NBA Power Rankings: 10 Best Frontcourts, Where Do LBJ and The 'Heatles' Stand?
So many teams in this great league have formidable duos in the frontcourt, and one that has recently seen its stock rise is the Miami Heat.
LeBron James has recently become the starting power forward in South Beach, and because of it the Heat have risen dramatically on this list.
But will it be another Florida team on top of the forward mountain?
Read the list and find out.
Hope you enjoy and thank you for reading!
10. Memphis Grizzlies
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Zach Randolph is quietly having a spectacular season averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds per game for the Grizzlies. These All-Star numbers will likely go unnoticed due to the amount of forwards in the West who are having great seasons.
Marc Gasol, on the other hand, has 11.2 points and 7.6 rebounds but is also blocking shots like nobody's business in Memphis. Pau's younger brother is currently averaging 1.7 swats per contest.
At 23-24, the Grizz are two games behind the eighth-place Portland Trail Blazers.
9. Minnesota Timberwolves
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As I have said before, Kevin Love is having a phenomenal season in Minnesota. He is currently averaging 21.6 points per game to go with his astounding (and league-leading) 15.7 rebounds per game.
If Love is organizing the festival in Minnesota, then Darko Milicic's assignment is to run the block party. Averaging nearly double figures at 9.5, the rejuvenated Milicic is averaging 2.3 blocks per game, good for second in the league.
If only Minnesota had a better record than their pitiful 10-35 one, it would be a whole different ranking.
8. Atlanta Hawks
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I know Josh Smith technically isn't a power forward, but since the Atlanta Hawks use him as one a lot of the time, I must grade him as such.
I truly believe that Smith is one of the best all-around players in the league, putting up respectable numbers in points (16.1), rebounds (8.9), blocks (1.8) and assists (3.4), as well as shooting a solid 47 percent from the floor.
Throw in Al Horford, who is averaging 16.3 points and 9.8 boards per game while shooting over 57 percent, and you have yourself a very formidable duo.
7. Boston Celtics
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Kendrick Perkins' season has just begun, and even without him the Celtics have had a successful frontcourt.
Kevin Garnett is great as always, but his numbers have quietly diminished in the Boston Garden throughout his tenure with the Celtics. Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, has been better than expected, with 10 and five for the Irish.
Perkins' return is bound to make them rise in this list.
6. New Orleans Hornets
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David West and Emeka Okafor are going unnoticed by the league this year, but the fact of the matter is they have created a solid frontcourt duo.
West is averaging over 19 points and seven boards to go with a block per game. Okafor is averaging a double-double with 11 and 10 points and rebounds respectively.
Okafor should be an All-Star but that's a story for another article.
Chris Paul deserves much of the credit for this ranking with his stylish passes and his playmaking nature.
5. New York Knicks
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Amar'e Stoudemire, one of the lead runners for the MVP race, is third in the NBA with 26 points per game, and his nine-plus rebounds per game should also be noted.
Danilo Galinari is shooting 37 percent from being the arc to go with hist 15 points per, solid numbers for a power forward.
Wilson Chandler should also get some mention, and the 6'8" big man is averaging 16 points and eight boards.
The Knicks will look to go far this season, and it may be on the shoulders of the bigs that they are able to accomplish this feat.
4. Dallas Mavericks
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Dirk Nowitzki, long a staple in the Mavericks' offense, might have finally gotten himself a center to play with. Nowitzki is besting 23 points per and nearly has seven rebounds per contest.
Tyson Chandler puts more than nine points and rebounds apiece, all the while shooting better than 67 percent, a very solid number no matter the position.
Now if only that bench decided to put their all in it, the Mavs would be a little higher.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
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All Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum know is how to win.
All three are putting up great numbers, and all three are close to double-doubles in points and boards, with Gasol actually averaging one with 18.4 and 10.6. These averages are great when you consider he spends more than 10 minutes per game on the bench.
As the Lakers look to three-peat, I expect them to go all out in the post and fight for boards and blocks, and you can bet they know what they are doing.
2. Miami Heat
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LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilguauskas, teammates in Cleveland for The King's first seven years, both took their talents to South Beach this offseason, but the latter's was fairly unnoticed.
Everyone knows LeBron is averaging a stellar (in all three) 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game, and his buddy Chris Bosh has 18 and eight to go with it.
However, people tend to forget that Ilgauskas is still averaging five boards and a block and is a great compliment to Chris Bosh and LeBron. LBJ has recently taken the reigns as the starting power forward, and this is a move that should be laudable to Erik Spoelstra.
1. Orlando Magic
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Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu and Brandon Bass of Orlando make up the best frontcourt in the NBA because they all compliment each other.
Surprised?
Howard, the best center since Shaquille O'Neal, does the most with his 36 minutes per game. He shoots better than 57 percent and puts 22 on the scoreboard per night to go with 13.4 rebounds, good for second in the league. He is also part of the SWAT team, averaging 2.2 kills per game.
Turkoglu, recently reacquired by the Magic, is a shooter, while Bass can score (11.1 per) and rebound (5.6 per) when necessary.
I expect the Magic to make a deep run, and it is based on how well these three have performed thus far. Howard carries the unit on his back, and their run in the postseason will be deep.
