Indiana Pacers Proving Throwback Centers Still Rule NBA Playoffs
Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers dominated the New York Knicks in the paint, notching an 82-71 victory in Game 3 of the two teams’ Eastern Conference semifinals series that solidified, once and for all, the notion that old-school, fundamentally sound big men are still a devastating weapon when it comes to NBA playoff basketball.
Hibbert logged a playoff career-high 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end. He didn’t block a shot, but his presence in the lane forced more than a few misses by Knicks players who were clearly still reluctant to take him on after his equally dominant, five-block showing in Game 1.
In short, Hibbert absolutely took it to Tyson Chandler, who may have been suffering from a neck injury but still earned the Defensive Player of the Year award just last year.
And Hibbert‘s dominance against Chandler wasn’t just limited to Game 3, either. The changing of the guard (or center, in this case) has been going on all series long. In three contests thus far, the Pacers big man has outscored his Knicks counterpart 44-21, out-rebounded him 32-12 and blocked nearly twice as many shots.
I’ll come back to the significance of Hibbert‘s thrashing of Chandler later. For now, it’s important to focus on what Indiana’s big man has done to reach his current level.
There hasn’t been much doubt about Hibbert‘s defensive value for some time; he’s a beast in the paint who controls the boards and turns away shots with regularity. But after a rough start to the regular season and an overall shooting mark of just 44 percent, there were a few questions about his skills as an offensive player.
He’s answered them during the postseason, raising his field-goal shooting to just a hair under 50 percent and functioning as a reliable post-up option. Against the Knicks in Game 3, he flashed everything from a left-handed hook shot to a devastating drop step.
It may have taken a while, but Hibbert‘s workouts with Tim Duncan over the past couple of summers have clearly begun to pay off.
Looking more deeply, it’s important to note that Hibbert is also benefiting from a scheme that accentuates his specific talents. He’s a massive presence in the paint but has the ability to contest shots without fouling. So the Pacers funnel offensive players toward him at every opportunity, allowing him to influence more defensive possessions than most other centers.
On the other end, he’s lucky enough to play with a power forward like David West, whose mid-range game leaves the lane open for Hibbert to go to work when he gets the ball in the post.
A favorable environment has certainly helped Hibbert maximize his skills, but it’s not fair to label him as a simple product of a system. Through hard work and patience (not to mention a naturally gifted basketball mind), this guy has turned himself into a dominant two-way center who appears capable of leading his team even deeper into the postseason.
And he’s not alone.
Centers who share many of Hibbert‘s qualities—shot-blocking skills, command of the boards and a fundamentally sound offensive game—are all over the teams still remaining in the postseason chase.
Duncan is still doing his thing in San Antonio, Marc Gasol is leading the Memphis Grizzlies toward a series victory over last year’s Western Conference champs and Andrew Bogut has been flashing the form that made him a terror on the interior just a few short years ago.
At the same time, the NBA’s so-called “new” breed of hyper-athletic, high-flying centers have quietly dropped out of the scene. JaVale McGee, DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard and Larry Sanders are all gone. It’s an oversimplification to lump guys like that together, but it’s also undeniable that they lack the cerebral game and fundamental polish of the other big men that are still a part of the playoff picture.
And if you had to fit Joakim Noah into one of those two groups, his defensive work and passing acumen (four assists per game during the regular season) would clearly earn him a spot among the former collection as well.
So when Hibbert has been wearing out Chandler on both ends, he hasn’t just been winning an individual matchup; he’s been symbolizing a sea change in the NBA. Offensively limited centers who can’t impact the game on both ends are on the way out. Players like Hibbert are the next big thing.
(Note: Chandler’s not a perfect symbol for that last proposition because he’s a smart, skilled defensive player. It would have been better if Hibbert had been crushing someone like McGee or Jordan. But you get the idea.)
Anyhow, it’s interesting to note that in a league where hybrid forwards like Carmelo Anthony and jump-shooting centers like Chris Bosh are all the rage, towering pillars of fundamental skill and defensive intimidation still have an important place.
In fact, based on what’s been happening during these playoffs, there’s an argument to be made that other than superstar talents like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, an imposing center with actual basketball skill is the most important piece of the puzzle.
That actually makes a lot of sense if you think about it. With NBA defenses becoming more and more sophisticated, centers can’t simply get by as glorified alley-oop receivers. Nowadays, as aggressive schemes force the ball out of guards’ hands, centers are often the recipients of those passes at the elbow. Just imagine how hard it’d be to ask someone like McGee or Howard to make a decision with the ball in that area of the floor.
Some guys excel in that role, though. Ask the Grizzlies how glad they are to have the ridiculously skilled Gasol handling that job.
And that’s to say nothing of the defensive responsibilities those big men have in the new trapping, shifting, overload schemes the NBA’s very best defensive teams are employing. You can’t run or jump your way to an understanding of solid positioning and good help rotations. Those things come about with practice and study.
Big men with high basketball I.Q.s and two-way skills are starting to make a comeback, and guys like Hibbert are at the forefront of that movement.
*All stats via NBA.com unless otherwise indicated.
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NBA Draft 2013: Best Underclassman Centers to Enter the Draft
All underclassmen who are leaving have now declared for the 2013 NBA draft, so teams that aren’t in the playoffs can turn their full attention to evaluating talent.
Center has always been a crucial position for NBA teams, and this draft is full of talented big men. Kansas center Jeff Withey was a senior last year, but there are about five underclassman centers who declared recently and could be taken in the first round. The top four are ranked below.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
Noel has been the consensus projected No. 1 overall pick in 2013 for some time now, even with a season-ending ACL injury in his only college season.
Noel measures 6’10”, and he was a ferocious shot-blocker for the Wildcats. He averaged 4.4 blocks per game to go with 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds.
He still needs to refine his offensive game, but he is a huge talent and will be a difference-maker on the defensive end. He’s definitely the top center prospect.
Cody Zeller, Indiana
Zeller is rated lower than Alex Len, according to CBS Sports, but he also has some advantages.
Zeller was far more consistent and polished on the offensive end than Len. He averaged 16.5 points per game to Len’s 11.9, and also sported a slightly higher field-goal percentage (56.2 versus 53.4).
Though Zeller also struggled with consistency at times, he is probably going to be better on offense than Len. He is a savvy player that went to the line 7.2 times per game, while Len went almost half as often (4.0).
His athleticism is above average for a big man, which makes him a good NBA prospect. His brother Tyler Zeller, similarly athletic at 7’0”, saw a huge jump in production after his sophomore year, so maybe Cody will put it all together in the pros.
Alex Len, Maryland
The area that Len has an advantage over Zeller is on the defensive end; Len blocked 2.1 shots per game during his college career.
Len will probably be a skilled defensive player, but he still has a lot of work to do on his offensive moves. His best scoring game in the ACC (20 points) came against a very undersized UNC team, and he scored in single digits regularly against bigger competition.
Len needs to refine his game, but he certainly has potential. ESPN’s Chad Ford (*subscription required) also ranked him higher than Cody Zeller, but also asked a simple question: “Is he tough?”
That question can only be answered after a team rolls the dice on him.
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
Dieng is possibly the most assertive rebounder on this list. When he received significant minutes during his sophomore and junior seasons, he snared 9.1 and 9.4 rebounds per game.
On top of being a great rebounder, Dieng also protects the paint. He averaged 3.2 and 2.5 blocks per game in the same seasons.
Dieng’s problem is how inconsistent he is offensively. He displayed that inconsistency in the NCAA tournament, college basketball’s biggest stage. From the Elite Eight on, he scored 14 against Duke, zero against Wichita State and eight against Michigan.
Simply put, he needs to develop a lot more to become an offensive threat in the NBA.
The best comparison for Dieng right now would probably be Charlotte’s Bismack Biyombo: a good defender and rebounder who won’t score much.
*All statistics provided by ESPN.com.
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Power Rankings Big Ten Starting Centers’ 2012-13 Seasons
The Big Ten has always been known for the most rugged and physical league around college basketball and the 2012-13 season proved the same. Seven of the 12 teams in the league received bids to March Madness, with four making the Sweet Sixteen and beyond.
Here is a recap of the 12 starting centers in the Big Ten this past season, ranked solely on this season’s performances. While this is just part one of five lists containing Big Ten starters, I hope it gives a preview of what is to follow in the near future, so please enjoy.
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Andrew Bogut Injury: Updates on Warriors Center’s Ankle
Brace yourselves, Golden State Warriors fans. Andrew Bogut is hurt again.
UPDATE: Friday, April 12 at 1:35 a.m. ET by Ian Hanford
According to San Francisco Chronicle reporter Rusty Simmons, Mark Jackson doesn’t believe that Bogut’s injury is serious:
—End of update—
The big man will not return to Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder after spraining his surgically-repaired left ankle, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group.
Thompson tweeted on Thursday:
The 7’0″, 260-pound center was acquired by the Warriors in a trade involving Monta Ellis last March. He’s averaged 6.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 25 minutes per contest this season (30 games).
Bogut was expected to fill a crucial hole at center for the Warriors upon coming to Oakland in March, but he’s had trouble staying healthy this season. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft hasn’t played more than 70 games since the 2007-08 season. He suffered numerous injuries during the 2010-11 season with the Bucks and played in just 12 games for Milwaukee last season.
Bogut averaged a double-double in three consecutive seasons (from 2008-09 to 2010-11), but had trouble staying on the floor. The Warriors knew they were getting a player with injury concerns last season, but the hope was that he could overcome those concerns and go on to be a consistent presence for them in the interior.
For a team that has been searching for a defensive presence in the low post for years, this can’t be good news for the Warriors, especially headed into the postseason.
If Bogut is forced to miss time, rookie center Festus Ezeli will likely receive more minutes. Ezeli is averaging 2.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 14 minutes per contest this season.
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Andrew Bogut Injury: Updates on Warriors Center’s Back
Injuries have followed Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut throughout his career, and the big man will now miss time due to back spasms.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Rusty Simmons reported the news via Twitter:
Andrew bogut won’t play tonight and is out indefinitely with back spasms, according to Mark Jackson.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) February 23, 2013
Simmons also noted that this is not the first time Bogut has dealt with back issues:
Andrew Bogut missed 43 games with a stress fracture in his back in 08-09, 1 gm w/ a back strain in 09-10, 5 gms w/ a sore back in 10-11.
— Rusty Simmons (@Rusty_SFChron) February 23, 2013
The Warriors acquired Bogut last season in a trade that sent shooting guard Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks. When the former No. 1 overall pick came to Golden State, he was recovering from a broken ankle.
That injury forced him to miss significant time this season, and he has currently appeared in just 12 games. In those contests, he is averaging 22.5 minutes of playing time and putting up 7.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.58 blocks.
When healthy, Bogut is an extremely effective force down low. He is skilled around the rim and is an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker.
His best year was during the 2009-10 season with the Bucks, when he averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 69 games. Unfortunately, Bogut has not played a full 82-game schedule since he was a rookie.
In Bogut’s absence, Festus Ezeli—a rookie out of Vanderbilt—has seen 14.9 minutes of playing time per night at center. Andris Biedrins has also been used down low, but All-Star power forward David Lee has been tasked with picking up most of the slack.
He has answered the call and is averaging 10.8 rebounds per night, although he is not much of a factor in post defense.
The Warriors are currently in position to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2006-07 season but recently suffered through a six-game losing streak. Bogut would be a massive help for the team as it tries to shore up a postseason spot, and fans in the Bay Area will be hoping to see him back on the court soon.
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Power Ranking the NBA’s Elite Centers
As the NBA devolves into a convoluted clump of positionless men playing basketball in groups affectionately referred to as “bigs” and “not-so-bigs,” the elite-level center has all but disappeared, with the exception of a few dudes.
There are some guys who are quite obvious, but with a few power forwards masquerading as centers out there, it gets a lot harder to figure out what’s what.
Guys like Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett have become full-on centers these days, while the likes of Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol continue to confuse.
There is a nice crop of young guys coming up who are going to make a run for elite status at some point in the near future, but so long as DeMarcus Cousins continues to be an inconsistent offensive player, Greg Monroe avoids being a consistent force and Roy Hibbert completely forgets that he’s 7’3″, it’s going to be a bit before they can make their way up to that level.
For now there are a handful of older guys hanging around, and a group of players who are hanging on hard to one side of the floor to cement their elite status.
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Andrew Bynum: How Center’s Return Will Impact Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers traded for Andrew Bynum with the hope that he would turn the team into a contender.
After months of dealing with injuries, they should finally get a chance to see what he can do.
Jason Wolf of USA Today reported that the center did not know when he would return to practice, but he is still planning on debuting “right after the All-Star break.”
Bynum was also excited about the fact that he was able to dunk in practice.
If he is able to return to the court for the second half of the season, he will make a huge difference for the 76ers.
Philadelphia is currently 19-26, a full three games out of the playoffs behind the Boston Celtics. This is not what they were expecting coming into the season.
The 76ers have struggled at scoring with consistency and are tied for third-worst in points per game. They are also ranked 25th in rebound differential.
Fortunately, these are things that Bynum can fix immediately.
When he is healthy, the former Los Angeles Laker is one of the best big men in the NBA. He is a great scorer around the basket and will be able to provide some balance to the Philadelphia offense.
So far this season, Philadelphia has gotten most of its points from the perimeter. Jrue Holiday has been outstanding this season, and Evan Turner, Nick Young and Jason Richardson have been good as well.
However, Thaddeus Young has been the only player who can put up points consistently inside. This would not be a problem, if he were not actually a wing playing out of position.
Bynum will provide much more of a presence inside, and it will force defenses to give attention to the man in the paint. This will open up plenty of space for Holiday and the rest of the guards to score.
Combine this with the fact that the center averaged 18.7 points per game last year, and Philadelphia’s scoring woes should be over.
In addition, he is going to help a lot on the glass. He will replace the minutes of Lavoy Allen and Spencer Hawes, two players who have combined to average fewer rebounds per game than Bynum had himself last season.
Finally, the overall presence of the seven-footer in the middle of the floor will help an already solid defense get even better.
Bynum will completely transform this team going forward. He perfectly fills the weaknesses of the squad and turns them into strengths.
With the Celtics likely to fade following the injury to Rajon Rondo, Philadelphia will have an opening for a playoff spot. Now that Bynum is apparently healthy, this is a group that can do some serious damage in the postseason.
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Dwight Howard: Grading Lakers Center’s Performance in LA Thus Far
Dwight Howard has been under a lot of pressure to perform at a high level this season and help the Los Angeles Lakers win their sixth NBA championship this century.
Despite having a lot of individual and team goals to reach, the superstar center has handled himself very well over the first few months of the 2012-13 season.
Let’s grade Howard’s performance for the purple and gold thus far.
Scoring
Howard’s offensive production this season has been quite impressive, and his 17.8 points per game average ranks second among all NBA centers.
His .594 field goal percentage is the fourth best among centers, and Howard has also been very consistent as a scorer with 10 or more points scored in 24 of his 27 games this season.
Free throws are still a problem for Howard, and even though he is on pace to improve on his free-throw percentage from last season, his success rate from the line this season is only 50.9 percent, which is awful.
Overall, Howard has been a reliable scorer for the Lakers despite his struggles from the free-throw line.
Grade: A-
Rebounding and Defense
Howard has once again dominated the boards this season and leads the Lakers with 11.9 rebounds per game. He also ranks third among all NBA players in rebounds.
He isn’t grabbing as many rebounds per game as he did for the Orlando Magic last season, but when you consider the fact that Howard has to compete for boards with Pau Gasol, who is also a great rebounder, it makes Howard’s rebounding numbers look even more impressive.
Statistically speaking, the Lakers are the best rebounding team in the league, and Howard is a major reason for that.
Howard’s one-on-one defense has also been fantastic. He leads the team with 2.6 blocks per game, which also ranks fourth in the NBA. He’s also fouled out of only two games this year, which proves that his discipline is improving.
Howard has made the Lakers’ interior defense much better this season, and as his back continues to get stronger, his rebounding and defense will only improve.
Grade: B+
Adjusting to the Lakers’ System, New Teammates
Howard has adjusted pretty well to the Lakers’ offensive and defensive schemes, but he still needs to form a better partnership with Gasol, because if these two seven-footers cannot figure out how to play with each other and have success, then Los Angeles will not win the championship this season.
For a player who has no experience playing in a major market like Los Angeles, or with another superstar alongside him, Howard has adjusted well to the Lakers thus far.
However, Howard still has a lot more work to do before he makes the Lakers a legitimate threat to win the Western Conference this year.
His impressive performances this season after recovering from back surgery earlier in the year have given Lakers fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic that the team’s struggles will soon come to an end.
Grade: B
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Andrew Bynum: Predicting How Center’s Knee Woes Will Affect Him in Free Agency
Would you sign Andrew Bynum to a $100 million deal this summer?
Think long and hard before answering, as general managers around the league will be doing if the star center decides to hit free agency rather than re-sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. It’s a cost-benefit analysis that will be very intriguing after the season.
On the one hand, Bynum is the best center in this league not named Dwight Howard. He averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game last year with the Los Angeles Lakers, finally rounding into the dominant player his talent always suggested he would become.
Game-changing centers hardly grow on trees, so it’s hard to imagine a team won’t break the bank for Bynum if he returns to action. If he returns to the Sixers and looks like a dominant force, he’ll get paid (probably from the Sixers, if he chooses to return to Philadelphia).
But when this season will that return come? If it isn’t sooner rather than later and Bynum doesn’t look like his old self upon his return, will teams really be willing to shell out serious cash for the injury-prone center?
Bynum will soon be undergoing the opening stages of a six-week rehabilitation program according to ESPN, so an optimistic timetable for his return is probably two months or so. But if it is longer, you have to think teams are going to back away from making a huge financial commitment to Bynum.
Wouldn’t you?
When you sign a player to a $100 million contract, you’re making a huge financial commitment and essentially signaling that your franchise will be headlined by that player. That isn’t chump change, and if you have any reservations about the player, you can’t take the risk of investing so much of your future on one player.
And Bynum hasn’t exactly proven to be the most mature player over the years. He’s proven on multiple occasions he has some growing up to do, and that could hurt him as well.
At the end of the day, it’s this simple—if Bynum returns to the Sixers in two months or so, plays dominant ball and looks like the player who was so good in 2011-12, he’ll get paid in a big way. End of story.
But if this injury lingers, it could be a very interesting summer for Mr. Bynum. His free-agent cash grab could turn out to be far less lucrative than he was expecting. It’s all about cost-benefit analysis, and right now the cost seems to supersede the benefit when it comes to signing Bynum.
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Andrew Bynum Loses Afro for ‘French Braids’ As Fascination With Sixers Center’s Hair Continues (Photo)
Andrew Bynum is either the slyest comedian around, having tons of laughs at our expense, or he really is just wired a little weird. Bynum showed up at the Philadelphia 76ers’ game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday with his infamous afro braided into a less flamboyant ‘do. Although the would-be Sixers center is no closer to returning to the court — the only medical update was that he has been cleared to ride a bike — he did offer some details in the ongoing saga of his hair. #Bynum on his hair: “French braids, man. I got tired of the ‘fro.”— Dan Gelston (@APgelston) December 21, 2012 Whatever Bynum calls the look, the Sixers would like to see him and his hair in uniform soon. Check out Bynum’s new look in the photo below. Photo via Facebook/Ballislife
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