Top Five Centers in the NBA

The days of the dominant centers are sadly gone. No longer do we have the joy of watching guys like Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, or Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. Despite the lack of dominance at the center position, there are still a handful of talented big men. I'm going to rank the top five centers in the league right now. Just so you all know, guys like Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, and Pau Gasol are not eligible for this list because even though they've spent time as centers, they're true position is power forward.

5. Brook Lopez

(http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1183277-nba-free-agents-2012-predicting-where-top-players-will-land)

I had a hard time choosing who got this last spot on my list. I finally settled on Brook Lopez, who is actually the leading scorer among centers this season with 18.8 points per game. He has always had a potent offensive game, averaging 17.7 points over his career, but this season he's doing it at his most efficient level since his rookie season (52 FG%). He's also posting a career high in blocks at 2.2 per game. Although he is a great scorer there are other aspects of his game that still need work if he wants to move up this list. He needs to get a little better at passing from the post, as well as increase his rebounding. 7.1 rebounds per game is way too low for a seven footer, showing his lack of effort and desire in that facet of the game. If he can bring that number up to ten per game then we can start to talk about Lopez as a top 3 three center

4. Al Jefferson

(http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Al+Jefferson/Utah+Jazz+v+Dallas+Mavericks/mRshL8TMiGY)

Al Jefferson is one of the few traditional centers left in the NBA. He's an old fashioned, back-to-the-basket post up player that uses fundamental footwork and great touch around the basket to score. Sadly, this skill is undervalued and under appreciated by fans because it's not flashy like Blake Griffin's dunks or Dwight Howard's blocks. Despite flying under the radar he continues to put up great numbers, scoring 17.7 ppg (2nd among centers) and grabbing 9.4 rpg. The Jazz are currently hanging on to the last playoff spot in the West, and if they're going to have any hope of fending off the Lakers it will be on the shoulders of this man.

3. Joakim Noah

(http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1169074-chicago-bulls-why-joakim-noah-is-the-biggest-x-factor-in-the-nba-playoffs)

Yeah....try unseeing that picture...but seriously this picture perfectly exemplifies Joakim Noah's value. He plays with immense passion and seemingly infinite energy. As I've said before, when you have a guy that plays that hard, it automatically rubs off on his teammates, giving the entire team a boost. This energy allows him to grab 11.4 rebounds per game while also playing great team defense. He's a great help defender, blocks 2.3 shots per game, and steals the ball 1.3 times per game. While his offensive game isn't extremely refined, he's a better post player than people give him credit for, resulting in 12 points per game. The most impressive aspect of his offensive game, however, is his passing ability. He is the best passing center in the game right now, averaging 4.2 assists per game. Of all the people on this list, Noah probably has the least amount of talent, but makes up for it with a passion rarely seen in sports today.

2. Al Horford

(http://projects.ajc.com/gallery/view/sports/hawks/hawks-2012-homeopener/)

Former teammate of Noah at the University of Florida, Al Horford has quietly become the second best center in the NBA. The Hawks have flown under the radar this season but are currently sitting at 5th in the East despite losing Joe Johnson to the Nets during free agency. Without Johnson, the Hawks' leading scorer since arriving in Atlanta in 2005, Horford has stepped up and taken on a bigger role. The result is that he is having a career year, averaging 17.4 points per game to go along with 10 rebounds per game. He's also shooting 56% from the field and dishing out 3.3 assists per game. His offensive versatility is what makes him the player that he is today. He can score in the post, step out and hit a mid range jumper, or set up teammates with his above average passing ability. While the future of teammate Josh Smith is in question, the Hawks at least have Horford to build around for the future.

1. Dwight Howard

(http://dimemag.com/2012/10/dwight-howard-gets-dissed-again-by-shaq-memphis-adds-star-power/)

I mean....yeah....I guess....whatever.