Greatest power forwards of all time

Power forwards have rarely proven to be franchise centerpieces but they can certainly be vital pieces to successful teams. The better PFs in today's game vary wildly in playing style, from Tim Duncan's post presence to Chris Bosh's inside-outside game to Zach Randolph's relentless pursuit of offensive and defensive rebounds. (One could certainly argue that Bosh is a center and LeBron plays the 4 but we'll skip the semantics for now.)

That variability in playing style is also present in the best power forwards in NBA history, as you'll see in this ranking of the top-10 PFs of all time. Of course, there are also a couple examples of franchise players among these greats.

10. Dennis Rodman

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
7.3	13.1	1.8	0.7	0.6	.521	.584	5	0	0

This was one of the tamest pictures of Dennis Rodman that I could find. Really though, Googling "Dennis Rodman" gets you some of the more interesting pictures out there of athletes. Moving on...

Rodman may have scored a mere 7.3 points per game but when you have Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen on your team, there isn't much of a need for another scorer. What Rodman did do was haul down rebounds as well as anybody in the league. He shot efficiently throughout his career and ended up with five titles as an outstanding defensive player. Earning two Defensive Player of the Year awards and a reputation for "proving he could shut down any opposing player, from point guard to center," Rodman fit in perfectly with the offensive firepower in Chicago during the Jordan era.

9. Dave DeBusschere

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
16.1	11.0	2.9	N/A	N/A	.432	.699	2	0	0

An eight-time NBA All Star and two-time champion, Dave DeBusschere (say that as fast as you can) spent half of his career with the Pistons and half with the Knicks. A part of the stacked Knicks of 1970 and 1973, DeBusschere was also a player-coach for the Pistons from 1964-1967, and as such was the youngest coach in NBA history (24 years old). In 1983, he was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame.

8. Kevin McHale

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
17.9	7.3	1.7	0.4	1.7	.554	.798	3	0	0

A two-time Sixth Man of the Year and three-time NBA champion, Kevin McHale was a member of the 1986 NBA champion Boston Celtics. Along with Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge, and Bill Walton, the '86 C's are regarded as one of the best teams in NBA history. Like Bird, McHale could shoot lights-out, going into what he termed himself "the torture chamber." From February to March of 1987, he had a nine-game streak where he averaged 30.7 points and 10 rebounds on 71.7 percent from the field. That season he finished with 26.1 PPG and became the first player to ever shoot 60 percent from the field and 80 percent from the line.

7. Elvin Hayes

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
21.0	12.5	1.8	1.0	2.0	.452	.670	1	0	0

The No. 1 overall pick in the 1968 NBA Draft, Elvin Hayes' on-court greatness started no later than his rookie year. En route to the NBA All-Rookie Team, Hayes pulled down 17.1 rebounds in addition to his league-leading 28.2 points per game. He defined durability, playing in at least 80 games for every season of his 16-year career. Interestingly enough, he is not in the Hall of Fame. He has elected to boycott the opportunity until one of his coaches, Guy Lewis, is inducted.

6. Dirk Nowitzki

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
22.6	8.2	2.6	0.9	0.9	.475	.877	1	1	1

Although he just misses the top-five, Dirk Nowitzki is one of only two players on this list with at least one MVP and Finals MVP (the other sits at No. 1). Part of the reason he's "only" at six has to do with the same reason he's often called "_irk," but the German sharpshooter will definitely go down as one of the better scorers in NBA history, especially for a 7-footer. In the 2011 playoffs, he nailed 175 of 186 free throws including 24 straight in Game 1 of the Western conference finals.

5. Kevin Garnett

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
19.1	10.5	3.9	1.3	1.5	.498	.790	1	1	0

Still going strong at age 37, Kevin Garnett has been in the NBA for almost two decades. KG spent the majority of his career as a member of the lowly Timberwolves which did made it difficult for him to have any playoff success. But, once he departed for greener pastures, KG quickly made it known that it wasn't his inability to get it done in the post-season that was the deciding factor in those 10+ years in Minnesota. The year he joined the Celtics as a member of the first "Big Three," KG along with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen led the C's to their first title since 1986. A 15-time All-Star, he also took home the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year award.

4. Bob Pettit

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
26.4	16.2	3.0	N/A	N/A	.436	.761	1	2	N/A

Perhaps often overrated or underrated because he played in the 50s and 60s, Pettit had a solid career as a member of the then-Milwaukee Hawks franchise. The first player to win a regular season MVP award in NBA history, Pettit also lays claim to being one of two players in history to win four All Star game MVP awards (Kobe Bryant is the other). Would he be great in today's game? Who knows, but for his era, Bob Pettit dominated his position.

3. Charles Barkley

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
22.1	11.7	3.9	1.5	0.8	.541	.735	0	1	0

The Round Mound of Rebound was, of course, a power forward. But what is often forgotten in a career that  averaged better than 20 and 10 was the fact that this guy was 6'6". He was no Shaq, Malone, KG...Barkley made Ben Wallace at 6'9" look tall.

Like the player one spot ahead of ahead of him on this list, Barkley never won an NBA championship. He did, however, put on great shows in his Finals appearances, including Game 4 of the 1993 Finals where he racked up a triple-double (32-12-10). He just happened to be playing Michael Jordan that year who, not to be out done in Game 4 by Sir Charles, dropped 55 on Barkley and the Suns.

2. Karl Malone

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
25.0	10.1	3.6	1.4	0.8	.516	.742	0	2	0

Although the Mailman often is left out of the discussion for overall greatest NBA players of all time, there is no doubt he lands firmly in the No. 2 slot for his position. Maybe it’s because most of the other greats below him on this ranking don’t have many titles, but Malone and Stockton did make up one of the most famous duos in basketball history—before there became this desire for “Big Threes.” At or near the top of many all-time statistical lists, Malone appeared in 14 consecutive All Star games and won two regular season MVP awards.

1. Tim Duncan

Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	FG%	FT%	Titles	MVPs	FMVPs
20.2	11.2	3.1	0.7	2.2	.507	.693	4	2	3

Tim Duncan has been the epitome of consistency at an elite level. As Bill Simmons pointed out in a recent article, his per 36 minutes stats are nearly identical for 16 years. It shouldn’t be possible and yet the Big Fundamental gets it done again and again. And again. He has appeared in the NBA Finals in three separate decades and has four titles to show for it. Add on two MVPs and a host of other incredible accomplishments and you have the center of a franchise—and the greatest power forward of all time.

Side note: Yes, that is a real picture of Tim Duncan smiling. If you haven't already seen, here's Manu's imitation of the greatest PF of all time:

Check out more of the "greatest of all time series" which includes greatest point guards, shooting guards, centers, and overall players of all time.

2013 NBA Finals Preview: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs

Before LeBron James could even get a second shot at Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat were on the brink of getting the shock of their lives. Surprisingly, they took Game 7 of the Eastern conference finals convincingly in a 23-point blowout. Even though the thought of the Heat in the Finals (again) led to groans across the world, this rematch should be exactly what NBA fans want—if for nothing else, a chance to root against LeBron…again.

Seriously though, four former Finals MVPs (James, Wade, Parker, and Duncan) will be battling it out for a match-up of what will be the best player in the NBA vs. the best team in the NBA. What more could we want?

Although the Heat rattled off 27 straight wins earlier in the year, clearly LeBron does not have the consistent supporting cast in the playoffs that he had in the regular season. That Game 7 of the ECF was a sign of a possible return to their midseason dominance. Despite Chris Bosh shooting an abysmal 3-13 from the field, Dwyane Wade returned to his thrasher-scoring game and dropped 21 and 9. But will a two-man show be enough against the Spurs?

San Antonio proved convincingly in their conference finals that they are the best in the West. The offense that Popovich has instilled gives Tony Parker the freedom to put up 20-25 shots a game (like he did in Game 7, shooting 15-21 from the field) but also provides him with a plethora of weapons both on the perimeter and in the interior. It should not come as a surprise if Parker puts up double-digit assists in the Finals as he did in Game 2 of the WCF where the dimes were dropping everywhere (18 total, a career playoff record for the three-time NBA champion). Popovich gives substantial minutes to nine players—all of which can score when called upon. From a three-point specialist like Matt Bonner to a Hall of Fame post scorer like Tim Duncan, the Spurs currently have the more well-rounded offense.

When playing their best game, however, Miami’s defense is a force to be reckoned with. An incredibly low 77 points for the Pacers in Game 7 is something that the Heat can make a reality on any given night for opposing offenses.

The supreme strength of Miami’s comes as no secret: LeBron James can power a team to wins—even if they are struggling to refocus their identity. On the grandest stage of the NBA, there is no time to waste time battling through nagging injuries, but there will always be the “King James Factor.” The Spurs simply do not have a good answer for him. Popovich found a way to slow the Warriors star, Steph Curry. Memphis’ primary scoring options were non-existent in the WCF (and I’m not convinced the Spurs defense can take much credit for that when Z-Bo couldn’t make a lay-up). The same formulae will not work against LeBron. Danny Green, who was a teammate of LeBron’s in 2009-10 on the Cavaliers, has a huge size disadvantage against Miami’s primary threat. A 250-pound train vs. a 210-pound shooter does not bode well for San Antonio.

Popovich probably won’t spend much time with Green on LeBron and will instead opt for the slightly bulkier Kawhi Leonard. While Leonard has developed into a solid perimeter defender, throwing him on LeBron in the Finals just does not feel like it will be enough. In the same way that Curry got the best of the Spurs in the beginning of the first round of these playoffs, maybe Leonard will slow LeBron initially…but realistically I don’t see it happening consistently (if at all) throughout the Finals. LeBron has talent and experience over any viable defender that the Spurs will throw at him. And some combination of Shane Battier, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, and/or Mike Miller will show up when LeBron showcases the great facilitator that he is.

Even if one of the lower thirds of Miami’s Big Three is a no-show occasionally, LeBron will make up the difference. He now has a well-developed post game to complement his relentless attack of the basket. And yes, he can make outside shots (41 percent from three in the regular season and 44 percent in the Eastern conference finals).

The home-court advantage will also tremendously favor the Heat. In a series that will in all likelihood go six or seven games, the Heat would play both of those final two possible games at home. The numbers just are not in San Antonio’s favor—the home team wins 80 percent of Game 7s.

I’m sticking with my pre-season pick. Even though I have become increasingly less confident as the playoffs have worn on, I still feel LeBron will find a way to bring home the regular season and Finals MVP for the second consecutive year.

Miami in 7.

NBA MVP vs. Finals MVP: determining an NBA player’s greatness

Part of the tremendous appeal and attraction of the NBA is the one-on-one game embedded within the team game. All NBA fans have at least once made a comparison between players of the same era, like Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James, or across eras, like Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Jordan. Often these comparisons are what drive individual NBA players to true greatness because one title simply is not enough when you are compared to players with five or six. One MVP award is not enough when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and MJ own more than just a few.

There is something to be said for being named the most valuable player. In determining a player’s greatness, often MVP awards are the most legitimate and withstanding measures of comparisons. Rule changes and paces of play distort statistics from the early days of the NBA to the modern era. Nobody will ever again average 50 points in a season like Wilt Chamberlain did in the 1961-62 season. But being the most valuable player of a year means that, for an entire season, you were the best of the best. This is pivotal in comparisons.

The big question is which more important: a regular season MVP award or a Finals MVP award?

Great teams vs. great individual players

An NBA Finals MVP solidifies a player’s success on the stage where the pressure is greatest to perform and stars either shine or they choke. Although players before 1969 are at a disadvantage for comparison, the majority of the greatest NBA players of all time hit the NBA hardwood after the end of the 60s so the Finals MVP award is far from obsolete in comparing cross-generation legacies.

Finals MVPs fail when you consider that great teams beat great individual players in the post-season. Case in point: Michael Jordan during the 1987-88 NBA season. That year, Jordan won the regular season MVP award, All-Star game MVP award, Defensive Player of the Year award, and the scoring title. Despite that unparalleled individual success, the Chicago Bulls finished the regular season with the seventh best record in the league and third in the Eastern conference. In the playoffs, MJ’s Bulls were eliminated by Isiah Thomas and the Bad Boy Pistons in five games where the average margin of defeat was almost 15 points a game.

Michael Jordan, in all of his individual greatness, stood no chance against a powerhouse of a team.

One season means more than one series

It sounds too simple to be true but that doesn’t make it any less valid. The NBA season is a marathon—not the sprint that it may appear if you only look at the final best-of-seven series. Take the 2001 Lakers, for example. Shaq ran away with Finals MVP honors, but if you look at the rest of the NBA season, there’s no way that he was the sole reason that the Lakers nearly swept the Philadelphia 76ers.

FINALS	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %
O’Neal	33.0	15.8	4.8	0.4	.573	.513
Bryant	24.6	7.8	5.8	1.4	.415	.842

PLAYOFFS	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %
O’Neal	30.4	15.4	3.2	0.4	.555	.525
Bryant	29.4	7.3	6.1	1.6	.469	.821

REGULAR	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %
O’Neal	28.7	12.7	3.7	0.6	.572	.513
Bryant	28.5	5.9	5.0	1.7	.464	.853

Shaq definitely earned those Finals MVP honors but the numbers show that clearly Kobe Bryant was a valuable contributor to their success and a major reason that the Lakers even had the opportunity to win the 2001 NBA Finals. Those Lakers had two of the best scorers in the league and it was something more uniquely unstoppable than any duo or trio since because it was a formidable inside-outside combination of superstars.

In fact, you could argue that the player who was singularly most important to his team was not even on the winning side of the 2001 NBA Finals. Allen Iverson put up 31.1 points per game that year and the second highest scorer, the ever-intimidating Theo Ratcliff, put up 12.4 a game. The Lakers were tough to beat because they could score from multiple angles but with the Sixers, you knew who you needed to stop in order to win. Even so, AI still managed to power his team through three playoff teams.

Iverson, the 2001 regular season MVP, carried his team as an individual more than Shaq, the 2001 Finals MVP, carried the eventual champions.

Another prime example of this disparity in singular contribution is the 2007 Finals. LeBron James carried the Cleveland Cavaliers single-handedly to the Finals but got demolished by a pair of future Hall of Famers in Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, as well as a defensive specialist (Bruce Bowen) and someone who would be the 2008 Sixth Man of the Year (Manu Ginobili).

It's blasphemous that this series is counted against LeBron’s legacy. He took a team to the Finals with a bunch of barely-average players and lost to a seasoned group of eventual Hall of Famers. If anything, I would argue it says great things about LeBron as an individual that he was able to take the Cavs as far as he did. If you put Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kobe Bryant, or Shaquille O’Neal on those Cavs teams by themselves, there is no way that they have the success that LeBron did. And let’s not forget that both the '07 Spurs and the '01 Lakers had Hall of Fame coaches in Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson. LeBron and the '07 Cavs had Mike Brown.

Even though Tony Parker took home Finals MVP honors in 2007, he would not have been in that situation without The Big Fundamental, whose overall regular season and playoff numbers were more impressive than Parker’s.

FINALS	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %
Duncan	18.3	11.5	3.8	1.25	.446	.625
Parker	24.5	5.0	3.3	0.75	.568	.526

PLAYOFFS	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %
Duncan	22.2	11.5	3.3	0.7	.521	.644
Parker	20.8	3.4	5.8	1.1	.480	.679

                                                

REGULAR	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	FG %	FT %	WS
Duncan	20.0	10.6	3.4	0.8	.546	.637	13.0
Parker	18.6	3.2	5.5	1.1	.520	.783	9.6

The better team won the Finals in 2001 and 2007, but the best player in those series did not get a ring.

Moreover, the mismatches that occur in some NBA Finals are also worth taking into account. Sticking with those 2007 Finals, was Tony Parker’s Finals MVP really that valuable considering the Cavaliers didn’t even win a game? In contrast, every regular season MVP award is earned over the course of the season. While there can certainly be some healthy debate as to whether or not somebody should have won an MVP, there is no doubt that the consistency of a regular season MVP winner is present. As such, when comparing great players, MVPs are important because they prove durability for the players who won them.

---------------------

I want to stress that I am not saying that a great NBA player can go a career without winning a championship or having well above average success in the playoffs. The point is that when comparing the greatest NBA players of all time, the regular season MVP is a more important measure than Finals MVP.