While the other positions in the +NBA has seen their talent pools dwindle and become diluted, the power forward position remains firm and strong as the name suggests. Over the past few years they has been a mounting surplus of talented big men capable of both being able to not only score and defend in the paint, but also stretch the floor as well. The power forward position is in fact so full to the brim with that some who were otherwise deserving were unfortunately left out of the list. Numerous re-drafts had to be taken and numerous players were placed in and out the top thirty list making this one of the hardest posts to write. So hopefully, you will enjoy this final draft and be sure to stay tuned to +Slap Dog Hoops for the next three installments of this five part series.
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For most of the regular season Patrick Patterson flew under the radar as he spent it buried under an extremely top heavy +Houston Rockets team, then traded to a completely awful +Sacramento Kings; yet he still managed to put up solid numbers despite playing limited minutes. While at Houston he averaged 11.9 points and 4.7 boards in just under 26 minutes per game, and although at Sacramento, his numbers dipped slightly to 8 points, he still remained relatively consistent shooting at an efficient .500 clip and an even more impressive .390 from beyond the arc. Given more minutes, it will be very intriguing to see what this player who has been able to contribute so much in such little time can do . . .
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29
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One has to wonder why a player who finished the season second on his team in scoring at 16.2ppg would be place so low on this countdown and the reason is because that despite his impressive numbers, he cannot be considered a real power forward. Despite be blessed with amazing size and strength (6'10," 240lbs) Ryan Anderson seems just content lurking around the perimeter shooting threes. He's also not that great a rebounder for his size and ability averaging just over six per game, and is not that great of a defender--otherwise he would have actually been starting instead of playing on the bench. If it weren't for his scoring prowess, he would not even be on this list because to basketball purists, he makes a mockery of the power forward position.
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28
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Last season, Ersan had the best season of his career and was thus rewarded by the Bucks with a fat contract extension for five years and at 40$ million; sadly, however, he fell way short of showing that he was deserving of such an investment. He started the season absolutely horrible as he was ice cold from the field shooting a pathetic .349 from the field forcing coach at the time +Scott Skiles to bench the Turkish forward. Fortunately for Ersan, Skiles got the heave-ho, and was given a second chance by interim coach, John Hammond. Ersan then rewarded his coach's faith in him by improving his overall numbers from 6.9 points and 4.8 boards per game in November to 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds looking like the player who inspired his team to lay down big money to retain him.
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27
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At one time Kenyon Martin was the poster boy for the argument of the need for a hard salary cap as he was at one time one of the highest paid players with one of the worst contracts in NBA history. He returned to the league humiliated and humbled taking a league minimum contract with the Knicks to show that he can still contribute to an NBA team and he certainly did. At 35 years old and receiving a pittance of what he once earned, Kenyon Martin brought toughness and leadership which helped New York have its first fifty plus win season in thirteen years. In the 18 games he played, he averaged 7 points and 5 boards per game while shooting a more than efficient .602 from the field making him one of the best feel good stories of the 2013 season.
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26
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Greg Smith can possibly be one of the best NBA players that no one has ever heard of as he silently graduated from sitting at the end of the bench to coming a key player in the rotation. The second round pick out of Fresno State only played 8 games very sparingly the previous season to appearing in 70 of them while starting in ten. In just 16 minutes of playing time per game, Greg Smith averaging six points and five boards while connecting on .636 of his shot attempt thus proving to be quite the diamond in the rough discovery for Houston. Had he played twice as many minutes he would have potentially averaged a double double in points and rebounds along with gathering a block shot per game in the process. Now the question will be whether or not he will get the opportunity next season to show that is what he is capable of.
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25
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To say that Pau Gasol's season was a disappointing to himself, his team and his fans would be a complete understatement as he had the absolute worst season in his career posting career lows across the board. He missed almost half the season due to injury and when he actually did play, Gasol seemed out of place and could not get in any rhythm or comfort zone on both sides of the court. One can only hope that his forgettable performance was simply a one season affair and is not a sign of things to come as his team will certainly need him to return to his previous All Star form. With their off season gem +Dwight Howard jumping ship for Houston, the Lakers will certainly need their veteran big man to step in and fill in the void of Howard's departure.
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24
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This young man continues to tease us with his potential as he had another impressive yet frustrating season playing behind his teammate +Al Jefferson during his entire career in Utah. Favors thus far has shown that he has scratched the surface on what he can potentially do for the Jazz as the team's coach had to rein him in due to his precarious position on the depth chart in the roster. Despite his constraints, Favors still managed to give Jazz fans quite the show as he come off the bench averaging nine points and seven boards per game while at the same time being the team's top shot blocker as well. With Jefferson now heading for the +Charlotte Bobcats, Favors chains can finally be unshackled and it will be about reek the havoc and mayhem that basketball fans have been waiting for him to do.
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23
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At 33 years old and receiving the veteran minimum salary, Reggie Evans was expected by many to be a supporting role player coming of the bench and provide some respite for incoming starter +Kris Humphries. Then Humphries, who had the best season of his career and was rewarded a two year $24 million contract extension as a reward suddenly disappeared without a trace thrusting the wily veteran into the Nets' starting lineup. Evans certainly showed that age was just simply a number and there was much left in his aging bones as he simply went to town crashing the boards averaging 11.1 per game--sixth in the league. Talk about the Nets getting the most bang for their buck, with nearly 100$ million being shelled out in salaries, Evans rather paltry deal can be considered as giving the most return.
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22
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Although selected rather low in the first round of the NBA draft, Andrew Nicholson certainly made a name for himself on an Orlando Magic team that was on the verge of rebuilding. Despite receiving just 16.7 minutes of playing time per game, Nicholson put up an impressive show averaging eight points and six boards per game while shooting a team high .527 from the field. Had he played more minutes, one can only imagine how gone he really would have been as his per 48 minute averages came up to 23.0 points and 18 rebounds per game. Hopefully Nicholson's impressive rookie campaign will lead to greater things and a very fruitful NBA career.
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21
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Selected fourth overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, Tristan Thompson had an up and down rookie season making many wonder in Cleveland whether he could be a player to build a franchise on. Thompson then bounced back to have a much improved sophomore season as he played all 82 games and posted a rather solid season of 11 points and nine boards per game while shooting .488 from the field. The former player from the +Texas Longhorns and Canadian product saw his numbers spike up halfway through the season as the went from 9.1 points and 8.8 boards by the end of December to 13.3 and 10 by season's end showing many in Cleveland that he might indeed be player whom they can pin their hopes and dreams on for a prosperous future. And at age 22, he is only scratching the surface of what he can truly do and has the potential to be Cleveland's best four since Larry Nance, who was an All Star for the Cavs during the eighties and early nineties.
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20
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New Orleans Pelicans
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By all accounts Anthony Davis had to have been the biggest let down of the 2013 NBA Rookie class as his play was not anywhere near advertised and did not provide the immense impact for the newly named Pelicans as many, especially fans in New Orleans has hoped. He played good, but not great, and it seemed like during the season he was simply comfortable with being a simple role player instead of the franchise player that Hornets fans hoped for. Davis was supposed to be this big time catalyst to help expose the Hornets to the worldwide stage, but his rookie season was so unremarkable, that he barely even made a spark. Hopefully he will come into next season much stronger and more hungrier because that poor offering of a rookie season, for a player with so much skill and talent as his, was simply an embarrassment.
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19
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After two rather nondescript seasons, Toronto fans had all but given up on that Amir could be nothing more than a supporting role player off the bench, but then he got his opportunity to prove his doubters wrong. With Andrea Bargnarni struggling with injuries and Ed Davis being shipped off to the Memphis Grizzlies for +Rudy Gay, Johnson finally had the opportunity to get starter's minutes and he certainly made the most of them. Over the course of the regular season, Johnson went from averaging just 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds by the end of November to 11.1 and 8.4 per game. In his role as starter, Johnson was the quintessential complementary player as he did all the dirty work hustling and grabbing loose ball and rebounds allowing the team's leading scorers Gay and +DeMar DeRozan to concentrate of what they do best--getting to the basket and scoring--thus making him a key member on a Toronto team with playoff aspirations.
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18
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Three years ago Carl Landry looked as if he would be on the verge of being an All Star after averaging a career high 18.0 points and six points per; however, it seemed as if that season was a mere fluke as his production dropped sharply following that breakout season. Now from being a potential All Star, Landry has been relegated to support player--a role that suited him best and possibly benefited both himself and his team as fell. Playing 81 games behind All Star David Lee, Landry averaged almost 11 points and 6 boards per game while shooting a rather efficient .540 from the field giving the Warriors one of the deepest and most potent second units in the league. At 29, He may have already reached his ceiling as a player, but there is no doubt that on the right team, he can be a rather valuable contributor.
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17
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Brooklyn Nets
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In a team which consistent of marginally disappointing performances from it's higher paid and higher profile players, it is nice to see someone who provided more bang for his buck despite having a checkered past. Being forced to leave in disgrace from his former team, the Washington Wizards, Andray Blatche remade himself in his new home as he came off the bench to lead the second unit in scoring while providing the energy and leadership that he did not show while playing for the Wizards. It must have ground the gears of Wizards' GM Ernie Grunfeld as he watched a former player perform so well in another team--especially since he is still paying said player 21$ million to get rid of him in the first place. Andray Blatche certainly have numerous sports writers in not only the District of Columbia, but also those who cover the NBA in general silenced as they all wrote him off as a lost cause. Yet he silenced all his doubters to have an impressive season helping his team reach the playoffs thus becoming one of the feel good stories on the 2013 season.
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16
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Utah Jazz
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For the second straight season, Paul Milsap's numbers dropped yet again from his career high in 2011 of 17.3 points per game down to 14.6 this season leading many to speculate that Milsap may have reached his peak of a player and will never be that All Star that Jazz fans have hoped for. That does not mean that Milsap's value has diminished as he proved himself to be quite the capable power forward in the Utah--capable enough at least to keep a young talent like Derrick Favors on the bench last season. Despite his middle of the range 6'8"height, Milsap was quite the defensive stalwart in the paint as he blocked at least one shot per game over the course of the 2013 season. In addition to his shot blocking prowess, he also proved to be a more than capable perimeter defender as he led the Jazz in steals per game and with his 2.6 assists per game, he showed that not only could he score, but also get his teammates involved as well thus making him one of the Jazz's key players last season.
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15
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After having such an impressive rookie season many expected Kenneth Faried to run away with the rebounding title as she showed such a prowess and hunger to crash the boards unlike any other in the NBA. Unfortunately he wasn't as much of the board munching monster that many had hoped to he had become finishing the season averaging just a little over nine per game; however, to be fair, there were not many rebounds to be hand since Denver was one of the best shooting teams in the league thus providing fewer opportunities to grab rebounds. Add the fact that Denver allowed their opponents to shoot at a rater efficient .450 from the field, there were not much defensive boards to be had either. Nonetheless, denver still finished with a franchise record 57 wins and second overall in the league in rebounds per game and much of that were due to Faried's hustle and grit.
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14
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At 37 years old, Kevin Garnett become one of the poster children of how old and worn down the Boston Celtics has become--to the point where they were barely able reach the postseason and only finished with an above .500 record only because one of their games were cancelled. Otherwise, at best Boston would have won 42 games and still would have remained at the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and the signs were evident that the situation was not getting any better. That's why Celtics GM Danny Ainge chose to ship Garnett off to Brooklyn along with +Paul Pierce and Jason Terry for pennies on the dollar and he was rather lucky that he was capable of finding a sucker to unload Garnett's contract in which he erroneously signed him to. With two years and 24$ left for a man who was already WAY past his prime and pushing forty, the Celtics were lucky enough to be rid of him, even if they did have to take back an equally bad contract in Gerald Wallace's 30$ million for the next three years.
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13
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It was absolutely mind boggling how Al Horford was not selected for the Eastern Conference All Star team as he basically outplayed many of his peers that were selected ahead of him. After an injury riddled season where he had just played 11 games, Horford came back to have his best season as pro finishing the regular season with career highs 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while leading the Hawks to the playoffs for the sixth straight year. At least he could hold solace to the fact that he does not share the same rotten luck as his teammate and partner in the front court, Josh Smith who has yet to receive an All Star nod despite having spectacular seasons himself. With Smith heading for the Motor City, much more pressure will be put upon Horford's already weary shoulders to keep Atlanta in the playoff race.
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12
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Atlanta Hawks
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It is simply a crime and an act of injustice that Josh Smith keeps getting overlooked by the coaches who vote for the All Star reserves as he was passed over yet again for those who can be easily labelled as his inferiors. Smith finished the 2013 season with another stellar performance as he led his team in scoring (17.5) and blocked shots per game (1.8) along with averaging 8.4 boards, 1.3 steals and four assists per game as well. If they can be any critique on Smith last season was that he could not live up to the pressure of being "the man" after Atlanta unload the ridiculously massive contract of Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets. People thought this would be the year that Smith would finally take over the reins and become that franchise player that many saw him being, but he simply did not rise to the occasion leading the Hawks to part ways with the nine year veteran allowing him to be signed away by the Detroit Pistons. Now the future remains uncertain for the Hawks as they entire a new season without their high flying shot swating star.
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11
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Over his past three years in the Windy City, Carlos Boozer has received plenty of unfair and undeserved flack from the fans and media in Chicago. They constantly refer to him as a bust or not being worth the value of the contract he signed with the Bulls in 2010 and there's has been a growing call for him to be traded; however, most of their critiques on Boozer are unjustified as even the most casual observer can see that he has been poorly utilized thus far. He is first and foremost a post scorer who pounds in the paint to get his buckets and was signed by Chicago to provide just that; sadly however, that has not been the case as Boozer has yet to receive the touches that needs to make the impact that Bulls fans expect from him. Although his production has declined each season he has been there, that's not because of there's anything wrong with him as a player, but how the coaching staff has failed in utilizing him in the offense.
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10
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It seems as if Hickson has found his comfort zone in Portland as he had another monuments season playing 80 games while averaging 12.7 points, 10 boards per game and shooting .562 from the field. What is even more impressive about these numbers is the fact that he accomplish this while playing under 30 minutes per game making him potentially one of the most efficient players in the league. His per 48 is quite impressive to say the least as he would have averaged 21.0 points, 16.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 block and 1 steal per game. It is only too bad that Portland failed to make the playoff as Hickson would have had another venue to showcase his skills on a grander stage instead of being hidden away from the general sport spectating populace.
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9
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Portland Trailblazers
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For the second straight season LaMarcus Aldridge earned his second straight All Star selection as he continued to show the NBA and the world that he is not only one of the most talented, but also one of the elite big men of the league. It is just a shame that he is stuck on a Portland Trailblazers team that looks to not be going anywhere soon and at this point of his career, and at his age and at this point in his career, this is certainly not where he wants to be. At 28 years old, he is reaching his peak as a player and he certainly will not wish to spend the best years of his career on a team that does not look as it is going to the playoffs anytime soon. And it is certainly that at this point of his career simply making the playoffs just to lose in the first round is no longer enough either as he'll certainly want to at least TRY to compete for an NBA Tilte, and thus far, Portland has failed miserably in that regard. So it may come down to the team having to trade their superstar player because it is obvious that LaMarcus will demand a trade soon enough and unless they want to to deal with a disgruntled player, they team may just have to comply.
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8
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Another year, another Finals appearance and another championship for the third and lesser talked about player of RUN DLC, Chris Bosh. Although his numbers do not shine as bright alongside his superstar teammates as they have dropped for the third straight years, there are still nonetheless quite impressive to say the least and no one can really argue with the end result. Add the fact that he has had to change him game from a player who received more of his touches of the low block to getting off pick and pop situations and his change of style has neither affected his game or his production. In fact one can go as far to say that he has become an even more versatile and creative offensive player thanks to his aligning himself with +LeBron James and +Dwyane Wade and there will be more to come as this trio continue to keep their stranglehond on the NBA.
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7
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David West
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David West can be seen as the unsung hero on the Indiana Pacers team that took the Miami to all seven games of the Eastern Conference Finals until being eliminated in the final game. He may not have been flashy as his All Star teammate, Paul George, but he was the team's most consistent and reliable offensive player giving the Pacers 17.1 points per game along with having the best field goal percentage on the team at .498. Let us not forget that he was quite an adequate rebounder averaging 7.7 per game along with being quite an impressive perimeter defender averaging a steal per game for the season. Add the fact that he also helped his teammates get open looks thanks to his three assists per game makes David West the complete package of what a prototype power forward should be.
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6
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Last season looked as if it would have been the last one for Zach Randoph in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform as Randolph played what can arguably be considered as his worst season ever. He had played in just 28 games and his number dropped from 20.1 points and 12 rebounds per game in 2011 to just 11.6 and 8.0 the following season; however ZBo bounced back in 2013 to not only lead the Grizzlies in points (15.4) and rebounds (11.2), but also to a franchise record 56 wins and its first appearance to the Western conference Finals. Unfortunately, it looks as if age has worn down on this irresistible force/immovable object as his scoring numbers still were under his career average and at 33, he may be headed for a further decline. With the Grizzlies'future linked to Randolph's production and with very few other options when it come to offensive production, this will certainly be a harsh blow come next season as father time continues to wear down their star player.
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5
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His numbers may have dipped slightly from 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game to 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds, but Blake Griffin still remains one of the premier young big men in the league. His blend of strength and athleticism is almost unparalleled save for +LeBron James and paired alongside +Chris Paul, have not only electrified fans the world over, but have turned the Clippers from perennial laughing stock to a championship contender. Last season was a historic moment as the Clips not only won a franchise record 56 games, but for the first time earned first place in their Pacific Division--a title that had been regular held by their home town nemesis, the Lakers. Unfortunately, their story book season would have a rather unhappy ending as they would get unceremoniously booted out of the first round of the playoff by the Memphis Grizzlies. Such a loss would leave a bad taste bad taste in anyone's mouth so it will be interesting to see how Blake and his Clipper will respond this upcoming season.
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4
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The season was bittersweet for Mavericks fans as they saw they once mighty team deteriorate in an aging, broken down shell of its former self along with their once powerful hero; however that did not stop Nowitzki from putting forth possibly one of the most heroic performances in his career. Coming off an injury, Nowitzki did not along either his age or his physical condition stop him from carry his team on his back and although they did not make the playoffs, Dallas finish with a respectable .500 record. That was FAR better than many had projected the team of finishing as it was almost a forgone conclusion that it was the beginning of the end of that team, but that did not stop Dirk. Despite the ominous future facing them, he and his Mavericks did not give up and competed harder than they had possibly ever competed. What was supposed to be the start of tragic fall from grace looked more like an army's last stand where even though they knew that they would lose, they chose not to surrender and go out fighting like true warriors.
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3
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For much of his career Serge Ibaka was seen more of a shot blocking clean up man rather than an actual answer at power forward; however that all changed with the departure of +James Harden and that opened up a whole new world for him. Upon the start of the 2013 season, Ibaka stepped in to fill in the void that Harden had left behind as he posted his best scoring season as a pro averaging 13.2 points per game while shooting a phenomenal .573 from the field--fourth in the league. He still remained a monster in the lane as he led the league once again in blocked shots per game, but he also showed to have a far more developed offensive game that many had even given him credit for. He especially showed his ability to be quite the capable spot up shooter from mid range giving the Thunder a much needed third offensive option behind +Kevin Durant and +Russell Westbrook.
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2
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Golden State Warriors
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He is neither flashy or fancy and often get overshadow by his higher profile teammate Stephen Curry, but David Lee exhibited what was truly at the core of being a great power forward--that of a truly warrior bruising down low on both ends of the court muscling out his competition. Lee did make the highlight reels nor did he capture much face time from the media, but his presence was certainly felt as he helped his Warriors not only past the post season, but to a near upset of the Spurs, had he not gotten injured. Now the Warriors enter this upcoming season as one of the favorites to win the Western Conference and it is all thanks to the unassuming yet phenomenal play in their two time All Star in Lee. Many may not notice him or even know his name, but nonetheless, David Lee should still be considered as the not only the Warriors'star, but the team's most important player as well.
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1
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Despite his legacy being marred by allegations questioning his sexuality and personal preferences, no one can argue or deny that Tim Duncan remains still one of the greatest power forwards to have ever to played the game of basketball. At 38 years old, Duncan went on to have once of the best season's he has had in a long time and looked as if he were ten years his junior as he led the Spurs to its fifth NBA Finals appearance only to lost in a seven game WAR with the Miami Heat. Some questioned the wisdom of signing the 38 year old to a year extension worth an estimated 33$ million, but he certainly silenced all of his doubters and the critics who saw his signing a a bad mistake. It will be interesting to see if he will have anything left after such a stellar performance as he has two years remaining on his contract which will expire when he turns 40 years old. Regardless, he has certained proven to many who have watched him over the years that age is just a number and you should never judge a book by its cover.
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