Top 5 NBA Power Forwards
To read my top 5 point guards click here.
To read my top 5 shooting guards click here.
To read my top 5 small forwards click here.
I've been away from my blog for a few weeks, but have no fear loyal reader (a.k.a mom), I have returned to deliver my top 5 power forward rankings. Power forward is an intriguing position because there are great players on the backside of their career (Nowitzki and Randolph), players that still haven't hit their primes (Davis and Favors), and plenty of good to great players who are currently in their primes. Once again, this is a ranking as of right now, so a player's potential or elderly-ness is not taken into account. I'm only looking at who I think the best power forwards are if we were putting together a team to play one game tomorrow (most likely against space aliens that have stolen the powers of other NBA superstars in an attempt to win a basketball game so that they can take over the Earth).
Number 5: Chris Bosh, PF/C/Best Catfish in the NBA, Miami Heat
Fun fact: this is the same face he makes when he's bottom-feeding for old hot dogs (that's a catfish joke...)
2014-2015 stats: 21.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 46.0 FG%, 37.5 3P%
After spending seven season as "the man" in Toronto, Bosh joined the Heat and became the third banana behind LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. While in Miami, Bosh showed that he could be a strong defender, including corralling guards on the pick-and-roll, and became a reliable and dangerous three point shooter. Bosh's main strength is still his mid-range game (he shot 48% from 10-16 feet and 45.5% from between 16 feet out and the three point line last season), but he's a good passer from the high-post and he can still beat his man off the dribble when he faces-up in the mid-range area. Bosh missed the majority of the second half of last season due to a fairly serious blood clot issue, but he should be healthy and ready to go this season, and with Wade unable to play more than one game every 17 weeks, Bosh should get plenty of time as the number one option in Miami.
Number 4: Kevin Love, PF/Not LeBron's Best Friend, Cleveland Cavaliers
Yeah, Kevin, things are looking up for next season.
2014-2015 stats: 16.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 43.4 FG%, 36.7 3P%
Like Bosh, Love left a team where he was the focal point to join LeBron James on a title contender. Unlike Bosh, Love doesn't bear an obvious resemblance to any known fish species. Almost as imporantly, Love didn't embrace his new role as well as Bosh did. I don't believe that this was just a Kevin Love issue, however, I think that it's also an Assistant Coach David Blatt and Head Coach LeBron James issue. Love and James seemed like they were on different pages from the get-go, and Blatt was reading a completely different book (probably something like "How to Deal with an Employee who Keeps Trying to do Your Job and has a Name that Rhymes with LeJohn Brames"). Despite the rocky season, Love chose to re-sign with the Cavs, and it's natural to assume that he and James must've worked out whatever issues they were having, and I expect that the second year of the Blatt-James-Love-Irving combination will go smoother than the first. Love struggled last season and still was 0.3 rebounds per game away from putting up a 16-10 season. He's in the prime of his career, can shoot the three as well as any power forward in the league, he rebounds like a monster, and he throws outlet passes better than anyone not named Moses Malone (which should work well with LeBron's fast break beast mode). As long as the chemistry issues are kept to a minimum, Love will return to dominant form next season.
Number 3: LaMarcus Aldridge, PF/"If you try to play me at center I'm just gonna hold my breath till I pass out", San Antonio Spurs
Just pretend that jersey says "Spurs".
2014-2015 stats: 23.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 0.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 46.6 FG%, 35.2 3P%
Advanced metrics all say that mid-range two point jumpers should be avoided like the plague, but Aldridge disagrees. LaMarcus loves (LOVES) mid-range jumpers, and normally if your star power forward wants to spend all his time 16 feet from the rim you'd pull your hair out and try to patiently explain to said power forward that he's taller than everyone and should be taking advantage of that in the paint, before cursing out all your assistant coaches because that's why they're there. But Aldridge has such a great mid-range jumper that he's an outlier in the above situation. He has a high release that lets him shoot over most defenders, and he uses the threat of his jumper to force bigs out to the perimeter, where he usually has a speed/quickness advantage. Aldridge also showed off an improved three point shot, which makes him even more dangerous on the offensive end. He has yet to play a game with the Spurs, but San Antonio has a history of getting the best out of their players, and I firmly believe that Aldridge is going to have a great season down in Texas.
Number 2: Blake Griffin, PF/The Good Twin (Sorry, Taylor), Los Angeles Clippers
Forget basketball, Blake Griffin deserves to be this high on the list just based on his tweets during the DeAndre Jordan hideout situation.
2014-2015 stats: 21.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 50.2 FG%, 40.0 3P%
Griffin was drafted by the Clippers, so, naturally, he missed his rookie year due to injury, but since then he's improved from an "OhmyGodwhatdidIjustsee, he just dunked all over that guy" kind of player to a "OhmyGodwhatdidIjustsee, he just hit a jumper after dunking all over that guy" kind of player. Griffin's developed an effective, albeit ugly, post game while extending his range to the three point line. He's an efficient offensive player, but his defense and rebounding still leave something to be desired. For such an incredible athlete, you'd think his rebounding and block numbers would be a little better. Griffin's improved his jump shooting, free throw shooting, and passing since he's been in the league, and hopefully his defense and rebounding is next on the list. Unfortunately for Blake, he'd need a miracle to pass the number one guy on this list...
Number 1(tie): Anthony Davis, PF/C and Anthony Davis's Unibrow PF/League Leader in HPB (Hairs per Brow), New Orleans Pelicans
2014-2015 stats: 24.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 2.9 BPG, 53.5 FG%, 8.3 3P%
Read those numbers again (seriously, do it). Now think about the fact that this guy is only 22 years old and that his new coach wants him to improve his three point shot (his main weakness). He's already the best power forward in the league, but the sky is really the limit for Davis. He's one of the best defenders in the league, he's already improved his mid-range jumper to be well above average, he can handle the ball better than almost any other big, he's a phenomenal athlete, and he's a good passer for a power forward as young as he is. I mentioned in my ranking the number one picks piece that Davis could win both league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year multiple times, and he will almost certainly be in contention for both those awards next season. He's already a top 7 player in the league, and he'll be number one in the league before he turns 25. He led the Pelicans to the playoffs last season for crying out loud! The Pelicans! In the West! He has all the tools and he's already developed most of them. His biggest weakness is his three point shot, but he's got good form and a nice release on his jumper already, and Coach Gentry has asked Davis to work on that three pointer over the offseason. So there's a good chance that when we first see Davis this season, he won't have any more weaknesses.
