Where would Prime Dave Cowens rank today?

[Matt15]

Where would Prime Dave Cowens rank in today's league among Centers and Overall?

[One_and_Done]

He probably wouldn't be an all-star.

[Matt15]

He probably wouldn't be an all-star.

Why would Dave Cowens struggle against today’s centers, when he held his own against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a GOAT candidate?

[ceoofkobefans]

Translating him to the modern era is difficult to project but I’ll say like fringey top 10 or something but if we’re just comparing peak Cowens to the players of today I’d say clear top 10 fringe top 5

[One_and_Done]

He probably wouldn't be an all-star.

Why would Dave Cowens struggle against today’s centers, when he held his own against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a GOAT candidate?

I don't know what 'held his own' is supposed to mean. He won an entirely undeserved MVP over Kareem, but at no stage was a comparable player.

[trelos6]

Probably not unlike Bam Adebayo. Good rebounder, ok passer. Not the best with steals / blocks but he can guard anyone due to his speed and size.

Fringe All-Star

[Ryoga Hibiki]

It's very hard to project this kind of players. 50 years later.
He had a strong motor, was tough, mobile, could score if needed, very good passer.
You can imagine him going somewhere in the Jokic/Sabonis/Bam wide range, offensively, but where?
How could have his handle evolved?
What kind of outside shooter he would have been? He was an 80% ft shooter.
Ok, good passer. How good? What kind of reads he could have made against modern, more complex, defenses?

I can see him anywhere between top10 guy to borderline all star/sub all star.
To be honest, the idea of him is very interesting for the modern game, more than maybe 20 years ago.

[homecourtloss]

Cowens played a modern game back on the ‘70s—a highly skilled, high motor, unselfish player who did things all over the court. The key would be how well his handle could develop (no guarantee) and if he could develop a three point shot (positive signals towards that).

—He could challenge on guards on the perimeter though today’s gmae would be an altogether different challenge
—He had an endless motor that would be even more effective when playing shorter minutes (pace in his day was fast so he was running up down the court all game while playing heavy minutes)
—He ran in transition extremely well
—He was really strong and could defend inside even when young and looked more wiry than solid
—He had great hands
—He was great positioner for rebounds, had great rebound instincts
—He was not the greatest rim protector but did contest shots well and had good length
—He could dribble and position himself for that beautiful lefty jumpshot; relative to his era, his handle for a big man was good but again, no guarantee of where it would be in todays game
—He was a very good free throw shooter and midrange shooter who, I think, could develop a three point shot for today’s game
—He had tremendous upcourt instincts perfect for the game at the time. I love watching highlights of him grab rebounds and turn his head to look upcourt before he even lands with the ball
—very good passer, great outlet passer

[kcktiny]

He won an entirely undeserved MVP

Is that so.

You by chance play against him that season? Because the people that actually did were the very same people that voted him MVP - back then MVP voting was done by the players. They clearly thought he deserved it - voted him twice as many 1st place votes as Jabbar got.

Best player on the best team in the league that regular season, a team that happened to have the 3rd best W-L record in league history at that time.

His first decade in the league Cowens (1970-71 to 1979-80) played the 2nd most minutes among all Cs, in 726 games averaged playing 39 min/g, was 3rd among Cs in rebounds (only Jabbar and Unseld had more) and 4th among Cs in points scored (only Jabbar, Lanier, and McAdoo had more).

His first 6 years in the league Boston won the most games in the regular season (averaged 56-57 wins/season), and Boston was the only team in that 6 year interval to win the title more than once.

[scrabbarista]

Dave Cowens was a bruising banger in the Celtic mold.

[Samurai]

I think Cowens would fare very well in today's game. If he were playing today, it would stand to reason that he would have been born in the 1997-2000 range, which means he would have been raised learning to spam 3's from an early age. I don't think he was as good of a pure shooter as his contemporary Bob Lanier, but he was a career 78% FT shooter and a solid mid-range shooter so I could picture him developing a reliable 3-point shot. Outside of Hondo, Cowens had the best motor of any player I've seen. Decent passer (exceptional on the outlet pass), solid screen setter, excellent defensive instincts (but not a shot blocker) and tenacious rebounder. Despite his lack of shot blocking, he was still named to the All-Defensive team three times (one first team and two second teams) during a time when a big part of a center's defensive value was judged by their shot-blocking prowess.

[kcktiny]

he was still named to the All-Defensive team three times (one first team and two second teams) during a time when a big part of a center's defensive value was judged by their shot-blocking prowess.

From 1973-74 to 1977-78 the Celtics were the 2nd best team defensively in the NBA (96.3 pts/100poss allowed). Only the Bullets were better.

Those 5 seasons Cowens played 14% of the Celtics total minutes played, but he alone accounted for 27% of their total defensive rebounds, 26% of their total blocked shots. And Boston among all NBA teams those 5 years allowed the lowest opponent 2pt FG% at 44.8%, grabbed the highest defensive rebounding percentage at 73.0%.

https://www.basketball.com.au/news/greatest-players-in-nba-history-dave-cowens

Defensively, Cowens was a menace. Despite giving up size to most centers, he used his strength, positioning, and relentless energy to outwork opponents. He was an excellent rebounder, using his anticipation and leaping ability to snag boards over taller players. Cowens' defensive versatility allowed him to guard multiple positions, making him a valuable asset in an era before widespread switching. Perhaps most importantly, Cowens played with an unmatched intensity. He dove for loose balls, ran the floor hard in transition, and never took a possession off. This all-out style of play endeared him to fans and set the tone for his teammates.

Cowens' impact on the NBA goes beyond his impressive statistics and accolades. He embodied the spirit of hustle and determination that defined the successful Celtics teams of the 1970s. His ability to dominate games despite his relatively small stature for a centre showcased the importance of skill, intelligence, and work ethic in basketball.

Cowens' legacy as one of the most dominant players in NBA history is secure, not just for what he accomplished on the court, but for how he changed perceptions of what a centre could be. His influence can still be seen in today's NBA, where versatile big men who can shoot, pass, and defend multiple positions are highly valued. For his transformative impact on the game and his crucial role in continuing the Celtics' winning tradition, Dave Cowens stands as one of the most influential and dominant players the NBA has ever seen.