Post by kobe on May 6, 2020 5:42:47 GMT -8
As the creation draft has guys playing on teams they never would have before, I thought it would be a fun and informative idea to look at the best players in each division. I’ll start with the Central division since they have the best group of teams probably..
1st team Center
Alonzo Mourning, New Orleans Hornets
This was an easy decision here as Mourning is one of the best players in the league let alone his division. Mourning was arguably the best pick in the creation draft as he fell all the way to #21 for the Hornets to happily swoop him up. Zo is currently averaging 26.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 4.1 apg, 3.4 bpg and shooting 56% from the field. Just absurd numbers, Zo can and does do it all for the Hornets. And they need him to, as other than Karl Malone he hasn’t gotten much help from his teammates so far this year. But if the Hornets make a few moves to get him just a little more help then they can win it all with Zo. That's how good he is.
2nd team Center
Hakeem Olajuwon, Indiana Pacers
Hakeem Olajuwon, Indiana Pacers
Obviously this article isn’t about trade value in any way or 37 year old Hakeem wouldn’t be up here but the old man is having himself a season so far. The dream is averaging 3.4 bpg and 1 spg in 27 mpg, those are primo numbers and he’s a big reason why the Pacers have gotten off to a good start. Olajuwon even contributes on offense dumping in 11 ppg and 3 apg on 49% shooting. His rebounding is a bit of a weakness but still 9 rpg is more than fine as long as he isn’t surrounded by terrible rebounders.
1st team Power Forward
Kevin Garnett, Cleveland Cavaliers
Garnett probably isn’t having the season scoring wise of other PFs and that he probably wanted to but his stellar defense and rebounding is enough to make him the best PF in the division. He’s putting up 12.1 rpg, 1.8 spg and 1.9 bpg making him an early contender for defensive player of the year. Garnett is amazing defensively and really has to do a lot of work to cover up for some of the bad defenders he’s playing with currently so he’s very important to the Cavs just because of his defense. And don’t get me wrong he’s still having a solid season offensively putting up 17.7 ppg but not the most efficient at 45% FG and 2.5 tpg.
2nd team Power Forward
Tony Massenburg, Chicago Bulls
Tony Massenburg, Chicago Bulls
This choice is gonna surprise a lot of people but I'm extremely high on efficiency and Massenburg has been one of the most efficient big men in the league so far. And he’s a huge reason why the Bulls are as good as they are as he’s putting up 17.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.1 bpg, only 1 tpg and shooting 47% FG and 84%FT for them. I love that statline but others will criticize his rebounding. And that’s a valid argument but there aren’t a lot of great rebounding players in the league for him to deal with. And his efficiency makes up for it.
1st team Small Forward
Keith Van Horn, Cleveland Cavaliers
Van Horn has been leading the charge for the Cavaliers this year and is putting up impressive numbers to start the season at 24.6 ppg and 8.2 rpg on 48%FG and 40% from 3 point range. Van Horn’s elite rebounding for a wing gives him a huge advantage over other guys but he is a bit of a turnstile defensively. That’s his only weakness is that he gives up just as many points as he scores every night so he has to be a top option guy to be effective. And he is very effective! Not many other wings can boast those kinds of numbers and he’s still just entering his prime so he should be good for a long time for the Cavaliers.
2nd team Small Forward
Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons
Grant doesn’t get talked about much with the great players in the league but he’s quietly having a fantastic season for the Pistons. Hill is averaging 23.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.6 apg and 1.9 spg on 48% from the field. Really great numbers as Hill is certainly making his case as one of the best wing players in the league. Hill doesn’t really have any weaknesses but if he keeps working on his three point shot then he could really become a superstar as he has all of the other necessary tools to do so.
1st team Shooting Guard
Ray Allen, Toronto Raptors
The Raptors took Allen with the 10th overall pick in the creation draft expecting him to be their franchise player and he has been that and more thus far. We already knew Allen was one of the best shooters in the league but his all around game has been impressive for Toronto as he's putting up 26.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.9 apg and 1.8 spg on 50% from the field and 3 point line which is extraordinary. Toronto is still deciding whether or not they want to go all in this year since they have some older players on the roster but they can still be patient since Ray is only 25 he will be there for a long time.
The Raptors took Allen with the 10th overall pick in the creation draft expecting him to be their franchise player and he has been that and more thus far. We already knew Allen was one of the best shooters in the league but his all around game has been impressive for Toronto as he's putting up 26.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.9 apg and 1.8 spg on 50% from the field and 3 point line which is extraordinary. Toronto is still deciding whether or not they want to go all in this year since they have some older players on the roster but they can still be patient since Ray is only 25 he will be there for a long time.
2nd team Shooting Guard
Michael Finley, Chicago Bulls
Finley was a good pick in the 2nd round of the creation draft by the Bulls and he has rewarded them by having a great year so far putting up 23.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg with 48%FG and 46% from 3 point land. Not many SGs in the league are putting up better numbers than that right now and if the Bulls were to camp Finley that could really take him to the next level.
1st team Point Guard
Steve Francis, Atlanta Hawks
Francis isn’t a PG any of the teams trying to win right now would probably want but with the numbers he’s putting up and the lack of great PGs in the division, he gets the nod here. You can’t deny his numbers 25.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 7.8 apg, 2.3 spg is one of the best stat lines in the league even if he is the only guy on his team with a pulse. And he has managed to lead the Hawks to some early victories but I’m not sure how much longer that can last and I’m sure the Hawks GM wouldn’t mind losing more anyway. But the sky's the limit for Francis as long as he is able to reign in those turnovers and become a better outside shooter which shouldn’t be too difficult, the shooting part at least.
2nd team Point Guard
John Stockton, Toronto Raptors
I like Stockton a lot and I would definitely choose him over Francis if I was trying to win this year. But Stockton is 38 so this could be his last hurrah and he’s making it a great one with the Raptors as he has been one of the best PGs in the league because of his efficiency. Stockton is averaging 15.7 ppg, 9.2 apg, 1.5 spg and only 1.3 tpg. His shooting %s could be a little higher but still solid there too. John isn’t a great rebounder and can’t really stop anyone defensively at this point in his career but I love what he brings to the table, he’s a winning player.
Team Breakdown:
Chicago Bulls (2)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
Toronto Raptors (2)
Detroit Pistons (1)
Charlotte Hornets (1)
Indiana Pacers (1)
Atlanta Hawks (1)
Team Breakdown:
Chicago Bulls (2)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
Toronto Raptors (2)
Detroit Pistons (1)
Charlotte Hornets (1)
Indiana Pacers (1)
Atlanta Hawks (1)
