Rank your top 15 centers

[incontrol__]

Assuming all are healthy:

1. Dwight Howard/Yao Ming
2. Yao Ming/Dwight Howard
3. Chris Kaman
4. Marcus Camby
5. Andrew Bynum
6. Tyson Chandler
7. Emeka Okafor
8. Andrew Bogut
9. Shaquille O'Neal
10. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
11. Brad Miller
12. Samuel Dalembert/Andris Biedrins
13. Andris Biedrins/Samuel Dalembert
14. Brendan Haywood
15. Joel Pryzbilla

Honoroubale mentions: Jeff Foster, Erick Dampier, Kendrick Perkins

I think all who started at C this year for 99% of their games should be counted, though.. So Gasol (iirc?), Jefferson, and Rasheed Wallace should be on there (especially if i'm counting Okur and Horford).

Edit: Took off Okur and Horford.

[Malinhion]

I'd also put Yao ahead of Howard, when healthy that is.

Why?

I feel like the only way anyone can begin to make this argument is with "when healthy." But that's just ludicrous. One guy has chronic leg injuries because he's oversized. The other is an athletic freak that has never missed a game in his career, and has only missed one start--in his second season.

Dwight stepped up like a monster to get out of the first round, with three 20/20 games. Yao has never really shined in the postseason, and his record shows it. I don't see Dwight missing the playoffs for a while, but the Rockets are hardly a lock for next season.

Dwight has the statistics to rival Yao, and his defense has caught up with the rep that Yao has. Or at least it wil by next season. The biggest criticism of Howard's game: turnovers, is one that similiarly afflicts Yao.

[tracey_nice]

[quote="Malinhion"][/quote]
I would take Dwight because of health, age, and potential but as of right now I think Yao is better when he is healthy. Offensively Yao is nearly unstoppable with his turn around jump shot, at 7'6" can anyone really stop that? his hook shot which he is able to hit from 10 - 12 ft out and his free throw shooting, shooting Techs as a center unreal. I think Dwight is just to under-developed at the offensive end right now, Dwight is very raw and scores a lot of his points off dunks and once he develops a go to move or widens his offensive low-post repertoire he has the potential to be great but as of now I have him behind a healthy Yao for best center in basketball(not including Duncan). Also, I am well aware that Dwight's defensive capabilities is better than Yao's but that isn't enough right now to off-set the advantage Yao has offensively, for me at least.

[T-Spot]

Nellie can play Harrington at the 5 spot, does that make Harrington a Center? I don't think so. Guys like Amare, Gasol, Duncan, Jefferson, Horford, Bosh are NOT centers even if that's where they see their minutes.

Miller has never averaged more than 1.2 blocks per game a season and has only averaged double digit once in his career and generally uses his outside touch. How can you then call him a real C?

1. Duncan
2. Ming
3. Howard
4. Jefferson
5. Gasol
6. Bogut
7. 'Sheed
8. Okafor
9. Kaman
10. Chandler
11. Dalembert
12. Bynum
13. Okur
14. Biendrins
15. Z

[dockingsched]

Nellie can play Harrington at the 5 spot, does that make Harrington a Center? I don't think so. Guys like Amare, Gasol, Duncan, Jefferson, Horford, Bosh are NOT centers even if that's where they see their minutes.

Top 15 centers:
Howard
Yao
Kaman
Camby
Chandler
Okafor
Okur
Miller
Ilguaskas
Dalembert
Bogut
Biedrins
Shaq
Bynum
Haywood

Those guys are all CENTERS. Not PF's masquerading at the 5 spot due to a lack of quality CENTERS or INJURY that depletes a roster.

those players still play center better than miller. gasol, for example, has played every single minute at center the last TWO seasons. not sure why he would be excluded.

needless to say you are the only poster with miller in the top ten, and only one other person has him anywhere near the top ten (#11).

[skones]

Top 15 True Centers:
Yao
Howard
Camby
Kaman
Chandler
Okafor
Bogut
Dalembert
Ilguaskas
Shaq
Okur
Miller
Haywood
Biedrins
*Bynum

*I'm sticking Bynum on the list but without any defined position. The fact that his knee was supposed to heal and he was supposed to be back is very discouraging IMO considering he's just had surgery on that same knee. Being so young and having an injury like that can spell even bigger problems down the line. I'd want to see how it affects his play once he comes back.

[andyhop]

Big Z is massively underrated by everyone if we are talking about performance this season rather than future years

[KyleCleric]

1. Dwight Howard
2. Yao Ming
3. Pau Gasol
4. Marcus Camby
5. Rasheed Wallace
6. Tyson Chandler
7. Andrew Bogut
8. Chris Kaman
9. Andrew Bynum
10. Mehmet Okur
11. Emeka Okafor
12. Samuel Dalembert
13. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
14. Andris Biedrins
15. Shaquille O

[revprodeji]

I do not see how Jefferson is not a center. His offensive game is all based on the block. He has some of the best footwork in the league. Is a legit 6'10 250+ he is also one of the best rebounders in the league and a good shotblocker. He needs a helpdefender next to him, but it would make no difference if that defender was a 6'10 pf or center. Offensively Al is a center. and an impactful one at that.

[skones]

I do not see how Jefferson is not a center. His offensive game is all based on the block. He has some of the best footwork in the league. Is a legit 6'10 250+ he is also one of the best rebounders in the league and a good shotblocker. He needs a helpdefender next to him, but it would make no difference if that defender was a 6'10 pf or center. Offensively Al is a center. and an impactful one at that.

I just think he's a natural power forward. Everything I've read, which may or may not be accurate, states the management is looking for a center to put next to him. Unfortunately the recent report about a certain Love interest would be the counterargument.

[revprodeji]

mchale has given 4 smoke screens so far. The love rumor is just the most recent.

My understanding is that the center talk involves either (ironically)

1.) the rumored milwaukee trade
2.) trading up our 2 2nd's with possibly mccants for an early 20 pick
3.) less than a 15% chance we take lopez.

I am hearing 70% we take Mayo and are happy with any of the big 3 dropping.

back to the OP. Jefferson is offensively a center. It would be nice to put a big body center next to him to have a defensive body, but someone who can rebound and weakside shotblock would be fine. Whether it is a 4 or 5.

[skones]

mchale has given 4 smoke screens so far. The love rumor is just the most recent.

My understanding is that the center talk involves either (ironically)

1.) the rumored milwaukee trade
2.) trading up our 2 2nd's with possibly mccants for an early 20 pick
3.) less than a 15% chance we take lopez.

I am hearing 70% we take Mayo and are happy with any of the big 3 dropping.

back to the OP. Jefferson is offensively a center. It would be nice to put a big body center next to him to have a defensive body, but someone who can rebound and weakside shotblock would be fine. Whether it is a 4 or 5.

I just think Jefferson would be best suited next to a bigger body, a center, who rebounds the ball and plays hard defense. In contrast, I don't think he'd be as successful if the player who had that role played and four and him at the five. I just don't buy the argument that because he plays in the low post on offense, that makes him a center. For example, Amare Stoudemire and Jefferson each have 57% of their field goal attempts come from "inside." Granted many more of Stoudemire's are assisted due to playing with one of the top point guards in the NBA, I STILL would not consider him a center (pre-Shaq).

I guess there's not really a way to prove it one way or another. It's just kind of a guy feeling thing. I suppose we'll agree to disagree.

[revprodeji]

I do not disagree. I just think regardless of who Al plays with he will do the same thing on offense. Of course, the argument is often made that NBA positions are based more on who you defend not what you do on offense. That being said, if MN was to get a big 7ft+ center it would need to be someone that can put a body on the other team's 5. Help out as a help defender and shotblocker. Pass and score from the high post as well. My Best Case Scenario is that the wolves trade back into the 1st and take Hibbert.

Hibbert
Al
Brewer
Mayo
Foye
(Gomes as the 6th man)