RealGM top 10 Centers

[The X]

IMHO I don't think Bogut deserves to be on that list just yet. Even though I'm a big fan, Kaman is way ahead of him. Yet in saying that I believe by the end of this season he will deserve a position in the top 10 centre's list.

I agree with you there. I really think Kaman or Kristic deserve to be here instead of the Aussie. Even though Bogut had a good year. Kaman had a stand out.

after watching Kaman play live, he looked crap....sure he grabbed boards, but he didn't look as aware on the court offensively as Bogut....I have no doubt in my mind that Bogut will be better than Kaman, beginning with this coming season....Kaman's solid though & is better defensively than Bogut at this stage, I just think I caught Kaman on a bad night where he had terrible hands all night long....I think No. 10 spot is fair for Bogut....

[Shi]

10-Curry
9-Ilgauskas
8-Okur
7-Miller
6-Mourning
5-Yao
4-J. O'neal
3-Wallace
2-Camby
1-S. Onea'l

[Dan's Brain]

Jamaal Magloire could have got some sort of a mention. He was an all-star.

[Jeffx]

Honorable Mention: Chris Kaman, Eddy Curry, Jamaal Magloire

EDDY CURRY?????????????

Are those idiots at RealGM f-n kidding me? A fat, lazy underachiever with no desire and a bad heart gets an honorable mention? OMFG....

Maybe those morons should attend a Knicks practice. In today's NY Daily News, Frank Isola reports that Curry's struggling to get up and down the damn court. He was huffing and puffing from end line to end line. Isiah gave up draft picks for this waste.

Honorable mention my black a$$.

[air gordon]

Why do realgm articles get so much exposure here?

that does raise an interesting topic. what are the characteristics that a player needs to have that would make him is a "winner"??

First and foremost killer instinct. Having the heart to do whatever it takes to also win. The ability to raise their game when its needed at the most critical times in their careers.

IMO realgm is getting a lot of love here because quite frankly there hasn't been much to write about. now that traning camp has begun... there's something to talk about again

but yeh- i think i can agree with that. but can we consider Karl Malone a "winnner". he did raise his game in most of the Utah wins vs the Bulls in the finals, but in the most critical moments in the games the Jazz lost- Malone faltered

I don't see him becoming real buddies with his team mates and that's something that's quite important to be the anchor point of a team.

Wrong! Leaders don't have to be butt buddies with their teammates! they must lead by example/be vocal and have/demand the respect of their teammates.

to name a few from the best winners/eaders in NBA histroy- Larry, Jordan, Zeke were the biggest hardasses on their team.. maybe in NBA history they would intimidate, strike fear into, and even talk shit about their teammates openly to the media. some teammates didn't like these players personally but when they got on the court, they respected the player

For all I know Yao could average 25+ points and grab 12+ rebounds, but the "leader" of the team will remain Tracy McGrady, he's got that passion in him.

the same T-MAC who was perceived by many as someone who gave up on his Orlando magic circa 2003?

There have been instances where the best player wasn't necessarily the "leader".
the General, Avery Johnson, was the leader of that Spurs Championship team. i wouldn't say the Admiral and TD were less passionate
Sam Cassell of the Rockets Championship team... i don't think anyone doubted Hakeem's, Horry's, or Drexler's passion
and recently- who knows who the leader of the Pistons was. and it's debateable exactly who was the best player from that team was anyway

on topic- i guess i can agree with the list other then Kaman not being in the top 10. i'd replace 'Zo and put in the axe murderer instead

[CMJ3]

Glad to see my boy Camby getting a mention, his only problem is his health much like the other denver front court members. When healthy Marcus Camby is really a Ben Wallace with an added offensive game. Also good to see Bogut up there, he had some bright spots in his rookie season, but like Yao he will take another year to learn this whole new game etc.

[kinokong]

but yeh- i think i can agree with that. but can we consider Karl Malone a "winnner". he did raise his game in most of the Utah wins vs the Bulls in the finals, but in the most critical moments in the games the Jazz lost- Malone faltered

that's quite contradictory saying he raised his level of play but faltered in the critical moments

the same T-MAC who was perceived by many as someone who gave up on his Orlando magic circa 2003?

There have been instances where the best player wasn't necessarily the "leader".
the General, Avery Johnson, was the leader of that Spurs Championship team. i wouldn't say the Admiral and TD were less passionate
Sam Cassell of the Rockets Championship team... i don't think anyone doubted Hakeem's, Horry's, or Drexler's passion
and recently- who knows who the leader of the Pistons was. and it's debateable exactly who was the best player from that team was anyway

tmac averaged 32ppg in 2003 but his team won absolutely nothing due to the fact that he didn't have a supporting cast and grant hill was disrupting team chemistry by announcing to the media that he was gonna comeback and stuff... sure he gave up on his team but the tmac i remember is the won the terrorized dirk nowitzki in the playoffs and almost knocked out the detroit pistons with a seriously undermanned sqaud...tmac has the talent and passion to singlehandedly turn around a game

[Jugs]

T-Mac is over-rated, keep him out of this thread.

[Laxation]

Why? Because you dont like him?

[Matthew]

but yeh- i think i can agree with that. but can we consider Karl Malone a "winnner". he did raise his game in most of the Utah wins vs the Bulls in the finals, but in the most critical moments in the games the Jazz lost- Malone faltered

I dont think we can. Its unfortunate. I dont rank him down becuase he couldnt get it done against chicago, but when you're being guarded by rodman with pippen comming on help everytime you put the ball on the floor, geeze, theres only so much much anyone can do.

but once again (and maybe this is unfair), jordan was able to deliver against rodman. so was magic.

Its just sad how close he was to a potential 3 peat.

[Metsis]

Yao Ming is the best center in the league... Mark my words... He finally had his foot fixed last season and that is why he missed all those games. He has been hurt since before he was even drafted. Only last winter did they get rid of the problem and the man can move now, finally I would add... I'm pretty sure that he has the fire, but I think he has been frustrated by his foot so that it hasn't come up yet.

As for a leader... It's quite impossible to become a leader if you don't speak the same language as the rest of the guys. And overall Chinese mentality is of the humble variety rather than chest bumping in your face black american style...

He did that 25+/12+ games after he had recovered from the foot injury and that was the first time we saw the real Yao Ming on the court... He will be a huge task for anyone to defend, yes even the likes of Ben Wallace etc. and I think now that his foot isn't constantly hurting him and hindering his movement, he will be a better defensive player and more able to play help defense.

If you're hurting... It's not like you got your game face on then and when hurting it's not like you can play 100% and thus it makes you hesitate a bit and if you hesitate, you are not playing well... Yao should be healthy now and he should dominate any and all defenses thrown against him... His height and mobility will take care of that. Now Houston only needs to get the ball in the middle and its all over.

I'm guessing 27ppg, 13rpg, 2.5bpg for Yao this season...

[---]

T-Mac is over-rated, keep him out of this thread.

And I guess your beloved Vince isn't?

[nets4life]

they should both be kept out, its a thread about centres

[Fitzy]

wheres krstic? i read another top 10 centres article that had him at like 6 or 7

[Jugs]

T-Mac is over-rated, keep him out of this thread.

And I guess your beloved Vince isn't?

I don't like Vince.

This is a centers thread and we're discussing how T-Mac is going to lead his team to the NBA Finals.

[Matthew]

I'm guessing 27ppg, 13rpg, 2.5bpg for Yao this season...

Thats a wish, not a guess.

[kinokong]

wow, average that while leading the rockets to 48-54 wins and ill say he's the best center in the league.... but not going to happen.... at least not in this league where slow-footed centers are increasingly being taken out of favor.... let's face it, if yao ming was a 7ft center, we'd be mentioning him in the same sentence as nestorovic and loren woods

[Matt]

not quite since he's more skilled than both and smarter. Problem is he's not assertive.

[maes]

I agree w/ Matt here, i also remember that Van Gundy mentioned he thought Yao would be much better off as a 6' 11 or 7' player because of his style of play.

If Yao shrinks to 7', he also loses a porportionate amount of weight. He would be in the 280 lb range instead of 300+. He'd probably still be slow (well relatively to the crazy athletes in the NBA), but his body would be a lot more like Duncan's. Right now he's mostly compared to Shaq...but he doesn't seem to want to use his body as a weapon like Shaq does.

Regardless, next time i see Rasho or Loren Woods take an outlet pass, dribble upcourt, break pressure with a behind the back crossover and finish with a dunk...i'll admit Yao is ordinary.