The Top NBA Centers for the 2011 Season

Centers have been a dying breed in the National Basketball Association ever since the likes of David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Hakeem Olajuwon retired. Centers these days are not as aggressive in the paint as they were in both the 1980s and 1990s. For example, Hakeem Olajuwon would take over basketball games by being defensive threat near the rim against his opponents. He was extremely reliable in the shot blocking departing by typically averaging three blocks a game. Olajuwon would also dominate games by scoring twenty five to thirty points per game. He was basically unstoppable according to superstar center Shaquille O'Neal. David Robinson was also a gem during the 1990s. He flourished immediately as soon as he stepped onto the basketball court. Anyway, here are the rankings for the best centers in the NBA.

The third best center in the NBA would be David Lee of the Golden State Warriors. That may come as a surprise to many fans since he has never been under the radar due to his team's poor performance. David Lee is actually the only player in his position that can put up twenty points and over ten rebounds per game. This is a rarity among these types of players because nowadays you would have centers afraid of playing aggressive defense. Lee had recently been traded to the Warriors from the New York Knicks and little is known on whether the Warriors can actually make the postseason. The Warriors do have a shot, but players like Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry must remain healthy throughout the season. He could very well be a superstar next season if he plays even harder on the defensive end. Expect David Lee to maintain the same numbers as he did last season.

Surprisingly enough, I consider Tim Duncan as the second best center in the league even though he typically plays the power forward position. The great thing about the San Antonio Spurs superstar is that he is such an awesome all around player. He can play both positions without a problem since he is rarely overpowered by other players. The only player he has ever struggled against was Shaquille O'Neal during his prime. He didn't exactly struggle against him, but O'Neal did have over seventy pounds on Duncan. You could also say that Kevin Garnett gave him problems during games, but they were not as notable as Shaquille's. Tim Duncan may likely stop playing at the center position since the Spurs have signed Tiago Splitter from Brazil. Look for Duncan to take the Spurs to the postseason once again.

Finally, the title as the best center in the league would easily go to Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard. Howard is the only legitimate center in basketball and he possesses the body of a real big man. Most centers are less than six feet and ten inches, but Howard is around 6'11''. Howard has been the rebounding king for three consecutive years by averaging over thirteen rebounds per game. Howard is the only dominant center that can carry an entire team on his shoulders. He's basically a franchise player who can terrorize defenders with his brutal force. He is a rarity in basketball since he fits the description of a true basketball center. Howard and the Orlando Magic almost made it to the NBA Finals last season. Expect him to make a lot of noise throughout the 2011 NBA playoffs.

Brook Lopez from the New Jersey Nets is another center to watch in the 2011 basketball season. Now that his Nets team is loaded with talent, he can now help the Nets win over forty games. Lopez has been putting up big numbers, but his teammates have not. Expect Brook Lopez to have another breakout season. He may be another superstar center on the horizon if he raises his stats considerably.