Is it just me, or is Al Jefferson the second best center in the NBA?

Rashard Lewis has played with Howard 2 seasons, not 3. Howard has led the league in total rebounds the past 4 seasons (not rebound average). So that means 2 of those seasons with no Rashard to inflate numbers, he still led the league. Wont deny he gets some inflated rebound numbers...

BUT, Rashard Lewis is the 2nd best rebounder they've had those past 4 seasons. Unless you count Tony Battie, he's the closest thing masquerading as a power forward the Magic have had in a while.

The stats show, or by watching games the lack of good power forward shows, that if you had to compare the frontcourts Al Jefferson gets the same benefit of playing next to crap forwards like Dwight Howard does... Sorry, you guys brought this is up. I'm no wiz at this, nor am I much a Dwight Howard fan

 

Yes, and Howard's been the rebounding champion for only 3 years and 2 of those seasons he's been playing with Shard and his rebounds increased by 2 playing with Shard.

 

Boston should have kept Al instead of trading him for KG.

Rondo
Allen
Pierce
Jefferson
Perkins

+ a number 5 draft pick.

They would have competed for the championship last year and definitely set themselves up for one for the next few years, and once Allen and Pierce got old, they could build around Jefferson.

 

Yao averaged like 15 and 10 against Portland and you say he was "completely dominant". Howard averaged 24 and 16 against Philadelphia, shooting 68% from the floor. Howard even averaged more assists per game than Yao so you can't use the Yao demands the double team argument. You guys are crazy.

The problem with this discussion is that the Yao supporters exaggerate and lie too much.

 

Possibly. But do you really thing Boston will be competing for a championship for long? The Big 3 is old and will only last a few more years. With Jefferson they could still be competing for a championship now and have him to build around later.

 

You don't question the move when the Celtics have already won a championship. They may never win one with Jefferson as center.

 

You have to be kidding.

 

It isn't a terrible idea. We'll never know if it would have worked out, but no reason to get so twisted over a hypothetical situation.

 

/thread

 

My dad and I split a weekend plan this year, and I picked the Minnesota games for a reason. Al Jefferson is a BEAST -- the guy is incredible. I do think he's the second best center in the NBA.
Dwight Howard's ceiling is an improved Shaq. Howard needs a couple of go-to moves and some more post moves, and he's there. He needs to be able to play with his back to the basket more.
But Jefferson? He can shoot short jumpers, hooks, etc. Take Yao Ming. Shrink him. Double his athleticism. That's pretty much Jefferson.

 

If "Dwight Howard's ceiling is an improved Shaq", then his ceiling is far higher than Al Jefferson could ever dream of.

 

Agreed although hopefully his wording is just off. I have echoed similar Shaq vs. Dwight comparisons myself and basically concluded that Dwight is a poor man's or less dominant version of Shaq.

There's plenty of similarities: similar power moves, both are neutralized the same way, both former #1 picks for Orlando, hell....Dwight has even copied Shaq's drop-step move.

 

Howard is nothing like Shaq, nothing at all. The only thing they have in common is there free throw percentages and that's about it. Dwight Howard to me is already the most overrated big man in the league and now he's starting to become the most overrated player in the league.

Dwight Howard plays nothing like Shaq at all. Shaq was an offensive minded center who needed to work on his defensive game when he was young and Howard is the complete opposite. Shaq had great touch and excellent footwork down in Orlando as well. Howard? Not even close.

These pre-mature comparisons are starting to get tiring. Comparing Howard to Shaq is no different than comparing Yao to Olajuwon. Start overrating Howard, when he is crowned best center in the league over Yao, because even Shaq himself knows Yao Ming is the best center in the NBA right now.

 

Are you on crack? Their style is eerily similar. Sure, Shaq is/was better and i'm not saying Dwight is even on his level, hence the "poor man's" label. But to deny the similarity without offering even a SHRED of evidence as to why you disagree proves absolutely nothing. Your entire post paraphrased into one sentence: "Dwight is nothing like Shaq.....uhh, because I said so and now, here comes my Yao-obsession element into this discussion as if there was some relevance in the first place?!?!"

Both are heavily reliant on their ability to get position and bully their way close to the basket. Shaq wrote the book on playing this way. His patented drop-step, his footwork, his spin moves COMBINED with his massive frame/strength/athleticism is what made him so unguardable. Both are all brute power and muscle. Both can score over both shoulders, both have effective hook shots, both try to dunk anything and everything. Both are neutralized the same way. Both take 80% or more of their shots inside five feet of the basket.

Speaking of which: Can you name me any quality big men, capable of creating their own shot and legitimately scoring on the low block, that take as many of of their shots inside five feet of the basket as Shaq and Dwight do? We all know you're obsessed with Yao and even he is in the 60-percentile. Same with Gasol. Hell, even Tim Duncan is in the 50's!

Looking forward to your response on this one. All I ask is that you try to place aside your obsession with Yao and consequential disdain for Dwight given that people are constantly comparing the two. I mean, you act as if Dwight is some sort of Tyson Chandler type capable of doing nothing on his own that needs somebody setting him up all the time. Are you really that obsessed with Yao that you're completely blind to reality?

 

These anti-Dwight Howard threads are the most ridiculous things.

Here's your Shaq lesson for the day. Shaq never led the league in rebounding, not once. Shaq never led the league in blocked shots, not once. Shaq was never named the DPOY, not once. Howard did all three of those this year at the age of 23. End of lesson.

There's no question that Howard isn't in Shaq's league offensively and may never be but there's also no question that Howard is the best center in basketball right now and will probably continue to be for the next 7 or 8 years.

 

Al Jefferson has an assortment of post-up moves.

However, Howard plays great D. Got to go with Howard.

 

Ever heard of Yao? And When Shaq was in his prime he was much better than Howard at rebounding and Blocking. Consider the fact that back then their were tons of 3 BPG and 14 RPG centers in the league makes it even harder on Shaq.

Shaq in his rookie season averaged 3.5 BPG. Howard will never get there and I don't care how good he is right now but since this league has changed so much he'll never get to 3.5 BPG. Not to mention Shaq was much more athletic than Howard back in the days.

Keep in mind Shaq also averaged 13.9 RPG at one point as well. There's no question that if Shaq was ever asked to play defense more than score that he would absolutely shatter Howard's inflated stats.

Did you even bother reading what I said? Howard does not overpower everybody like Shaq did. As a matter of fact, Howard is more of a finesse center than a power center anyways. It's an absolute joke how overrated his strength is. Is he strong? Yeah, probably the strongest in the league but that does not mean he's a power player like Shaq was.

Since when did Howard have good footwork and a good hook-shot? Honestly, I hope we are talking about the same Dwight Howard here, because it doesn't sound like it at all. I'm talking about the Dwight Howard that Yao Ming owns everytime, the Dwight Howard that got leaped over by Nate Robinson in the slam dunk contest.

What evidence do you want me to give? I've watched plenty of Magic games, There are no stats that can prove Shaq-Howard's differences. The only thing these guys have in common is there FT%. You might want to check up on Orlando if you think I'm lying That is all.

 

I also see nothing but opinions in this post as well. So I wouldn't call anybody out If you aren't doing anything better. I see no serious and legit evidence that Howard plays anything like Shaq. Howard is not unstoppable either, You must have never seen this guy play against true centers like Big Z, Perkins, Yao, Shaq, etc... if you think he is unstoppable offensively.

There's a reason why the Magic lose many games when Howard has monster nights. You can blame his coach and the way his offense is played, but It's also Howard's fault.