'd be automatic on offense. On defense you would need a really good defensive 4 and 5 playing behind him. Would the other team sub in a longer dude to defend him on the perimeter or let him get his and try to take advantage of his perimeter defense against a lightning quick 2 or 3?

Alex.

You would need a great four and five to play behind him. That's why I would have Wilt and Russell. Perhaps the two best defenders the game has ever seen.

Lebron would be a great defensive SF but there needs to be a top tier 3 point shooter. And he ain't it.

 

[t-gator]

You would need a great four and five to play behind him. That's why I would have Wilt and Russell. Perhaps the two best defenders the game has ever seen.

Lebron would be a great defensive SF but there needs to be a top tier 3 point shooter. And he ain't it.

Steph
Kobe
Lebron
Durant
Duncan

If I'm building a team to play against yours.