Is Kevin Love Right? Ranking the Top 10 Power Forwards in the NBA

Kevin Love said that he feels he's currently the best power forward in the NBA.

It's phenomenal for a young star to approach his craft with such exuberance and confidence, but there is a lot of talent at the four spot throughout the league.

Love has made wonderful improvements in his game since he was drafted, but his bold statement has a lot of people wondering about if he's correct in his assessment.

For this compilation, the focus is on players at the present time, so some familiar veteran names have fallen outside the top 10 slots.

10. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

Garnett isn't the same dominant force that he once was in Minnesota, but he doesn't have to be at this stage of his career for the Celtics.

He called himself the "X-Factor" for Boston because he does whatever his team needs, and there is a lot to be said for what his presence on the floor allows the Celtics to do over the course of a game.

Still a productive player at age 35, Garnett is not someone to bet against.

9. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

Smith is an incredibly versatile and athletic forward who still doesn't get as much credit as he should for what he brings to the table.

There is no question that his ill-advised jump shots can be frustrating to watch, but he can be a game-changer at both ends of the court.

His length gives him a competitive advantage over others at the position, and he's got unbelievable potential to grow even more.

8. Zach Randolph, Memphis

Randolph has blossomed in Memphis, and it's a shame that a slightly torn MCL will keep him on the sidelines indefinitely.

Once an overweight, undersized power forward who was traded straight up for Quentin Richardson, Randolph has become a perennial double-double threat every time he takes the floor for the Grizzlies.

It's pretty incredible how fast his transition was considering the Grizzlies locked him last season with a four-year contract extension worth about $70 million, and he should continue to thrive in Memphis for the foreseeable future.

7. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

Some will undoubtedly freak out that Griffin is rated at only No. 7, but there is more to want from an elite power forward than being a human highlight reel.

The slam dunks and high-flying routines are amazing to watch and his athleticism makes the game incredibly fun to watch, but he has shortcomings on the defensive end as well as at the free-throw line.

He has the potential and ability to rapidly ascend up this list and prove that he belongs near the top, but he's going to have to round out his approach at both ends of the floor in order to do so.

6. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Bosh caught an incredible amount of criticism during his first year as a member of the Heat, but his play this season has quickly turned his naysayers rather quiet.

Looking like the player we saw regularly in Toronto, Bosh has been extremely aggressive in his approach and has not been afraid to assert himself at either end of the court.

He can really be the difference between Miami living up or failing to meet expectations, and after a turbulent first season in South Beach, Bosh is looking to prove that he's anything but a third option.

5. Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks

There are varying opinions on how Stoudemire can be the most productive player possible, but it would be foolish to deny hit unbelievable basketball skills.

He's fallen a little too in love with the outside game (specifically his new-found three-point shot), and he's got to learn to balance his approach on the offensive end.

Although his field-goal percentage is dreadfully low currently, Stoudemire has shot at least 50 percent from the floor since the 2006-07 season, and with better shot selection, he can easily correct the issue.

4. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers

Gasol is often labeled soft, overrated and overpaid, but are those criticisms really justified?

He's a better defender than he gets credit for, has incredible fundamentals near the basket and is one of the best passing big men in the entire league.

He's transitioning to a new role as a third option in the offense behind Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, and it's hard to find a player who draws more criticism than Gasol while still putting up very impressive numbers.

Entering Tuesday, Gasol was averaging 16.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 57.6 percent shooting.

3. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

On the offensive end, there have been improvements in Love's game every season since he came into the league.

On the defensive end, Love has a lot of work to do.

Taking absolutely nothing away from Love's accomplishments thus far, he has yet to show the type of progress on defense that he has so very clearly illustrated on offense.

Averaging a very impressive 5.2 offensive rebounds per game entering Tuesday, Love is settling for jumpers far too often and is making just 44.2 percent of his shots from the field.

He can't continue to put up more than five three-point attempts per game.

2. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Nowitzki is unlike any other power forward who has ever played, and there is no way to defend him when he's got his patented fadeaway shot working to perfection.

While he doesn't pad the stat sheet with gaudy numbers like some of his counterparts on the list, it's really difficult to formulate an argument against him being seeded where he is on this list.

His numbers are a little down from where they have been for his career, but Nowitzki is one pillar of consistency who has averaged at least 21 points per game every year since the 2000-01 season.

There isn't a player on this list I'd rather have with the ball in his hands and the game on the line.

1. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers

It is beyond laughable that Aldridge was left off of the All-Star team last season, and he should be a member of the Western Conference roster for the foreseeable future.

He has really taken off in his development since last season began, and he is using the low post to establish a very serious advantage over the opposition.

Asserting himself as the unquestioned leader of an extremely talented Trail Blazers team, Aldridge is exceeding expectations in every facet of his game.