Who Is The Second Best Center In Milwaukee Bucks History?

[SickMother]

Bob Lanier was a little before my time, all I really remember about him was that beer commercial about the two biggest feets. He was obviously the best player of the bunch, but didn't reach the Bucks until the tail end of his career playing 278 games with averages of 13.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks. With a 3-5 series record, including an ECF appearance, he probably has the 2nd best playoff resume of the candidates.

Jack Sikma was my first favorite Buck. Mostly because I thought he looked cool and I was like eight years old. He played 392 games averaging 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks. In a way, he was kind of a Brook Lopez pre-cursor as he shot 196/550 (.356%) from three over his final three seasons with the Bucks after only attempting 68 three balls in his 11 prior seasons. Doesn't seem like he was much of a defender though?

Andrew Bogut was the #1 overall pick, with hindsight we know taking Chris Paul would have been the right call, though he probably would have forced his way out of Herb Kohl's Milwaukee ASAFP. Either way, Bogut played 408 games averaging 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.7 blocks. Just as he was putting it all together anchoring the 2009-10 Fear The Deer squad, he suffered a gruesome broken arm that altered his career and two franchises forever, paving the way for the Monta Ellis Have It All era on one end of the spectrum and the start of the Dubs dynasty on the other.

Brook Lopez has been pretty much the perfect center to pair with Giannis between his three point shooting opening up the paint and his rim protection on the other end. He's currently at 339 games and counting with averages of 13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 2.2 blocks. Obviously the Championship helps his case with his 33 point outburst in Game 5 of the ECF while Giannis was out being a pretty pivotal performance in franchise history.

I love all of these guys for completely different reasons, so it's impossible for me to choose. I feel like Sophie on that train or whatever. What kind of order would a less impartial observer put them in? I know PPGZ is only a tiny fraction of things, but still kind of crazy they are all within less than a one point spread of one another.

[Rich Michmond]

Jack Sikma was my first favorite Buck. Mostly because I thought he looked cool and I was like eight years old. He played 392 games averaging 13.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.9 blocks. In a way, he was kind of a Brook Lopez pre-cursor as he shot 196/550 (.356%) from three over his final three seasons with the Bucks after only attempting 68 three balls in his 11 prior seasons. Doesn't seem like he was much of a defender though?

Jack Sikma was a very good defender. He did not rack up many steals or blocks but was a solid post defender. His bb IQ was top-notch and was a great defensive rebounder. I see his Milwaukee career similarly to Boston Al Horford. The issue is that he probably has just three really good seasons there, which is probably not enough to be the second best center.

[JRoy]

I really like Sikma. Lanier was before my time, Bogut was hurt alot and Lopez was a high end role player by the time he got to MIL.

[70sFan]

The problem with all of them is that they were past their peaks in Milwaukee.

[theonlyclutch]

The problem with all of them is that they were past their peaks in Milwaukee.

I'd argue Lopez's impact peak, as it applies to winning games, was very much in Milwaukee.

[70sFan]

The problem with all of them is that they were past their peaks in Milwaukee.

I'd argue Lopez's impact peak, as it applies to winning games, was very much in Milwaukee.

That's a good point actually, Lopez has been really good in Milwaukee. I wonder if he's good enough to get ranked ahead of the rest though. Lanier was very good in his first Bucks season for example.

[penbeast0]

Lopez somehow (he didn't impress me in New Jersey) turned himself into one of the league's best rim protectors and a perennial DPOY candidate in addition to reinventing himself as the quintessential spacing center. I think it goes to him pretty easily.

[pancakes3]

better than Tractor Traylor

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Is Gianis a center? He would have played center for most teams and coaches in NBA history. Tim Duncan played more center than power forward and would have been a center on most team.

If a team is afraid to wear down their best center by making their best center play center does that make their best center not a center?

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

Peak Alton Lister may have been better than these guys defensively. I remember Bucks Lanier well. Bucks Lanier was not as good as Lister defensively. Lanier peaked in Detroit.

Sikma peaked in Seattle and Bucks Sikma also was not as good as Lister defensively.

Ervin not Magic Johnson was pretty good defensively.

Bob Lanier for offense. I would give Lister an edge over Warriors Bogut for defense but I don’t really know Bucks Bogut.

[Ron Swanson]

Lopez and it's not all that close. Stunned that Lanier is doubling him up here. He's a Hall of Famer and maybe it's unfair that we can't reliably measure his defensive impact from his time in Milwaukee, but Lopez was less "past his prime" and more his box numbers simply took a hit by going to a team with prime Giannis. Lanier was the definition of a part-time player by the time he got to the Bucks.

[70sFan]

Lopez and it's not all that close. Stunned that Lanier is doubling him up here. He's a Hall of Famer and maybe it's unfair that we can't reliably measure his defensive impact from his time in Milwaukee, but Lopez was less "past his prime" and more his box numbers simply took a hit by going to a team with prime Giannis. Lanier was the definition of a part-time player by the time he got to the Bucks.

For most seasons yes, but 1979/80 Lanier was legit all-star bigman.

[Samurai]

Lopez and it's not all that close. Stunned that Lanier is doubling him up here. He's a Hall of Famer and maybe it's unfair that we can't reliably measure his defensive impact from his time in Milwaukee, but Lopez was less "past his prime" and more his box numbers simply took a hit by going to a team with prime Giannis. Lanier was the definition of a part-time player by the time he got to the Bucks.

For most seasons yes, but 1979/80 Lanier was legit all-star bigman.

Lanier was traded during the 79/80 season and played more games for Detroit (37) than he did for Milwaukee (26) that year. Lanier averaged more points, rebounds, and assists as well as shot a higher percentage in those Detroit games than he did in his Milwaukee games that season. By and large, Milwaukee Lanier was just a shell of what he was in Detroit.

[mattg]

As a Bucks fan, this is Lopez pretty clearly.

[penbeast0]

In terms of Lanier's defense, Don Nelson platooned him in late games as the offense/defense half of a platoon with Harvey Catchings (and probably others). In terms of offense, per minute Lanier still played at close to an all-star level in Milwaukee for several years, just limited by his knees and Nelson's substitution patterns.

[SportsGuru08]

I would say Sikma as he provided the defense, rebounding and floor spacing all at once.

[AEnigma]

Lopez and it's not all that close. Stunned that Lanier is doubling him up here. He's a Hall of Famer and maybe it's unfair that we can't reliably measure his defensive impact from his time in Milwaukee, but Lopez was less "past his prime" and more his box numbers simply took a hit by going to a team with prime Giannis. Lanier was the definition of a part-time player by the time he got to the Bucks.

For most seasons yes, but 1979/80 Lanier was legit all-star bigman.

Lanier was traded during the 79/80 season and played more games for Detroit (37) than he did for Milwaukee (26) that year. Lanier averaged more points, rebounds, and assists as well as shot a higher percentage in those Detroit games than he did in his Milwaukee games that season. By and large, Milwaukee Lanier was just a shell of what he was in Detroit.

And then he was clearly their best player against the Sonics. Even the next year, postseason comes around and he performs like an all-star (although Marques was the real force that year). I think Brook has a valid case here on total value provided and importance to what the franchise achieved, but talking who played the best, it was 1980 Lanier (2010 Bogut could have been in the conversation if he had stayed uncharacteristically healthy for the postseason).