Dare I say it? Hibbert 2nd best center in NBA

8305 · Post #1 » by **8305** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:39 pm

He took it to Bynum with a broker nose last weekend. Did pretty much whatever he wanted against Noah a couple days later. He has become the type of efficient scorer you dream your center will be, he's rebounding better and those hook shoots actually look good. He used to look so mechanical. Now it looks like its coming pretty easy to him. Is there a guy other than Howard who is hands down better than he is now at his position?

frizzledizzle · Post #2 » by **frizzledizzle** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:47 pm

If this were truth or dare, it would have to be dare because it probably wouldn't be truth.

Maybe... I don't know. He's definitely a top 10 center, around top 5 give or take a couple spots. But I'd take Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol over him. Aldridge too if you consider him a center. He did get beat down by a larger Demarcus Cousins. I think he's one of the best if he's similar size and they aren't super athletic but the bigger bodies and or super athletic ones seem to own him. Horford got injured so we weren't able to see that match up but for now, I'd take Howard, Gasol and Aldridge over him. And although he beat up on Bynum, one match up isn't a big enough sample to say who is better for sure. But he's around top 5 for sure. Mainly because of his hook shot but I think if people kind of press on him a little bit to alter it, they can lower his percentage tremendously. As long as they let him have it, it's a high percentage shot. My biggest fear is during the playoffs when the refs let them play and people bump him a bit in the process of shooting and it messes up the entire shot. Doesn't take much to throw a hook shot off balance, especially with big centers that make it look like they barely touched them but had the strength to alter it plenty.

I can agree with top five but for pure centers, he'd at least have to be 3rd behind Howard and Gasol. 4th if you consider Aldridge a center. He plays both and I don't see enough of his games to know which position he does most of his damage at. I've seen him play though and he's ridiculous.

Solid · Post #3 » by **Solid** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:17 pm

I'd pretty much agree with everything frizzle said as far as current floor value. But Hibb is growing right before our eyes and clearly wants to be great.
Givin that I'd have a hard time picking anyone but Howard over him.
By next year, maybe even this years playoffs, I think He'll be number two on the floor.

chube · Post #4 » by **chube** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 7:43 pm

In a word: yes.

Howard is and will be number one. I would have said Horford but over the past 2 years or so, his offense has been there but his rebounding has been down. Noah doesn't have the smooth offensive game Hibb does. DeAndre Jordan is a great defender but offensively couldn't hit water standing in a boat, and Tyson Chandler doesn't have the offensive game Roy does. The only one who might give Roy a run for 2nd best would be Bynum, maaaaaaaaaybe Brook Lopez once he returns from injury (plus, assuming last year's rebounding numbers were more a fluke rather than the norm.)

Remember when Jim O'Brien played Solomon Jones instead of Roy during key stretches? That was fun.

Post #5 » by **Miller4ever** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:51 pm

I wouldn't consider Aldridge a center. Gasol has to be up there, except he play 6-8 more minutes a game than Hibbert, and they are both around 14 and 10. Gasol's defensive presence is stronger, but his offense is not as efficient or productive as Roy's. It's kind of like a Granger/Gay/Iggy argument, where they're all in the same tier and it's just tough to separate them because their games are so different.

JONEAL · Post #6 » by **JONEAL** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 9:06 pm

On TNT inside the NBA Shaq said that Roy was 2nd best in the east.

frizzledizzle · Post #7 » by **frizzledizzle** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:03 pm

JONEAL wrote:On TNT inside the NBA Shaq said that Roy was 2nd best in the east.

Weird... would like to know how his dysfunctional brain functions then.

Could have swore he said Bynum was the best center in the NBA. Bynum proceeded to get smashed by Howard. That's strike one against Shaq's opinion. Strike two is saying Hibbert is the second best center because according to him, that would make Howard third.

My post is nothing against you quoting Shaq. He's one of all the time greats and it's interesting to hear what people around the league say. Knowing he said Bynum was better than Howard and is now claiming Hibbert is second... that not only makes me question his opinion but makes me worry.

Bynum better than Howard... lol

frizzledizzle · Post #8 » by **frizzledizzle** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:14 pm

For the record... I think Hibbert has the potential to be 2nd best but nobody is topping Howard. The homer in me would totally pick him as 2nd best and I wouldn't trade for any center but Howard. I still think Gasol and Aldridge are better though. Maybe Horford too.

Gasol is slightly better than Hibbert in every category though. FT%, points, rebounds, blocks, assists... Hibbert is .9% better with field goal percentage. I love Hibbert but for whatever reason, I just think Gasol is better. Find it hard to believe 1inch and 5lbs separates them. Hibbert looks slender and Gasol looks like a plump pear.

Also... everyone here knows I've defended Granger more than anyone but if Gay keeps shooting the way he has been, I'd take Gay over him and Iggy. In the end they're probably all on par but Gay has been making circus shots like it's normal. The half court shot last night just confirmed my belief because that wasn't a coincidence. He's making Kobe and Melo type shots with defenders smothering him. He pulls up and shoots over perfect defense with ease. He's got a dirty jump shot. And his step down in Mayo is a mean spot up shooter. They just have a deadly combo down in Memphis. Good thing Randolph is out because they'd be the team to beat otherwise in my opinion. They just got knocked off a 7 game winning streak. Team is filthy on defense and has ridiculous shooters all over. Including Gasol... I remember Hibbert making deep shots last year which was dumb but he never makes the few he takes anymore. Gasol hits jumpers all the time

frizzledizzle · Post #9 » by **frizzledizzle** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:17 pm

One more thing that keeps Hibbert down from being truly dominant... he's pretty slow in getting up and down both ends of the floor. Collison burns down the court without him and the other teams break while he's flopped on the floor. Also, he lacks the power to leap off the floor for rebounds. He's a nice big center and his hook shot is making him a bad man. He just lacks explosiveness. Not surprising being 7'2 265. But that seems to be the new breed that's hard to stop.

Solid · Post #10 » by **Solid** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:11 am

I see in Hibbert a guy with tremendous focus and determination.

Next season:
Gasol will be pretty much the same, Very good.
Aldridge a little older.
Bynum - hobbled more than likely- and no better than today.
Horford will be...better as a power forward.

Hibb will thrive on this seasons experience and seek out ways to improve. Next season we will see him add a decent mid range shot and continue to get stronger and more confident.
At that time he will have no peer but Howard.
Imho

frizzledizzle · Post #11 » by **frizzledizzle** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:21 am

^ Hope that's true.

I think he's a really good center but I just don't know what his ceiling is. I thought he had pretty much reached it until his hook shot this year. I had seen him hook shots before but not at the rate he has been. That's a huge weapon he has added. Fundamentally I think he can continue to improve but for the most part, I think we're seeing what we're going to get. If he does it at a higher rate, excellent. For whatever reason, I just feel like he is really eliminated athletically. Then again, so was Duncan. Duncan was better at an earlier age and he's sucking now. Hopefully Hibbert has another 5+ years ahead of him to own. At 25 with his size/lack of athleticism, I'm not sure how long he can dominate in the 30's. I'd be shocked if he did it til 35. Hope he does but I'm thinking maybe 30-32 before he could decline. All speculation though. I'm just happy he has stayed healthy until this point. Pretty rare these days. Although, he looked drained the other night against the Magic. He could use a little more stamina or we could use a quality big to back him up. Really sucks Foster has continued to have problems and doesn't go on road trips.

Starkiller · Post #12 » by **Starkiller** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:08 am

I got him behind...

Howard
Bynum
Gasol

Then Hibby.

Post #13 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:01 pm

frizzledizzle wrote:
JONEAL wrote:On TNT inside the NBA Shaq said that Roy was 2nd best in the east.

Weird... would like to know how his dysfunctional brain functions then.

Could have swore he said Bynum was the best center in the NBA. Bynum proceeded to get smashed by Howard. That's strike one against Shaq's opinion. Strike two is saying Hibbert is the second best center because according to him, that would make Howard third.

My post is nothing against you quoting Shaq. He's one of all the time greats and it's interesting to hear what people around the league say. Knowing he said Bynum was better than Howard and is now claiming Hibbert is second... that not only makes me question his opinion but makes me worry.

Bynum better than Howard... lol

Hmm? Shaq said 2nd best in the Eastern Conference. Bynum and Gasol are in the West. Howard is in the East.

Thus, Shaq was saying in the Eastern Conference: 1-Dwight Howard 2-Roy Hibbert.

Boneman2 · Post #14 » by **Boneman2** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 5:51 pm

It's safe to say that Hibbert is top five. I can't wait to see Jonas V.

Post #15 » by **tsherkin** » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:40 am

Funny story, true story:

Among players who've played 10+ games and who play 25+ mpg, Roy takes the second-most shots from 3-9 feet in the league. Only Bogut, who has played 5 fewer games, averages more attempts there.

Among players who take 2+ FGA/g in that range, only Pau Gasol and Carlos Boozer are shooting a higher FG% and both are assisted on roughly twice as many of their FGAs in that zone.

Hibbert is punking people in the paint. Now if he could only improve his finishing ability right AT the rim, he'd be effectively unstoppable, especially with his passing ability.