The Frontcourt Show: Kevin Love and the Best 5 Power Forwards in the NBA

[Legacy]

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/002/549/671/hi-res-141206132_crop_650x440.jpg?1346224114

 

While the center position is having a downfall, power forwards are looking strong on the other side of the front court. Young rebounding stars and athletic freaks can be found on this list, along with players that are still performing well despite age.

 

These five players will be the best power forwards in the NBA for the 2012-2013 season.

5. Dirk Nowitzki

With age catching up to the former Finals MVP, Nowitzki is no longer a top three power forward in the NBA. He is, however, still the fifth best and will be coming into the new season.

 

The Mavericks have lost a few key pieces in Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and some others, but this only means bigger numbers for Dirk.

 

Lower percentages might come in this point of Nowitzki's career, along with less rebounding totals as well, but he will still be the star of the Mavericks until he retires.

 

With the aging Vince Carter on his side, Nowitzki should be capable of yet another stellar season.

 

4. Pau Gasol

When Pau Gasol plays his natural position of power forward, he is one of the better ones in the league. When he is a second option, he plays better as well. But how will he cope with now playing alongside the best center in the league?

 

Much of Gasol's former pressure will now finally be off of him. He can relax a bit more in his natural position and build some better chemistry with Howard than he had with Bynum.

 

Howard will be near the basket the majority of the time, which will help Gasol get space for his mid-range game. He has also never played with a better passer than Steve Nash. That should help his confidence ooze for him to have a very solid season.

 

3. LaMarcus Alridge

One of the more underrated and unrecognized players in the league is LaMarcus Aldridge. Since Brandon Roy has been gone from the under the radar Portland Trail Blazers, Aldridge has been in a whole new zone.

 

Improving on his post game and just crashing the boards to have the Blazers at a very steady pace, despite the lack of much help.

 

Aldridge was a first-time All-Star last season and at a ripe age of 27, he still has the skill-set and potential to better himself as a player. Especially since he is the main guy in Portland.

 

2. Blake Griffin

The battle of the best power forward in the league is between Blake Griffin and Kevin Love. Fans and analysts differ on their opinions on who is better, but they all know for a fact that Griffin is talented.

 

Despite the unfortunate injury he had to go through to miss his first year in the league, Griffin still looks as if he never went through it. Improving his game and playing alongside one of the best point guards in the league in Chris Paul, Griffin is still young and raw.

 

His athleticism helps him tremendously and after another season, including one in the postseason, expect for Griffin to be a more polished player—possibly making himself the best power forward in the league soon.

 

1. Kevin Love

He might be the best fantasy basketball player there is right now, but Kevin Love is also the best power forward in the league.

 

There are claims that Love can not lead a team by himself as well as others, but there is no denying that Love has talent and the skill to be the best power forward in the NBA.

 

Playing for team that does not have many options benefits Love, giving him an opportunity to make others around him better.

 

Love is one of the better rebounders the league has seen in a while and can score in different ways. Having Ricky Rubio better and playmaking for the double-double machine, Love will have another phenomenal season.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1315164-the-frontcourt-show-kevin-love-and-the-best-5-power-forwards-in-the-nba

[Flash]

Chris Bosh should be on this list.

[DunkinDerozan]

I'd personally put Aldridge over Blake but I can see why you did it.

[Dr. Feelgood]

I'd personally put Aldridge over Blake but I can see why you did it.

Yeah, definitely. He's got more skills and posts moves than Griffin, hands down.

[Cleveland's Finest]

Blake Griffin is extremely overrated here. At best he should be 5 on this list. Garnett and Duncan are still pretty darn good. They could be 4 or 5 here too.

Edited August 30, 2012 by Cleveland's Finest

[Check my Stats]

Blake Griffin is extremely overrated here. At best he should be 5 on this list. Garnett and Duncan are still pretty darn good. They could be 4 or 5 here too.

 

Duncan has been listed as a 5 for over half a decade now it seems. Garnett is not a top 5 power forward anymore. Dirk and Pau are the cream of the crop as far as I am concerned. People act like it was 05 when Dirk was the best player (by far) on a championship team... it was like 450 days ago.... Pau was the 2nd best player on a championship team 2 years in a row and is still that same player... probably the most skilled PF in the game, the issue is between his ears.

 

I think I'd go:

1. Dirk

2. Pau

3. Love

4. Griffin

5. Bosh/Aldridge

 

Griffin is still raw, but even being raw he is more productive and more skilled than Aldridge. I agree Griffin is overrated at times (not a superstar, yet), but he is still a very good player. He can score in a variety of ways, is a terrific ballhandler with massive potential as a playmaker, he is a force on the glass, and has defensive potential (admittedly long ways to go). A good coach would go a long way in a lot of the regards that Griffin needs to improve I feel.

 

If anyone is overrated, its Aldridge. Chris Bosh > Aldridge. People act like Aldridge isn't a worse version of pre-Miami Bosh. His production right now as the best player on his team is barely better than Bosh's right now as the 3rd option... Bosh could easily drop 23 and 10 again if Wade missed the entire season this year.

[AboveLegit]

Basing it off last year.

 

1. Love

2. Dirk

3. Griffin

4. Aldridge

5. Garnett

 

Kevin Love is the clear cut best PF in the game, and I say this with 100% confidence. Easily the best scorer and rebounder of the bunch, is a willing passer, and if this summer was any indication of what's to come, he will improve as a defender... not that he's the awful defender people make him about to be. He has his athletic limitations, but he still moves his feet very well for a big man, he has improved as a pick and roll defender, and understands when to contest shots and when to stay back for rebounds.

 

Love isn't a great defender by any means, but I wouldn't place Blake Griffin or Dirk over him by any means (although Dirk has also improved in that facet of the game).

 

Dirk and Love (and maybe Bosh) to me are the only PF's that you can run your offense through without running into many problems. Dallas was such a flawed team last year in terms of shot creators, getting out on the break, and grabbing rebounds, yet Dirk still managed to stay effective, particularly in the fourth quarter. I was also impressed by Dirk's defense last year without Chandler protecting the rim.

 

I also think people are trying too hard to hate on Blake, and with that, he's viewed as a talent-less dunking machine. Sure he doesn't have a polished post game, but he still finds a way to score with his back to the basket. He was basically double teamed every game last year, you don't receive that kind of defensive attention while not having any talent. He's also a willing passer, which is important for a big man. His defense is my biggest concern with him, but his production still puts him in the top 3.

 

I love everything about Aldridge's game sans defensive rebounding. That's really my only knock on him.. Other than that, he's an improved shooter out of the paint, has become a better passer out of the double team, and is a very good defender due to his length and basketball IQ.

 

I have to keep Garnett on this list because of his defense and overall impact on the floor. I can't remember the last time the Celtics posted a better +/- with KG off the floor, it's just not fathomable. He's still in my eyes the second best defender in the league after Dwight Howard. Not to mention his resurgence on the offensive end of the floor late in the season, I have to put him over the likes of Gasol and Bosh.

[Real Deal]

Garnett was a full-time center last year for Boston, and likely will be again this upcoming season, so I can't add him to the list.

 

This is a tough one, though. I had to look back on my post about Love not being a franchise player, and now I'm realizing he's arguably the best PF in the game. That's hard to swallow...doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, but with that said, I can't say that any of these younger guys are franchise players (even Blake).

 

1) Kevin Love

2) Pau Gasol

3-5) Blake Griffin, Dirk Nowitzki, LaMarcus Aldridge

 

I'm undecided on the last three, because honestly, I'm not sure how these guys are going to play with the additional teammates they've landed. I have a general idea of how Gasol will perform in the Princeton, but I'm clueless about Nowitzki's numbers. Griffin isn't skilled enough to be a top two PF right now...just a wreck on the defensive end, and his rebounding was inconsistent last season.

 

Amare's numbers dipped quite a bit from the 2010-11 season, so I can't ignore that.

 

Can't add Chris Bosh to the list. He played a bit more center than he did PF last season, especially when it mattered most.

[DunkinDerozan]

This is a tough one, though. I had to look back on my post about Love not being a franchise player, and now I'm realizing he's arguably the best PF in the game.

 

That was part of the reason I was arguing that he was a franchise player. It's hard to say someone who is the very best in the NBA at a position isn't a franchise player.

[NomarFachix]

1. Amar'e

 

http://i.imgur.com/zmbrt.gif

[Real Deal]

That was part of the reason I was arguing that he was a franchise player. It's hard to say someone who is the very best in the NBA at a position isn't a franchise player.

Well, if Dirk, Garnett, and Duncan were all younger...suddenly, Love wouldn't be top three anymore (and they all played together in their primes, so let's just pick a year...2003). It goes back to my argument in that topic: can you say that those three I named would have been better playing the "Robin" role in their prime, or were their respective teams smart for building around them?

 

Kevin Love could be a better Robin, and if there's any doubt that he can't have a team built around him, I just can't call him a legitimate, set-in-stone franchise player.

 

As it stands, Stoudemire is playing second-fiddle to Carmelo back in New York, and Bosh is the third wheel in Miami. Gasol is in his thirties. You can't take a step back and call any of them franchise players right now. You can still make an argument for Dirk, but he's coming off of a poor season (when compared to his others), and he's entering the upcoming season with a different squad.