The NBA: March 2014 Position Battle – The Top 5 Power Forwards Right Now

In this Position Battle post, we will focus on the top five power forwards at this point in the season. We will take into account just the players’ stats for the latest five games of their respective teams. This will, hopefully, give us a more current picture of each player’s production.

Despite how good he’s been playing and how the Clippers have won 11 in a row, Blake Griffin, statistically, is not the best power forward out there right now. The title of top dawg goes, instead, to a younger fella whose team might be floundering, but whose numbers are soaring through the roof. #Unibrow.

And, no, LaMarcus Aldridge doesn’t make this list. Not by a long shot.

Note: All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on March 17, 2014 (Manila time).

The best 4s in the game right now.
(composite image by Enzo Flojo/Hoop Nut)

The NBA: February 2014 Position Battle – The Top 5 Power Forwards Right Now

In this Position Battle post, we will focus on the top five power forwards at this point in the season. We will take into account just the players’ stats for the latest five games of their respective teams. This will, hopefully, give us a more current picture of each player’s production.

You’ll be surprised at what you find here, what with All-Stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Paul Millsap absent, but don’t fret too much, since the guys filling up the list aren’t too shabby in their own right.

Note: All of the following stats are based on each player’s stats as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on February 16, 2014 (Manila time).

5. Serge Ibaka (OKC) - 14.6ppg, 8.0rpg, 3.2bpg, .571 FG%, .875 FT%, 21.0 EFF

While Kevin Durant has been the biggest reason the Thunder have supplanted the Pacers as the best in the league, nobody can sleep on the contributions of Serge Ibaka. I mean, this naturalized Spaniard blocks around 3 shots per game while flirting with a double-double and making more than half his field goals. He makes nearly 90% of his free throws to boot! All in all, he might just be the most underrated big man out there.

Serge Ibaka continues to shine for the OKC Thunder.
(image from Thunder.NBA.com)

The NBA: 2014 All-Star Snubs

At this time every year most of the deserving players are voted in by fans as starters. The final seven are chosen by the head coaches. It's uncanny to see how often the coaches manage to select the less "deserving" player for the All-Star game. Thus, the term "snub" was designated for those omitted by the coaches.

This year is no different from other years. There are snubs on both the East and West teams. Now, who are they?

Kyle Lowry has played so well that the Raptors are considering NOT trading him
(Image from: CBS Sports)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are potentially the 3rd best team in the East primarily due to Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. DD made it to his first All-Star while KL was snubbed. Lowry has been playing the best ball of his career. He is doing it all for the Raps: score, rebound, pass and defend. Lowry has career-highs for points, assists, steals and three-point shooting. He is arguably the best all-around guard in the East who can defend PGs and smaller SGs.

Play-off Pondering: April 21, 2011

OKC over DEN, 106-89 (OKC up 2-0)

image by the AP

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook made another dynamic duo impression as Oklahoma thundered past Denver in Game 2. Twin bigs Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins also held their own underneath by combining for 23 boards. Oklahoma is now halfway towards barging through the second round of the postseason, and unless a major setback derails them, they’re sure to do it within the next 4 games.

image by the AP

SAS over MEM, 93-87 (Series tied 1-1)

Manu Ginobili doesn’t need his right hand to beat the Memphis Grizzlies. With an unsightly brace hampering his non-shooting arm, the Argentinian sensation dazzled his way to 17 points en route to leading San Antonio to tie the series up. It also helped that the massive twosome of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol was shackled to a combined 23 points after scoring about half of the Grizzlies’ point total in Game 1. I’ll wager them splitting the next two games in Tennessee.

LAL over NOH, 87-78 (Series tied 1-1)

image from Kevork Djansezian of Getty Images

Pau was still MIA, and Kobe wasn’t MVP-ish, but it didn’t really matter as the “other” Laker big man, Andrew Bynum, finished with a double-double to tow LA into a series-tying Game 2 triumph. 6^th Man of the Year Lamar Odom and beastly forward Ron Artest backed him up with 16 and 15 markers respectively. Look for the Lakers to continue pounding the Hornets and snatch the whole series by the 5^th game. Now if only the real Gasol could please show up.

Here's the PLay of the Day courtesy of Russell Westbrook's double spin cycle: