Ranking Kevin Garnett’s Career Among NBA’s Great Power Forwards
As Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett‘s career nears its end, the comparisons to top power forwards of the history of the game become more prevalent.
Garnett has moved his way up the all-time marks with points and rebounds, and proved himself as one of the best defenders to ever step foot on the hardwood.
But is Garnett the best power forward of all time?
The following eight slides reveal the best power forwards ever, detailing why Garnett ranked either above or below each one.
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David Lee Injury: Updates on Warriors Forward’s Hip
In his first-ever playoff game, Golden State Warriors star power forward David Lee fell victim to the NBA playoff injury bug on Saturday afternoon.
After a hard spill in the fourth quarter of Golden State’s Game 1 showdown with the Denver Nuggets, Lee walked gingerly off the court and had to be examined by team doctors on the bench.
The team’s Twitter account had this post to confirm that Lee was being looked at:
It then published this tweet to confirm that Lee the diagnosis was a right hip flexor strain and that he would not return to action as the Warriors try to mount a fourth-quarter comeback:
Lee had 10 points and 14 rebounds in 29 minutes before leaving the game.
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Power-Ranking Big Ten Starting Small Forwards
The small forward list had a little bit of everything—three-point shooters, slashers, defensive stoppers and even back-to-the-basket players. While this complicated the rankings, it was easy to determine the three classes of players in this list—the top two shooting forwards, third- through eighth-ranked three-forwards and the bottom-four small forwards.
Here is a recap of the 12 starting small forwards in the Big Ten this past season, ranked solely on this season’s performances.
This is the third of five lists analyzing Big Ten starters. We’ve reached the midpoint of these rankings so feel free to share your insight.
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Power Ranking Big Ten Starting Power Forwards
The general makeup of each team in the Big Ten is different. Some squads are perimeter-oriented and rely on outside shooting, while others try to overpower their opponents with size. Some players on this list are true power forwards, while others could be defined as “stretch 4s.”
Here is a recap of the 12 starting power forwards in the Big Ten this past season, ranked solely on this season’s performances. This is Part 2 of five lists analyzing Big Ten starters. Enjoy!
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Kenneth Faried Injury: Updates on Denver Nuggets Forward’s Ankle
Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried suffered an apparent leg injury during the first quarter of his team’s April 14 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This comes mere weeks after Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari tore his ACL in a similar manner. The NBA can’t help but hope that Faried’s injury is not as severe.
The injury was unknown at the time, but the Nuggets’ announced on Twitter that it is sprained ankle:
According to Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post, Faried needed to be helped off the floor:
The injury is eerily reminiscent to that of Gallinari.
Much like Gallo, Faried hit the ground and instantly let out a scream that stunned those in attendance. “The Manimal” clutched at his ankle and was in visible pain.
Denver can ill-afford to lose another star, as Faried was averaging 11.7 points and a team-high 9.3 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game at the time of the injury.
For those looking to view the injury, a video has been supplied below. As you can see, Faried comes down very awkwardly on his ankle.
For those with weak stomachs, we suggest watching this video with caution.
Fortunately, the injury was limited to a sprained ankle and has Faried projected as day-to-day.
This is a significant blow to Denver as the regular season winds down. They’ve already lost Gallinari for the season and remain in a tight race with the Los Angeles Clippers for third in the Western Conference.
Faried is currently eighth in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game at 3.3.
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Mason Plumlee: Duke Forward’s Huge Night Latest Case for Player of Year Award
Mason Plumlee is having a monster season for Duke. So much so that he could well clinch the Player of the Year award when the year is all finished.
At the start of the year, you’d have been lucky to hear Plumlee‘s name as a potential candidate, with Indiana’s Cody Zeller the popular selection for the away.
Yet with a huge double-double performance in the win over fierce rivals North Carolina, the star forward provided us with the latest piece of evidence in his case for the Player of the Year award. And at the moment, it’s looking like a pretty good case.
Plumlee finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds against North Carolina, and once again, came up big when his team needed him to step up the most.
It comes after a strong start to 2013 which recently saw the senior forward pick up the National Player of the Week award last week after leading the Blue Devils to wins over N.C. State and Boston College (per Digtriad.com), but also in light of a very strong season for Duke.
See, whilst this week’s numbers against North Carolina were strong, they are simply no stronger than what Plumlee has been averaging all season.
His per-game stat-line of 18.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 blocks are nearly exactly what he chalked up this week, and nearly exactly what he has chalked up throughout the season.
His consistency and ability to step up when Duke needs him most has been arguably the biggest factor of his game this season, and key in his POY credentials.
Plumlee continues to be the primary cog in Duke’s engine and the primary reason behind their second-place standing in the Atlantic Coast Conference at the moment.
He was No. 3 in an ESPN straw poll last week, but given his recent performances, you’d have to think Plumlee has risen up that poll somewhat in the past week.
Perhaps even all the way to the top.
Will Mason Plumlee win the 2013 Player of the Year Award?
Comment below or hit me up on Twitter: Follow @dantalintyre
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Pau Gasol: How Injury Can Seal Forward’s Fate with Los Angeles Lakers
Pau Gasol‘s injury can be seen as a devastating blow to the Los Angeles Lakers, but it also allows for a trial period of sorts that could determine what his future with the team will be.
The Lakers have two obvious options with Gasol: trade him at some point this season or during the offseason or simply keep him.
The problem with keeping Gasol at this point is that he doesn’t fit head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s system. The Los Angeles coach likes his big men to be able to spread the floor, and while Gasol has a solid mid-range game, he isn’t a threat from beyond there.
Because of this, Gasol has been coming off the bench for D’Antoni, and that has made the 32-year-old unhappy, to say the least.
Gasol is still important to this team, however. He is a nice piece coming off the bench for L.A. as he averages 13.4 points and eight rebounds per contest. Furthermore, he gives the team necessary length, which the Lakers are sorely lacking with Jordan Hill out for the season.
An injury to the big man that will keep him out at least six weeks won’t help his trade value any, and that’s on top of an enormous contract that Gasol is attached to. Still, chances are there would be a team willing to take a chance on him, with an expiring contract after the 2013-14 season in mind.
General manager Mitch Kupchak has said very clearly that he doesn’t plan on making any deals involving his top players this season, but that could very well change in the next few weeks or before the start of next season.
With Gasol being out for as long as he will be, the Lakers will have a great sample size to see just how much they truly need the Spaniard on their roster.
Los Angeles has been playing much better of late, and Gasol’s presence on the bench seems to be a positive for the Lakers’ starting five. Now, the true test will be to see if the team’s bench responds in a similar way without Gasol on the floor.
D’Antoni will get a first-hand look at just how much better his reserves perform when they can spread the floor offensively and play within the system he desires. As it stood before his injury, the Lakers bench couldn’t truly play that way when Gasol was out there.
If it turns out the Lakers bench outperforms itself in comparison to when Gasol is healthy and playing, the seven-footer may be expendable. It will also prove that D’Antoni‘s system is working, and Gasol may be the bait the organization needs to bring in players more suitable to this style of play.
Granted, there’s no telling if and when that deal will occur, but we should have a better understanding of just how important Gasol is to the Lakers and what his fate with the team will be moving forward while he’s in the trainer’s room.
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Pau Gasol Injury: Updates on Lakers Forward’s Foot
Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol injured his leg late in the team’s game against the Brooklyn Nets and had to leave the contest.
Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell took note of the injury via Twitter:
Pau Gasol has an injured right foot, and will not return. Nets doctors are looking at him now in the locker room.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 6, 2013
Gasol was able to briefly stay in the game before going back to the locker room to be evaluated by team trainers.
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Pau Gasol Injury: Forward’s Return Won’t Help LA Lakers
Pau Gasol is having a career worst NBA season. At his best, he could be the answer to the Lakers‘ problems.
The problem is, Gasol’s best is now behind him.
Gasol is regressing as a player, and the Lakers have more wrong with them than can be easily addressed by the return of the Spaniard.
What has to be most frustrating to Gasol, to Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard, Steve Nash—and even to Mike D’Antoni—is that the Lakers had the best lineup on paper going into this season.
But what we’re now coming to realize is that at least half of that lineup on paper is now aging, yellowing, edge curling paper. The Lakers are vintage in a bad way.
And Gasol heads that up. He’s posting just 12.6 points per game this season and is playing near a career low in minutes with just 34 per contest.
Gasol’s field goal percentage is bad even for a guard, at 42 percent. He’s also averaging his least rebounds since 2007-08 with just 8.8 rebounds per contest.
Gasol seems softer than ever, and trade rumors surrounding his name are abundant, as Alex Kay summed up last week.
At this point, that is the most that Gasol offers the Lakers: a potential trade chip.
Mitch Kupchak must realize that Gasol is not the answer to the struggles that have plagued the club, and if anything the 32-year-old forward is going to perpetuate those problems. The Lakers have gone 2-5 without Gasol and are now a full two games out of the playoffs.
If anyone is going to save the season, it will be Steve Nash. But even that is a long shot, as Nash is coming off major injury at age 38.
Truly, many are just beginning to realize the bar was set too high for the Lakers, anyway. Metta World Peace is having the best season he’s had in ages, and it hasn’t even mattered.
The Lakers seem mostly just to need another coaching change, but how bad would it look to fire D’Antoni after already having fired Mike Brown this season? At this point, they are basically stuck holding on to Kobe’s boyhood idol.
D’Antoni has the Lakers playing horrendous defense this year, and that was supposed to be Mike Brown’s calling card. Sans Phil Jackson, are the Lakers beginning to regret that they weren’t more patient with the Zen Master?
With so many things wrong, only one thing is clear: Pau Gasol can’t make them right.
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LaMarcus Aldridge: Updates on Trail Blazers Forward’s Ankle Injury
LaMarcus Aldridge sustained an ankle injury in the Portland Trail Blazers’ last-second victory over the New Orleans Hornets Sunday night.
The Oregonian reporter Mike Tokito had the news:
LaMarcus Aldridge has a sprained left ankle, X-ray negative, but will have MRI. He has crutches, said it was pretty painful.
— Mike Tokito (@mtokito) December 17, 2012
Sprained ankles can be very difficult to recover from, depending on the severity of the injury. The injury will probably impact Aldridge’s ability to cut back and forth and slow him down altogether.
Aldridge is enjoying another excellent season in Rip City. The sixth-year forward is averaging 21 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He gives rookie point guard Damian Lillard a consistent threat to look for down low, and his ability to step away from the basket makes him a more difficult matchup.
Losing Aldridge hurts, especially because Portland has struggled with him on the floor. At 11-12, the team hasn’t played well enough to really contend in the Western Conference, and it’s safe to assume that they won’t play any better without him in the lineup.
Jared Jeffries and Luke Babbitt are behind Aldridge on Portland’s depth chart, but neither provides the production that the skilled big man does.
It’s also possible that rookie Meyers Leonard could see an uptick in playing time if J.J. Hickson bumps over to power forward for the time being.
Aldridge could recover quickly from his ankle sprain, but it wouldn’t make sense to rush him back. The season is still young, and it doesn’t make sense to jeopardize his health later in the year.
The team’s next five games come against Denver, Phoenix, the Lakers and they play Sacramento twice. Any team will be tough, but that stretch could be worse.
Stay tuned for updates regarding the Blazers’ star forward.
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