NBA: The Best Of The West—Big Man Edition

With Yao Ming out for the season, and Shaquille O'neal headed East to team up with LeBron and the Cavaliers, the center position in the West is wide open. It's time to break down who will seize that opportunity, and claim that crown as the best center in the Western Conference.

The general guidelines to become an NBA All-Star, are stats, team record, and frankly, popularity. The starting spot has become a mere popularity contest in recent years, thus the selection of Iverson being the starting Guard in last year's mid-year classic. Fortunately enough, the most popular players happen to be some of the games elite, so nothing ever too out of the ordinary occurs.

First question to ask yourself is about any potential changes to a players position. With Shaq out in Phoenix, does Amar'e return to that center position, or do the newly acquired Frye, and the young energetic Robin Lopez man that position? The same situation with Tim Duncan, he's obviously the center for that team, and everything he epitomizes shouts "CENTER," but the Spurs refusal to list him there, makes him an unlikely candidate. For arguments sake, let's assume, both Duncan and Amar'e will be listed as they were last year, at the Forward position.

Going off last year's voting, both Yao and Shaq were head and shoulders above the rest. But third in the voting, was Los Angeles Lakers Andrew Bynum. Before the all-star break, the Lakers center was putting up averages of roughly 14 points per game, with eight boards, and nearly two blocks. In January, his stats began to increase, at nearly 17 per game, before missing the remainder of the season due to a hyper extended knee at the expense of Kobe Bryant.

It would seem the consensus pick at this time if Bynum were able to duplicate those numbers and remain healthy. Averaging a near double double, on good efficiency, with what will likely will be the best team in the Western Conference record, teamed with the Lakers popularity, it becomes Bynum's position to lose.

Before we claim, he is the starting center, let's look at some of his competitors:

Andris Biedrins—Will probably get knocked down considerably due to popularity, and team record. It's undeniable though, that Biedrins is one of the top centers in the west, a double double machine with an ever improving offensive game. As the Warriors have yet to still beef up their frontcourt, Biedrins will be expected to carry the load, and another double double season on terrific efficiency isn't out of the question.

Al Jefferson—His more natural position is the four, but with Kevin Love also being a more traditional power forward himself, one must play the center position, and that's Al Jefferson. One of the most underrated and and unhyped "best" players in the game. His footwork and grace in the post is only second to Duncan in the league, and he's an improving defender that's proven he's a dominant rebounder. He like Biedrins will get knocked down considerably due to team record, Minnesota going through a rebuilding stage, but in terms of individual play, and affect on the court, Al Jeff is probably the best of the pack.

Nene—Coming off his first season in which he was not significantly injured, Nene proved what he's worth. A tough big man inside that can rebound, score with efficiency, and stick the 15 foot jumpshot. Most importantly for Nene will be staying healthy, and the Nuggets remaining among the elite teams in the NBA, specifically meaning keeping off the Jazz, or the Blazers for the Northwest Division Title.

Emeka Okafor—He'll in fact be in a similar position. He's shaken off the durability issues, having played in all 82 games the past two seasons, and has averaged a double double every year he's been in the league. He's one of the elite shot-blockers in the NBA, and severely misused in Charlotte's offensive gameplan. He'll never be a dominant scorer, or even one that will be heavily relied on, but with Chris Paul at PG, noticing in what he did for Chandler's offensive game, it's hard not to think that Okafor could push his offensive averages to 15+ points per game. On what should be a playoffs team, depending on the seed, he's easily a prime candidate to make his first all star team birth.

Greg Oden—The Blazers will be there, and depending on the amount of games the Blazers win, the need for a second all-star could be apparent. While it's more likely to be Aldridge, as Oden is still adjusting to the NBA game, and still yet to solve those foul problems, with a center deprived league, and a talent like Oden, depending on how much a leap forward he makes in what would be officially his second season, he's a darkhorse to make one of the two center spots, but an unlikely one at this point.

Mehmet Okur—Unlike the rest of the candidates mentioned, Okur has made the all-star team in his career, albeit undeservedly, but nonetheless an all-star. His sweet shooting stroke, and importance on the Jazz, a team that should battle for the North West division crown won't get unnoticed. Possibly due to past reputation, and team affect, Okur could have another potential walk-in as the center replacement in the West.

Al Jefferson is the best player among the group, he's even reportedly lost a large amount of weight to suit a new run n gun system the Timberwolves are employing. Bynum, Okafor will likely have the best of both stats and winning.

Now comes the elimination process, in the end, the all-star game is the best collection of talent at individual positions. It's not who has the best team competition, as that's decided in the playoffs. Sure putting up stats on a winning team only helps your cause, but I wouldn't doubt if Al Jefferson had Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams, Brandon Roy, Chris Paul, or Carmelo Anthony, that whatever team that may be wouldn't be a winning team. It's a team sport, and individually Al Jefferson is one of the best post players in the game, he's clearly the best offensive player of the bunch, an improving defender, not real much separation from he, Okur and Biedrins, while having to carry the load for a young Minnesota team.

He likely won't be named a starter, due to the popularity of Bynum and the Lakers, while Minnesota is likely not to be a playoff team, but he'd get my nod. Off the bench, I feel Okafor would have the best season of the bunch, he'd have the same role as he did in Charlotte, except he's getting fed the ball by Chris Paul opposed to Raymond Felton, and likely more a role than Bynum in the offense. I don't feel Biedrins or Okur are markedly better than the other two that it'd dismiss likely better team records. The same can be said for Nene to an extent as it's unlikely the Nuggets would have three all-stars, unless they took the West by storm.

Okafor, Bynum, and Jefferson will compete for the two center spots in the Western Conference. I feel Bynum due to the popularity of the Lakers will earn the starting nod, as if he remains healthy (big key in this whole decision process), then the numbers between he and Okafor won't be substantial. Then off the bench, with Jefferson being the best player of the three, he'd get the final center spot in the Western Conference.

So in short, Bynum, and Jefferson would have that claim as the best in the west.

Yao may be out, and Shaq has moved on East, but the West center position is still something to watch out for in this upcoming season, and who seizes that opportunity to maybe grasp their first all-star appearance.