(Continued from the previous article:NBA 16-17 mid-season player ability evaluation: Center No. 6-10)
5. Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Age: 21
- Statistics for the season: 21.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.5 blocks
- Advanced stats: 22.5 PER, 92.85 TPA, 1.25 RPM
It was actually quite a struggle for Karl-Anthony Towns at the beginning of this season. He was originally regarded as being able to compete for the best center position in the league, but KAT and the Timberwolves he led were unable to find a defense. Seeing that Towns opened the door wide when he wanted to help defend his teammates, allowing his opponents to get whatever they wanted. His poor defensive performance also caused the Timberwolves' record to still be troubled by the backcourt.
But if you think about it carefully, Karl-Anthony Towns is actually only 21 years old, and his progress is actually obvious to all.
There have certainly been times this season where Towns has acted like a normal sophomore, trying to adjust to the rhythm of the NBA - especially on the road where fatigue is more likely; but sometimes his He performed like a league MVP, tormenting other teams' defenders with his signature back-to-the-frame turns, three-point shots, small floaters, and other offensive methods.
For Towns, maintaining "stability" is the goal to pursue, followed by strengthening defensive skills. All in all, it's an old saying, but if KAT's talents are fully developed and a group of talented teammates are added, the Gray Wolves will be quite terrifying! (But fans may have to be patient this season...)
4. Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Age: 31
- Statistics for this season: 19.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.4 blocks
- Advanced stats: 20.7 PER, 114.92 TPA, 3.41 RPM
Even ordinary NBA fans can see that the reason why the Grizzlies have been able to establish themselves among the top teams in the league with their "suffocating" defense in recent years is all thanks to winning the "Best Defensive" title. Player's Marc Gasol. In addition to defense, his passing ability is also quite excellent. What's even better is that he can reduce the number of turnovers. This season's average assists have exceeded the 4 mark, but his turnovers have not increased but decreased.
But on a certain level this year, M. Gasol's growth is unprecedented in previous seasons!
In the eight seasons before this season, Gasol only took 66 shots from outside the three-point line - an average of less than 10 times in a season - and only scored 12 goals, with a "low" shooting percentage of 18.2% It was only during the international competition, when the "three-point arc" stipulated by FIBA was only considered mid-range in the NBA, that Gasol showed his good ability in mid- and long-distance shooting.
This season, Gasol has also joined the ranks of the "stretch five", averaging 3.4 three-pointers per game and having a shooting percentage of 38.9%, which is not bad among senior players. He also solved Manfei's problem. Sri Lanka's firepower from the outside is always insufficient, and he can solve the team's problems and tasks on both offense and defense "from the inside out". It is really unjustifiable not to include him in the top five!
3. Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
- Age: 24
- Statistics for this season: 12.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.5 blocks
- Advanced stats: 21.5 PER, 126.22 TPA, 4.46 RPM
Looking at the tenth place on the list, we can now find that the centers ranked above and below Rudy Gobert have scored more points than him, but the low average score of only 12.3 points since the beginning of the season has not been wiped out. His value on the field is where he is.
Once Rudy Gobert chooses to attack the basket, he is actually quite efficient on the offensive end, able to serve as a finisher around the basket and leading the league in TS%. Perhaps with Gobert's height of 7 feet 1 inch, it shouldn't be difficult to play alley-oops or beat opponents in the paint, but his shooting percentage of 72.3% in the first half of the season is still so stable that it is "disgusting".
In addition, Gobert also has a top-level contribution in the league in terms of rebounding (currently ranking fifth in the league with an average of 12.4 rebounds), but this is not his most valuable aspect; this 24-year-old young man will be the best player this year. A strong contender for Defensive Player of the Year!
He once earned the nickname "Stifle Tower" and can deliver 2.5 hot pots per game. He can also put opponents in the basket when faced with 1.7 more offensive possessions than the league average. The shooting percentage around the frame was suppressed to 42.6%, only behind the Knicks' KP and the 76ers' Embiid, which is quite amazing!
2. DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings)
- Age: 26
- Statistics for the season: 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks
- Advanced stats: 27.1 PER, 162.99 TPA, 5.15 RPM
Players who make a living in the NBA's penalty area come and go. They can be roughly classified into two categories: one type of players dominate the basket with brute force and "bully" the opponent's penalty area until the distance between themselves and the basket becomes shorter and shorter. , the score is not far away; the other type of players rely on their excellent skills to win one-on-one marking, using their dazzling footsteps and fake moves to make the defenders tired of guessing, and in the end there is still no one. Helpfully watching the two points go into the pocket.
"Unruly cousin" DeMarcus Cousins is a combination of the two.
And this season, he has added a sufficient level of three-point shooting ability to his offensive skills, which should make the opponent's defenders collapse even more. It is impossible to completely defend his cousin, especially when two people are mobilized to double-team. , Cousins can still find missed teammates, pass - shoot - Bang!
After finally talking about his dominance on the offensive end, coupled with his slightly improved defense this season, it is not difficult to find out why even Draymond Green, the "green mouth" of the Warriors, has rarely praised Cousins recently."The best center in the league, case closed."
Green didn't get it right, but it was close.
1. Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)
- Age: 23
- Statistics for the season: 29.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 steals, 2.5 blocks
- Advanced stats: 28.3 PER, 133.68 TPA, 3.77 RPM
The New Orleans Pelicans started the season in a miserable state. Although Anthony Davis, the first brother, played a monster-level performance, he is still insulated from the annual MVP this season (but he may be able to compete for the eighth spot in the Western Conference), but it is undeniable that he is still the winner. One of the most valuable players in the league, one man (besides J. Holiday) will help the team escape from bad teams:
Without Davis, the Pelicans might become one of the worst teams in NBA history. From the data, we can see that the gap is so huge. It is no exaggeration to say that the New Orleans Pelicans only relied on Davis's amazing scoring, defense, rebounding and attracting gaps to save the team from the quagmire of a bad team for thousands of years. To reach the edge of the playoffs is already a very huge achievement (you can clearly understand this by comparing the Miami Heat Whiteside who are in a similar situation).
What's more, he is only 23 years old and has already achieved such historical results. If there are no surprises, I believe he will still be able to continue to be on the list of the league's strongest center forwards in the next ten years. (Bleacher Report)
