Top Power Forwards entering 2014-2015: #3 Blake Griffin

   

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We continue our rankings with Blake Griffin as our #3 Power Forward entering the upcoming NBA season.  Griffin is one of the most polarizing players in the league, he is constantly criticized for not coming up big in playoff games, being reliable in the fourth quarter, and a lack of a post game. That being said, it cannot be argued that Griffin had another tremendous year. Griffin finished the year with averages of 24.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and an impressive 3.9 APG. Griffin finished in the top 10 in scoring and finished third in MVP voting. 

    Blake averaged a career high in scoring this year, and contrary to believe it was not all due to his athletic ability. Griffin developed a nice handle to go along with his physical prowess. He loves to face his opponent up more often than he loves to back them down in the low post. He catches the ball around the high post area and likes to to use his handles against other bigs to attack the rim towards the middle of the floor. He is a nightmare in the pick and roll coverage, often times posterizing defenders that are late to recover.  In addition, he developed a mid ranger to keep his defenders honest and opened up more pick and pop plays.

     His low post game increased dramatically this year, after Paul's early season injury he increased his low post shot attempts to nearly 6 a game. Griffin is comfortable on both sides of the low post area(although he prefers the left side). Griffin has a smooth over-the-shoulder left handed hook, that he uses constantly to go along with his right handed hook, look at the following three plays. He has a series of countermoves highlighted by his up and under shot fakes. Griffin loves to bully defenders with his shoulder often times knocking them out of position and giving him easy layups. 

     Griffin also got to the free throw line last year 8.5 per game and shot a career high 71% from the stripe, we see no reason as to why this cannot continue to get better. The flip side to that is that 71% is still not a good percentage for somebody who is needed on the floor at the end of games, something that hampers his performances. Griffin continues to be a nightmare in fastbreak situations, he is still one of the league leaders in dunks and racks up quite a few points on fast break alley-oops.

      In addition to this, Griffin has dropped his rebounding totals, after averaging a double double his first two seasons, he has failed to do so his previous two. Griffin averaged 9.5 RPG, that is good but not overly impressive. While it is true that Jordan consumes most of the available rebounds, we don't see why Griffin cannot average a double double(the perfect example of this, is Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic). Griffin, is also not a good defender, he averages less than 1 BPG, and cannot be entrusted with the job of guarding the other teams premier big man(that job is entrusted to Jordan). 

     Griffin has all the tools to be the #1 Power Forward in the world, but his constant struggle in the playoffs, as well as his unreliability in the fourth quarter of games continues to hinder him. Griffin's stats dropped during the playoffs to 23.5 PPG and 7.4 RPG, and averaged a ridiculous 4.1 personal fouls. Griffin must find a way to rebound at an elite rate again while staying on the floor during crunch time. While his assists numbers are great, he needs to be able to average at least one block and improve his one on one defense. If griffin does this, we expect him to be higher in our rankings the following year.

Here are his top 10 plays of the year.

Top Power Forwards entering 2014-2015: #4 Anthony Davis

   

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      At #4 in our rankings is Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans. Davis coming in at #4 was up to heavy debate over his position. Is Davis a Power Forward or a Center? He spent a lot of last season at both positions, and his versatility at a time where there aren't many true centers in the league makes it even more tricky. Ultimately though, he is listed as a Power Forward and the Pelicans acquisition of center Omer Asik is a good indication that on opening night Davis will be starting as a Power Forward.
      Davis made huge leaps in his second year, after averaging 13.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.8 BPG as a rookie, Davis increased his production to an impressive 20.8 PPG, 10 RPG, and 2.8 RPG and his first All Star game. Davis is a nightmare matchup on both sides of the ball, he's already one of the league's premier defenders leading the league in blocks this year, an amazing accomplishment for only his second year. Davis utilizes his length to make offensive players take contested shots. Davis is also a great weak side helper, often cleaning up for teammates' mistakes with timely blocks.
     Offensively, Davis is a coach's dreams, he runs the floor like no other big man in the league and gets easy fast break points by not assuming that a fast break layup is an automatic two points. Here is a perfect example of a full end to end display of Davis's skill set, he rotates on the pick and roll to stop the guard, then returns to contest a shot by Bass, and finally runs the floor. How many big men in the league can you think off the top of your head who could complete that sequence so beautifully? Davis does a lot of his damage in these fast break situation. Often times Davis is not the recipient of a pass but instead just grabbing offensive rebounds and running ahead of everybody else to get easy points, look at the following two plays.
Davis has a soft touch around the rim, he likes to post up and use a quick right handed floater that is impossible to block. In addition, in most pick and roll situations (as well as when he attacks the rim off a face-up situation) he likes to finish over the top of his defender with two handed layups, not something you see quite often around the association.
      Davis also developed a nice mid range jumpshot, he's good off the pick and pop and can hit it off the dribble, he also shoots free throws at a 79% clip which is pretty solid. Davis has a bright future, and we expect him to keep rising to eventually become the top Power Forward on this list. He still needs to develop a more solid back to the basket game, and he needs to pick up his weight. In addition to that, he needs to foul a little bit less(He averaged 3 fouls a game last season) and stay off the injury list, he only played 67 games last season after only playing 64 his rookie year. However, it is unquestionable that Davis is a stat stuffer and has a very bright future, that is why he's at #4 and we expect him higher than this next season.
Here is Anthony Davis' top 10 plays this season.

Top Power Forwards entering 2014-2015: #5 Dirk Nowitzki

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We start off our top 5 Power Forwards entering this upcoming NBA season with Dirk Nowitzki at number 5. Nowitzki had a subpar 2012-2013 NBA season due to injuries, he only played in 53 games and averaged 17.3 PPG(The lowest since his second season in the NBA). He bounced back this last season however, playing 80 games and getting his production back up to what we've come to expect. While it was hard to place him at #5 over the immortal Tim Duncan, it is unquestionable that at this point in their respective careers, Nowitzki produces more, and is required to do more than Tim Duncan. That of course, has a lot to do with Popovich's management of Duncan's playing time.
      Nowitzki averaged 21.7 points on 49% FG and 39% from the behind the arc. He remains one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the game. His one leg step back off the high post remains one of the most unstoppable moves in the game today. Nowitzki likes to set up shop in the mid to high post area, from there he does a great job of using his length and size to get off his jumpshot, he shot a blistering 74% on two pointers this season. Nowitzki also runs the floor better than most bigs in the league, he does a great job of running at the rim in fast break situations to get easy dunks, but also is the team's most lethal trailer option to shoot the three. In addition, Dirk is lethal in the Pick and Pop option, something Ellis and Calderon quickly learned. He fades out quickly to the three point line, making his defenders uncomfortable with having to defend out so far and opens up driving lanes for his guards.
     Nowitzki's use of the pump fake is also very effective, look at the next 3 plays here. Nowitzki loves to use the pump fake to get his defender in the air, and get off a clean looking shot, he is lethal at this for a couple of reasons, the first is how often he gets people to bite on it, the second, is he uses the pump fake to bump his defender and get his shot off (should they not bite on it), and if the defender still manages to contest, more often than not he hits the shot anyway.
     His ability to hit tough shots is unmatched and Nowitzki is still one of the clutch shotmakers of today's game. One of the things that keeps him still on this list is how reliable he is down the stretch, he shot 89% from the free throw line this year and isn't prone to miss big free throw shots down the stretch, as lets say, Blake Griffin or Kevin Love(Here's Love infamously missing three crucial free throws to win a game this year).
     While Nowitzki has never been known for his defense, he is not a complete liability on the defensive side of the ball, and his rebounding has always left something to be desired (even though he averages 10 RPG for his career in the playoffs). However, his offensive prowess more than makes up for it, and which is why Dirk is still in our top 5 for his position for another year.
Here is Nowitzki's top 10 plays from before the All Star break.

top PF going into 2012-2013, #1 Kevin Love

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Here it is, our number 1 ranked power forward heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season, Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Kevin Love had a breakout year, he averaged a ridiculous 26 PPG and 13.3 RPG while shooting 37% from behind the arc. Love was well beyond ahead of the rest of the power forwards in both scoring and rebound and was 4th overall in point per game in the league. Love began his incredible rise by shedding 20 pounds last summer, this allowed him to come in much better shape and much more mobile than previous years.
Kevin Love is a rebounding machine, and that was obvious since he stepped foot in this league that he would dominate rebounding for the next decade. Dwight Howard may lead the league in rebounding, but in our minds Kevin Love is a more impressive rebounder. Love is not overly athletic, but nobody in the league knows how to position himself better to rebound on both ends of the floor. His offensive rebounds are timely scoring opportunities. Look at this play, Love sets the pick that gives Ridnour the wide open lane, now rather than assume that Ridnour will score the easy floater, he rolls to the rim to continue the pick and roll and crashes the offensive glass for the easy tip in. Kevin Love attacks the offensive glass every time, and that is key. He understands he's not going to get an offensive rebound every time down the floor, but he increases his chances by trying. Here, we see Love slip the pick and roll (something he does often and very well), despite missing the shot, it took him less than 3 seconds to catch and tip that in.
Now, Love is an offensive nightmare, at 6-10 he has "in the gym" range. His jumpshot is his favorite and most deadly weapon. The reigning three point shootout champion, Love has a great form and release on his jumpshot. He can shoot coming off a curl, or set shots, or pick and pops it does not matter. Just look at the first 3 plays of this video if you think he cant shoot. He sets his feet great for every jumpshot he takes, giving himself a balance on every shot. Love also has a rare skill, he does not need to bring the ball down to comfortably shoot his jumpshot, something few players in the league can do (young players are taught to try to bring the ball straight up from the point at which they caught the ball particularly bigs in the post)
Being big though, means that Love has to play in the low post. Love gets a variety of points in the paint. He is not going to wow you with a a polished offensive repertoire, but he has an established go to move down there, and thats what critics look for now a days in their bigs. He has a right handed hook that he uses effectively. Here we see his patience in the post, after finally getting space to operate he backs his way down on a great defensive player in Martin and shoots his running hook over his left shoulder. Love has a soft touch, and knows how to use his body to get where he wants to go even when he's not as athletic as the others.
Kevin Love is the best power forward in the game, his array of skills is unmatched, he is a matchup nightmare and his rebounding prowess is special. Does he have room for improvement? Of course, Love is a career 0.5 BPG player, that definitely could improve, nobody expects Love to be handing out 3 to 4 blocks a game like Dwight Howard, but one block a game should not be so hard for a player of his skills. He's a modest defender, definitely not a liability, but he has room for improvement in his one on one defense as well. Despite this, his rebounding obviously shows he is a plus on the defensive end of the floor. Love was the best power forward this year, and he's only 23!!! We expect to see Love right back here next year, and if the Timberwolves continue to improve in the win column, the best power forward in the game will be in the middle of it all.
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #2 Dirk Nowitzki

We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks at #2. The big german could have easily been our #1, but after much debating within our committee we decided to place him at #2. Nowitzki is coming off a disappointing season for his great standards. He was ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual conference champions Thunder. Dirk's number for the regular season were 21.6 PPG, and 6.7 RPG. However, during the playoffs he was scoring a whooping 26.8 PPG.
Nowitzki, has held the "best power forward in the game" title for a few years now. His offensive power is matched by none. Dirk is one of the greatest shooters the game has ever seen amongst all positions. He is a 7 footer with quite a wide wingspan and a great high release on his shot. He plays with both his back to the basket but more importantly facing up. Now his numbers were down to begin the season because of an injury but once he picked it up, we seen him back to his old tricks. Look at this play, Dirk backs up his defender in the low post (something many think he does not have), and then catches him with the beautiful up an under. Nowitzki knows he can get his jump shot off against anybody, but that doesn't mean that shooting a perimeter shot is always the best option for him. His bread and butter is of course his jumpshot, which is better than half of the league's guards. He can score off the catch and shoot, coming off screens, or off the dribble. When defenders try to play up on him, he goes right by them. In addition, Dirk can shoot the three with consistency, and is a career 88% free throw shooter. Basically, he's unstoppable on the offensive end. His patented one foot fade away jumpshot is unguardable, and even when you play perfect defense, he will score easily.
Now Dirk's unmatched offensive ability masks a lot of his deficiencies. For somebody who is 7 feet tall, he isn't a great rebounder. His career average in that department is 8.3, and last season it was an abysmal 6.7 RPG. Now, generally Dirk steps it up in the playoffs in regards to rebounding, his career rebounding average is 10.3 for the playoffs. Yet, in four games games against Oklahoma City, he averaged a mere 6.3 RPG. He definitely needs to step it back up this season if he wishes to continue to be considered the top 2 or 3 power forwards in the league. In addition, Nowitzki is an average defender, he averaged a very disappointing 0.5 BPG this season, and against Oklahoma city, failed to register a single block.
Nowitzki will continue to dominate the game with his scoring and elite shooting. However, for him to maintain his high standing on this list, he must rebound much better than he did this season and must bring his shooting percentage a little bit up back to its normal 47% percent clip. We don't expect Dirk's offense to drop off too much over the next few years (considering that he doesn't depend one bit on his Athleticism), and thus he will high on this list a year from now.
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #3 Blake Griffin

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We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers at #3. Blake Griffin had another marvelous all star season, which culminated with a humbling loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Let's look at Griffin's regular season numbers, he averaged 20.7 PPG and 10.9 RPG and 3.2 APG. However, his playoff numbers weren't terrific, dropping to 19.1 PPG and only 6.9 RPG. Now against Memphis he was going up against a very good front court in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. However, Griffin underperformed for his high standards.
Griffin is an underrated offensive player, due in large part to his highlight reel dunks. But Griffin doesn't average 21 points a game purely on dunks, if that was so then a lot more players would be averaging 20 plus points. He has a good face up game, and is very good at using his shoulders to create separation with contact after attacking the rim. For somebody who's only played two seasons in the league (excluding his injured rookie season where all we saw was preseason) he has very good footwork in the low post. Look at this play, how many bigs in the league are this poised in the low post? Jab step, one dribble baseline, half spin back middle and then the beautiful up an under. What's scary is he still has room for a lot of improvement in the low post. After all, Griffin is still not developed enough for you to give it to him and expect a near automatic basket.
Now, his bread and butter is of course his ability to finish at the rim. He is a nightmare in the pick and roll and occasionally can pop out and hit the jumper. When he rolls to the basket, its pretty much 2 points, or two free throws, or a basket and a foul. Half the time we get a highlight reel, or a once in a decade dunk posterization. He also runs the floor pretty much like a guard, he is very mobile and besides the fact that he can run well, he knows he's going to get the ball so he runs his lanes and makes the defense commit even if he doesn't get the ball. He is also a very good ball handler for his size and a good passer. Here, we see him run the break effectively and being the passer instead of the receiver for a highlight play.
Now, for all his prowess and highlight dunks, his defense is suspect to say the least. He averages 0.6 BPG in his short NBA career. For somebody who averages 11 rebounds a game easily, it is incredibly disappointing to see that he doesn't average a single block a game. Perhaps he does not put enough effort into that department, but for him to be an ALL NBA player for the next decade and lead his team deeper into the playoffs, he MUST become a better defender. Blake can easily be a very good weak side defender with his athletic ability. He should also be a better one on one defender considering his 6-10 frame. In addition he must become a much better free throw shooter. This is specially a big issue for him right now, because he lacks a good free throw percentage, he is unable to be trusted with the ball in the fourth quarter.
Griffin will be a top 3 PF for the next decade, but for him to take that next step into being considered the best, he needs to become a better defender. In addition, he must continue to develop a low post game, starting with ONE establish low post move and it is critical that his free throw percentage goes up. We have no doubt that he will get better in all these areas, when he does look for Blake to continue his meteoric rise.
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top PF going into 2012-2013, #4 Pau Gasol

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We continue our countdown of the Top power forwards going into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers at #4. Pau Gasol, is in our minds a very underrated player (kind of Like Chris Bosh), his style of play which is more finesse than anything else gives the casual viewer a believe that Gasol is "soft" or not that good. Yet, Gasol is one of the most skilled players in the league, not amongst bigs but amongst EVERY player in the league. Let's look at Gasol's numbers last season, Gasol had a very disappointing postseason by his standards. Over 12 playoff games he averaged just 12.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 2.1 Blocks but still an impressive 3.7 APG. Now, Gasol was playing his first year under Mike Brown who featured Andrew Bynum as the main post presence instead of Gasol. Yet, look at his regular season numbers (which many considered to be an "off" year for him) 17.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.4 BPG and 3.6 APG. How many players in this league can average those numbers and considered to have an "off year"?
Gasol is dominant on both sides of the floor, lets begin with his offense. He has a full arsenal of post moves at his disposal. He can finish with both his left and right hand around the rim, and uses his 7.0 feet to perfection. He's not overly athletic, nor does he need to be, Gasol's baby hook shots around the rim are unguardable, and its more problematic when you consider that his left hand hook is just as good as his right hand hook. Against stronger defenders he faces up and uses quickness to go around them. Gasol also happens to have a GREAT jumpshot, he has range up to the three point line and his form and quickness release are as good as anybody's. He run's the floor extremely well, look at this play, Gasol runs the floor down the middle, this is fundamental basketball that most bigs now a days don't do. After not receiving the ball he stays in the middle and as the play rolls on it ends up with a Gasol "and 1" basket. "Fundamentally Sound" is what Gasol is, if you look at the play again, not only was he fouled but as soon as he catches the ball he goes straight up and DOES NOT bring the ball down. This is something that almost no big remembers or learns at any level of basketball ( have you ever seen Dwight Howard doing that?)
His last quality, and our favorite is his passing ability. Steve Kerr (TNT analyst and former player) says that Pau Gasol is the best passer on the Los Angeles Lakers squad, and we tend to agree. (Kobe bryant averages more assist, but that doesnt make him a better passer, after all he has the ball in his hands all the time) Bynum loves to play with Gasol because he knows that Gasol will give him 4 to 6 points a game just on big to big passes. Look at this great shovel pass to Bynum, 95% of bigs will shoot the ball once they have position that deep, Gasol is a willing passer whether its from the high post, low post or "high to low" passes, he will deliver it on target.
Now on the defensive end Gasol uses his length to be a factor. He does not fall for pump fakes and uses the most simple of defensive rules: "stand straight and keep your hands up",his pick and roll defense is also great, he shows strong on the guards and his lateral quickness allows him to recover to his man.
Gasol had an off season by his standards, it was his first year in a new system that did not premier him as the second scoring option on the team and thus he struggled a bit. He often wondered too much to the perimeter and wasn't aggressive enough. We expect that to change, Gasol will have a full training camp with new coach Mike Brown, and the addition of Nash will benefit him GREATLY. Expect gasol to have another terrific year and stay high on this list. Gasol's finesse style of play gives fans the impression that he's soft and has been the subject of a lot of trade rumors. He wont give you 25 points a night, but he will give you 18 points 12 rebounds 5 assist 3 blocks a steal, and great defense. He's a stat sheet stuffer and there's a reason why Kobe will not allow the Lakers to trade him. Bottom line, Gasol is one of the best in this business, and one of the last rare big men with fundamentals.
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #5 Kevin Garnett

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Here we go, now things get interesting. We continue our countdown of the top power forwards going into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics at #5. Now, it took some time for us to decide where to put the ageless Garnett, but after watching plenty of film and consulting with our committee of 1, we decided that Garnett deserved to be at #5. The first problem with placing Garnett in this group is determining whether he even belongs in the "power forward" department. Celtics coach Doc Rivers began using Garnett at the center position some time during the season right about after the All-Star weekend all the way to the end of their season in game 7 against the Heat. Ultimately though Kevin Garnett is a 4, a power forward. Or in his own words: "Preference-wise, I don’t like it, to be honest with you. I’m a 4. I don’t like, you know -- it's what it is. I’ll be whatever this team needs me to be. Other than a cheerleader with pom-poms and some short-shorts. Other than that, whatever this team needs me
to be, man, I’ll be it". Just like Lebron James played PF through the playoffs Kevin Garnett played Center, and Lebron is still known as a small forward, so we will continue to call Garnett a power forward.
Now lets get into the fun stuff, Garnett averaged 15.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 1.0 BPG on 50% shooting from the field. Don't be fooled by these numbers though, Garnett was only averaging a little bit over 31 minutes a game no doubt conserving his body for the playoffs. And boy did it show, during these 2012 playoffs he averaged 19.2 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG and 1.3 SPG. Garnett was unstoppable on both ends of the floor and became Rondo's favorite target during their Eastern Conference Finals run.
Garnett is one of the best 2 way players the league has ever seen (If it wasn't for his lack of multiple championships do you think there would be any doubt about who the best power forward in the history of the league would be?). Garnett has been primarily a jumpshooter ever since he arrived to Boston, his jumpshot out to 23 feet is flawless. His shot has a high arc release and very quick, he uses his full 6-11 size and a wingspan well over 7 feet to get his shot off. Garnett is a dangerous pick and roll player to defend, mostly he will pop out to shoot the jumper but he will roll and finish when he has to.

His most deadly weapon is his turn around jumpshot, it is virtually unguardable. Take this play Garnett does a few things right that most bigs wouldn't do, first he catches the ball deep in the paint. Secondly, he notices that Horford is coming to double team, so he spins AWAY from the double team into his patented turnaround jumpshot, now mind you despite all this Smith played beautiful defense, but Garnett uses his length to perfection to get off a quality shot. We have always said you cant take size or length for granted and Garnett has both. Garnett is also a big who excels at playing both with his back to the basket and also facing his defender. When facing up, he uses his quickness to his advantage to score around stronger but slower bigs. But our favorite Garnett quality is his craftiness, look at this play  in which Garnett gets a post entry pass from the top of the three point line. Garnett is posted up at about the mid level-to-high post area. Bradley cuts from the right side of the wing as soon as Garnett receives the ball, instead of focusing on the cut or his own man, Garnett focuses on Bradley's defender and sets a screen while having the ball thus giving bradley a point blank layup. You can count with your hands the number of people who can do that successfully in the NBA. It was just a tap, not enough to warrant a call from the referee.

Dont forget about Kevin Garnett's defense now, Garnett is a lock down defender. He uses his aggressive style to get under player's skin and has the lateral quickness (still at 36 years of age) to be able to switch out on pick and rolls and guard perimeter players. He's a great weak side helper with timely blocks and very vocal. Now a days, players underestimate the value of being vocal on the defensive end. Garnett also knows how to get into player's head and his little "dirty" tricks are key in his defensive tenacity. Garnett at age 36 is clearly on the decline, but his monster postseason warrants his #5 positioning entering the 2012-2013 NBA season. Garnett matches his production on the offensive end with his tenacious defense. He has been the ultimate two way player over the last decade and we have no doubt that come the end of next season he'll still be in the top 10.

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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #6 Chris Bosh

We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat at number 6. Now, Chris Bosh is a very tough player to evaluate. Bosh is coming off a bitter sweet season, he was hurt for a crucial and key run of the Heat's playoff run, but managed to return in time and was definitely a factor in the conference finals game 7, and the NBA finals. Whether as much a factor as he would have liked? probably not, but it would be unfair to expect more coming off an injury and straight into the middle of conference finals against the Boston Celtics. Ultimately it culminated with a championship though.
Chris Bosh in our minds is one of the most underrated star players in the league. He sacrificed his numbers for a shot at winning and it has worked out well so far. Lets look at his numbers, for the 2011 2012 regular season:  18.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, on 48% FG. Now, obviously Bosh does not get the touches he used to get back in toronto when you have to superstar players in James and Wade. But outside of about 5 to 6 players, could any BIG(not power forward, but big players in general) produce and complement these two players the way Bosh does?
Bosh provides a tough matchup for defenses for a variety of reasons, he's a true 6-11 long and more athletic than people think. Bosh has a great post up game, and can finish around the rim with both hands. He has range up to the three point line and a GREAT pump fake on the perimeter. This play is more than meets the eye for those who are more than the average fan. Bosh is a great pick and roll player, in that play bosh popped out instead of rolling to the rim, Diaw has to recover faster than what he's accustomed to because of bosh's feathery jumpshot. Then you see Bosh's underrated athletic ability as he finishes with force. His jumpshot makes him a threat from virtually anywhere on the floor, he gets it off quickly and has a high release. Take this play, Bosh essentially pulls a guard move with the jab step and jumpshot (notice the pump fake).
Against bigger stronger defenders bosh uses his speed and craftiness to go around them and against smaller defenders he simply uses his length and size to his advantage. Now, Bosh should be higher on this list, but his injury slowed him down, along with several other parts of his game. Bosh seemed to have left his rebounding back in toronto. This is unacceptable, The Heat since the formation of their big 3 have been known for their lack of interior size. They NEED bosh to rebound, 7.9 RPG is nowhere near what bosh should be rebounding. His last season in toronto he averaged 10.8 RPG, and thats what he should be doing for the Heat. He also needs to be more of a shot blocker, he's a career 1.1 BPG and last season average a insignificant 0.8 BPG (Ironically Dwyane Wade is the team's primary shot blocker at 6-4). If Bosh rebounds at the rate he's capable of rebounding and becomes a bigger force on the defensive end, then watch out. We expect him to be higher on this list next season (barring injury), but how high? thats up to him
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #7 LaMarcus Aldridge

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We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season with LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trailblazers. Aldridge had a breakout season, culminating in an All Star team selection (his first). He averaged 21.7 PPG 8.0 RPG on a very efficient 51% FG. Quite frankly this should have been his second straight all star selection. Aldridge is a very skilled player, he's an underrated athlete and is freakishly long, it also doesnt hurt to have a legit 6-11 height.
Aldridge is not a power player, he is a finesse forward and a matchup nightmare. He is a great low post player, he fights for position well and understands the importance of shooting inside the painted area. He has a polished low post repertoire which begins with his positioning. Rarely do you see Aldridge catch the basketball too far out of the paint, he is usually one or two dribbles away. He has an established baby hook shot, a good up and under and loves to spin baseline where he uses his length to get off a quality shot. In addition, he gets lots of easy basket mainly on using positioning to get point blank baskets.  These type of easy baskets is what makes Aldridge unique in that he can rack up points quickly and quietly.
Aldridge also has a good mid range jumpshot which helps keep defenders honest and not play off of him. This makes Aldridge a very good pick and roll/pop player, he can set the screen and pop out to comfortably hit the jumpshot, he has a good form and a high release. When he rolls do not expect an above the rim play, but he is very crafty around the rim with both hands. Another good asset of his jumpshot is that it is a very high release similar to that of Kevin Garnett's. In that play you notice several good things, he catches the ball inside the paint which is where you want your bigs to take the majority of their shots. Afterwards he takes a turn around jumpshot using his length to get it off comfortably. Here, Perkins plays Aldridge beautifully, he kept him out of the paint and forced him into a tough shot by denying him driving lanes, but Aldridge's length still allows him to take a shot he knows he can make. You cant teach length and size, and Aldridge knows how to use his.
Now, Aldridge is an average defender and thats putting it pretty. This past season he did not average a single block (0.8 BPG). Aldridge has the talent and physical gifts to be an elite defender, with his height and length there is no reason why he should not be averaging at least 1.5 BPG. He's quick enough on his feet to be a very good one on one defender and his length guarantees him the ability to contest most shots. Aldridge also averaged a very not impressive 8.0 rebounds a game this past season. Aldridge is a great offensive player, but his lack of work on the boards and defensive end are holding him back from climbing on this list and being a perennial all star.  His offensive production is not enough to offset his lackluster defense if he wants to climb on this list. If he does, Aldridge has the potential to be a top 5 PF in this league.
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #8 Josh Smith

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We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season with Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks at #8. Josh Smith had a breakout year this last season, and should have been an All-Star in the minds of many. Smith is known for his plays above the rim on both the offensive and defensive end of the floor. For the 2011-2012 campaign he averaged 18.8 PPG 9.6 RBP (both career highs), and was up to his usual tricks on the defensive end. Once the playoffs began, he turned it up to another level against the veteran Boston Celtics averaging 16.8 PPG and an incredible 13.6 RBP.
Smith benefitted from two things this year. The first, is better perimeter defense by his teammates, this allowed Smith to become a TRUE help side defender instead having to constantly help, as his teammates were beat off the dribble again and again. The second, is more trust from coach Larry Drew on the offensive end. Smith's points came off a variety of ways. Post ups, and plenty of fast break opportunities with the occasional highlight reel.  Smith's transition from defense to offensive is great, he runs the floor like a guard and can finish with the best of them. Smith is a crafty post up player, he loves to go to his left, and will shoot a hook shot over his left shoulder. Not only does he run the floor like a deer, but his ability to finish over the rim is amazing.
Take this play, The Hawks were having a terrible offensive possession and because of Smith it culminated with a momentum shifter at a crucial point in the game. There was no offensive strategy in that play, no polished offensive skill from anybody, just a straight athletic play made on one of the league's most feared shot blockers. Smith's Athletic ability and freakish body gives him intangibles that cannot be taught. Now, if we take a second look at that clip, it  shows us one of the problems that have kept Smith from becoming a better player. Smith has an inexplicable love for shooting jumpshots, something he is not very good at.
Smith last season took over 400 shots from 16ft to the 3 point line. He also took 109 3-point shots of which he only made an abysmal 28 for a 27% clip from beyond the arc. Whereas he only took 363 shots at the rim for a very good 68% clip. He only shot 32% on jumpshots and 63% from the free throw line. The bottom line is Smith is hurting his team and himself by shooting jumpshots, so why take them? If he's going to work on jumpshots he might as well spend the time working on his free throw shooting.
Smith is avery gifted player, he's a great one on one defender and a lethal shot blocker. Whether it's on one on one, help side defense or fast break defense, Smith will get it done on the defensive end. His versatility allows him to switch on pick and rolls and guard smaller perimeter players. In addition, it is rewarding to see his rebounding at all time high, he virtually averaged a double double at 9.7 RBP and also had a career high 15.9 % TRB (TRB is the total rebound percentage, it tells us the percentage of rebounds that Smith captured while he was on the floor). Offensively he averaged close to 20 points, and provides high energy baskets for his team. If Smith learns to stay close to the rim and take as few jumpers as possible ( As well as eliminate the three point shot completely) his offensive game will grow. If he manages that, look for Smith to stay a top 10 PF for a long time, and eventually make an All-Star Team.
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Top PF going into 2012-2013, #9 Amar'e Stoudemire

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We continue our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 season with Amar'e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks at #9. Now, Stoudemire is a player that gets and will continue to get mixed feelings from the basketball world. Last season he had his worse season as a pro since his rookie year. He averaged 17.5 PPG, 7.8 RPG, on 48% from the field. Then came the playoff, and Amar'e's incident with the fire extinguisher. His playoff numbers were even worse: 15.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, on 55% shooting. Despite playing well below his standards, it is very difficult to find 10 power forwards with numbers as good as his.
There are several key problems when it comes to Stoudemire. The first is the league wide assumption that he cannot play with Carmelo Anthony. It is a valid argument, D'antoni system or not, before Melo got to New York Stoudemire was wrecking havoc in the league, but ever since Melo arrive he has not been the same. Another issue is his health, whether by his own fault or not, Stoudemire continues to find nagging injuries at the wrong times. He injured his back two playoffs ago against the Celtics in a meaningless warmup dunk, and this season we saw the fire extinguisher issue against the Heat. That being said we are talking about a 21.6 career PPG scorer and perennial All-Star.
Stoudemire is a 6-11 physical specimen, he has no post game and rarely would you see him get his points with a back to the basket move. He has a great jumpshot, and although he does not shoot the 3 with regularity he can knock the shot down. Take these two baskets here, and a couple of things jump at you. The first, is that Stoudemire has a very good form and quick release. Usually, big men who can shoot need time and space, but Amar'e is one of the elite bigs who can get his shot off quickly and with pressure. The second thing that jumps out at you is the readiness and easiness with which he takes the 3 point shot, he looks comfortable taking that shot.
Amar'e is also an elite athlete, he has an uncountable amount of poster dunks and a lethal first step. His upper body strength allows him to go through contact and finish. It is one of the most intriguing facets of Stoudemire's game, he has no post moves what so ever, and outside of his jumpshot he  simply muscles his way through defenders. Amar'e is also any point guard's dream teammate for the pick and roll game. He is a nightmare for defenses on the pick and roll and pop. He can either pop out and shoot the jumpshot or attack the rim with a very high chance of this happening.
Stoudemire could easily be higher on this list, and we expect him to be after next season. His problems on offense have a remedy, and even playing alongside Melo if he can stay healthy for a full season, he will no doubt have a better season than this year. Stoudemire's rise on this list also relies heavily on the Defensive end of the floor. He has never been known as a defensive player but with his height and athletic ability he should be able to play well above average defense. He is not an elite shot blocker and his one on one defense is suspect to say the least. Take this play, Stoudemire is picked on an inbound play and he does not show any interest in even trying to fight through the screen.
Amar'e is an elite player in the NBA, he will no doubt rebound from an abysmal year. With a training camp this season and a summer working with Olajuwon problems of starting the season out of shape will no longer be a factor. Even without becoming a better defender, (after all he has been in the league for 11 years now) he will rise on this list. We expect him to have a bounce back season offensively, but in order for him to really take a dramatic jump, he must become a better defender and combine that with his gifted offensive skills. If he does that, and learns how to play with Carmelo Anthony then get ready to see a lot more of Stoudemire come playoff time.
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Top PF going into the 2012-2013, #10 Serge Ibaka

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We start our countdown of the top power forwards heading into the 2012-2013 season with Serge Ibaka of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Ibaka became the starter once Jeff Green was shipped out and has been a force on the defensive end. He was a key component this last season in the Thunder's run to the NBA championship. Ibaka averaged 9.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and a incredible 3.6 BPG during the regular season. He led the league in the blocks department and the next closest person was the mercurial Javale Mcgee with 2.16 BPG.
Now, Ibaka had a very disappointing NBA finals against the Heat averaging just 7.0 PPG 5.2 RPG and   2.0 BPG on 42% shooting. But we must look at his whole body of work to realistically evaluate him. Ibaka's strong hold is of course on the defensive end, he made the All-NBA defensive first team. Ibaka anchors the OKC Thunder, he is a great weak side defender and covers up a lot of defensive mistake by the Oklahoma perimeter players. Take for example this pick and roll play between Parker and Duncan on the right side of the floor. The whole right side was clear and Parker masterfully split the pick and roll just to find himself rejected by Ibaka on the weakside help. What makes him such a formidable weak side helper is his speed and quickness, it took him less than a second to get to Parker, and his timing is impeccable. Then combine that with his Athletic ability and you have this play.
In addition, Ibaka is also a very good one on one defender, he is aggressive, has great upper body strength and has great lateral quickness. In this play, he is beaten off the dribble by Gasol and recovers beautifully to save his team 2 points. He is great blocking shots while helping, guarding his own man, or even on the fast break. Bottom line he has great instincts. Not to mention the fact that he alters a significant amount of shots at the rim that dont show up on the stat sheet.
Ibaka's defensive tenacity overshadow his capable offensive skills. He has developed a great jump shot out to the 18 feet area, and has great hands. He catches everything and finishes well above the rim, this isn't more obvious than in his 26 point 11/11 FG performance against the Spurs in a crucial game 4 against the Spurs.
Ibaka has a series of highlight blocks, and is an elite defender. He will turn 23 this september and still has room to grow. If he continues his development offensively, then look for Ibaka to rise on this list. He needs to continue to develop his jumpshot and establish a legit low post repertoire, this must begin with a go-to move which he has yet to show. Defensively, we don't see how he can get much better, his rise on the best power forwards of the NBA will depend on his offensive game. If he does watch out.
NBA News
-Sources say that the Magic will keep Howard for now
- Kirk Hinrich will return to his former team the Bulls
-Bulls are also interested Marco Belinelli
-The Heat are interested in Darco Millicic, which would give them 4 out of the top 5 picks of 2003
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