The NBA: April 2013 Position Battle – The Top 5 Power Forwards Right Now

Curiously enough, three of the current top five PFs won’t even play in the Playoffs. Might even be four, if Gasol and the Lakers fail to keep their eighth seed. Tim Duncan’s absence here might also mean he’s taking it easy and saving up for the postseason grind. Aaaand I don’t think the #1 guy on this list is even the #1 guy on his own team.

Note: All of the following stats are based on the last five games of each player’s team as computed by HoopsStats.com. They were taken on April 13, 2013 (Manila time).

5. Anthony Davis (NOH) - 16.2ppg, 9.6rpg, 1.6spg, 1.8bpg, .958 FT%, 22.8 EFF

After a bad first game in April against GSW, Davis has dropped upwards of 18 points and 9 boards in his last four games. He won’t make the Playoffs, but he might be making a late season push to pull the ROY rug from under Damian Lillard’s legs.

Pau Gasol and Anthony Davis are two of the
 top PFs in April.
(image by Reed Saxon/AP)

4. Tobias Harris (ORL) - 19.4ppg, 12.0rpg, 3.8apg, 1.6bpg, 24.2 EFF

At 6’8” and 226lbs, the former Tennessee Volunteer might just be the Paul Millsap of the East. I still think he takes too many shots, but I cannot refute that double-double average and those 1.6 blocks per game.

The NBA Roundup: April 10, 2013

Damian Lillard was a sight to behold today, hitting 5 triples on his way to 38 points, 9 assists, and 3 steals, but Kobe Bryant was even better, hitting ALL EIGHTEEN of his free throws to finish with 47 markers and then some. And now the Lakers are a full game ahead of Utah for eighth spot. Also, you wouldn’t believe how monstrous (good monstrous) Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic were against the Playoff-bound Bucks.

Today’s Best:

•        After leading the Lakers over the Blazers, Kobe Bryant tweeted how Damian Lillard was for real. Coming from a guy who score 47 points on top of 8 boards, 5 assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals? That’s saying A LOT.
•        Get this – Tobias Harris and Nikola Vucevic combined for 60 points and 39 rebounds to lead Orlando’s conquest of Milwaukee. That’s like three Dwight Howards right there.
•        The Denver Nuggets might just be the scariest team in the West. They have winning records against 7 of the other 8 West Playoff-worthy teams (the only exception is San Antonio; they went 2-2 against the Spurs this season).

Corey Brewer and the Nuggets might just be
peaking at the right time.
(image by Garrett W. Elwood/Getty Images)

Today’s Worst:

•        Cleveland’s Alonzo Gee didn’t exactly maximize his 31 minutes on the floor. Gee missed all of his three-pointers and ended up with a meager 4 points and 2 rebounds in the Cavs’ loss to Detroit.
•        Andre Iguodala has a nice triple-double line today – 12-13-10, but it was dampened by his day-high 7 turnovers. Yes, I am nitpicking, but he really has to cut down on those TOs if Denver is to achieve a deep postseason run.
•        Jeff Green’s anemic outing against the Nets doomed Boston. Green finished with only 11 points and 4-of-17 FG shooting while playing 35 minutes. This loss is Boston’s sixth in the last ten.