http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2007-03-12-scorers-table_N.htm I actually kinda like how they came up with this ranking. Durability is factored in - Yao was lowest amongst the top ten, which brought him down two notches. Take that category out and Yao is ranked 3rd behind Amare & Duncan, which makes sense to me for this season. Steals also cost Yao in this ranking (2nd lowest in top 10), but I don't see that improving too much in the future. Arguable whether Duncan is a C or PF I guess, but he is just sick - top 10 in every category but two (FT% & FG%) & a healthy 19 pts ahead of Yao (- durability). Add in durability and Duncan outranks Yao by 47 pts! Thoughts?
Stupid rankings..if Duncan wouldve been injured he would be like rank 5 as well considering the "durability" rank and the "team rank"
yeah well he wasn't, which indicates that he's more durable. Relax, just cause Yao isn't the top center doesn't mean the list is a joke.
However, the fact that steals per game are considered as important as points per game does mean the list is a joke.
those are not all centers... how the hell is yao 17 in fg% and shaq is tied for 24th? give me a break
The list is kind of a joke. Any statistical measurement of centers that includes "3FGM" cannot be taken seriously.
And you get get the same credit for being first in 3FGM as being first in points scored. That's just asinine.
You are right. However there are a ot of other factors that do make this list a joke. Using FG% only as a parameter is not good, since you leave out how many shots people take and how they are defended. They count Steals and 3pt just as importent as other factors. Why is stoudamire durable? last time i looked he missed almost the entire last season. So overal this list is a joke
Interesting list. I wouldn't want to include stls or 3FGM into evaluating a center by any means. Also, the descriptions of a classical/multi-dimensional/defensive specialist is rather poor in my eyes, in particular, the classifications of being multi-dimensional. Both JO and Pau Gasol, should not even be considered to be multi-dimensional... they are conventional centers, who like to shoot, I don't know why they are glorified as such... Ericka Dampier should of never even graced the classification of a conventional center, because he really is only a defensive specialist. Lastly... Amare, does not have the offense run through him, nor can he pass the ball or defend that well. If anything, I would consider Amare an offensive specialist, with no post game evident. Duncan is the only thing that I really agree on as the best center this year.
The problem is the equal weight. Steals and 3 pointers should be counted but not nearly to the degree that points, rebounds and blocks should. Free throw and field goal percentage should be just behind those since centers are supposed to take high percentage shots and given the hack a shaq and hack a tim defenses good free throw shooting matters. Ranking steals and 3 pointers though for centers equally skews the rankings for players like Miller and Amare. You might as well look at who is the best point guard based on blocks. Under that sort of ranking you wouldn't seen Nash as the best.
How does Amare get a 1 for durability?! Didn't he miss all of last season with an injury?! And Duncan isn't a center! This list is crap
I didn't even look at the list....didn't bother after I read that Yao is #5 on any list..the guy is the #1 center in the NBA right now..most players will admit that too....thats all I need to know...
Seriously, has Duncan ever even played a game starting at the center position? Even if he has, it's not NEARLY enough to actually CLASSIFY him as a center. And last time I checked, missing an entire season like Amare did isn't exactly a glowing endorsement for one's durability. This list is dumb.....I really don't understand why these magazines feel compelled to come up with lists and rankings based on information, then SKEW the information according to some random standard. First Forbes comes up with that idiotic GM ranking, and now this. Here's a novel idea: give us readers all the information at hand, and let us form our OWN opinions based on that information.
Stats aside, yes he is #1 center in the league! other centers would much rather play Amare or Duncan than Yao not only because he's tall but also because he MAKES his shots and makes players take jump shots! unlike amare and duncan!
