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Do low-post scoring centers make sense in the NBA? | USA Today

"There's a lot of factors, but first of all is the mindset," Gobert said. "Some guys don't worry about defense. They just want to score. But I think if you want to win, you know, you've got to worry about defense."

"I tell them to be very aggressive on the perimeter so that we don't give up wide-open shots. Make the guy drive at me," Gobert said. "When the guy comes to the paint, I'm right there.
"That was the main thing for us since the beginning of the season: being able to communicate because it's the most important thing in team defense."
 
There's a lot of factors, but first of all is the mindset," Gobert said. "Some guys don't worry about defense. They just want to score. But I think if you want to win, you know, you've got to worry about defense.
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So incredibly grateful Gobert fell into our laps at 27 in the draft. Also, the fact that we have guys with this mindset at the 1 and the 5 position is huge for us going forward and I think is the single biggest reason we have turned it around.
 
Stifle Tower said:
"There's a lot of factors, but first of all is the mindset," Gobert said. "Some guys don't worry about defense. They just want to score. But I think if you want to win, you know, you've got to worry about defense."

"I tell them to be very aggressive on the perimeter so that we don't give up wide-open shots. Make the guy drive at me," Gobert said. "When the guy comes to the paint, I'm right there.
"That was the main thing for us since the beginning of the season: being able to communicate because it's the most important thing in team defense."
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Dude. Gets. It.
 
Stifle Tower said:
"I tell them to be very aggressive on the perimeter so that we don't give up wide-open shots. Make the guy drive at me," Gobert said. "When the guy comes to the paint, I'm right there."
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"Gasol is the only center averaging more than 16 points per game this season for a team with a winning record."

"Consider that defensive-minded, low-scoring centers Tyson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan and Gobert are in the top five in offensive rating, which measures points produced per possession by a player."

I thought these quotes were both extremely telling.
 
To me this doesn't say that having a scoring center cannot lead to a winning record. Really it is more about trying to have as many complete players as you can (defense and offense), but generally to be an elite team you still need someone to be "the man" and in that case it doesn't really matter what position he plays. We have seen championship teams with "the man" at all 5 spots. It's about getting that player and building around him to fill in the gaps.
 
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Spinoza said:
So incredibly grateful Gobert fell into our laps at 27 in the draft. Also, the fact that we have guys with this mindset at the 1 and the 5 position is huge for us going forward and I think is the single biggest reason we have turned it around.
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Thanks Denver..lol
 
LogGrad98 said:
To me this doesn't say that having a scoring center cannot lead to a winning record. Really it is more about trying to have as many compete players as you can (defense and offense), but generally to be an elite team you still need someone to be "the man" and in that case it doesn't really matter what position he plays. We have seen championship teams with "the man" at all 5 spots. It's about getting that player and building around him to fill in the gaps.
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To me what it shows is that to win, a defensive center is more important than an offensive powerhouse of a center. Basically a team will win a lot more with a Def 80 / Off 50 center than with a Off 80 / Def 50 one. This doesn't mean that the whole package sucks though ! A Tim Duncan type of center, great defender / rebounder and great on offense is fantastic, but in today's NBA the role of the center is indeed first and foremost defensive.

The reason why those great big defensive centers have great offensive advanced stats is also because they allow their team to go on offensve after a change of possesion rather than a basket : when a team goes on offense after a defensive rebound and more so blocks/steals, their scoring efficiency is significantly higher because the defense isn't set properly : there are usually a couple of guys from the other team that haven't had time to get back in position. There has been a few examples this year with Gobert where he blocked or altered a shot and ran back the other end for a dunk. In that context offensive "skill" becomes secondary : it doesn't require too much skill to run down the floor and score on an unprepared defense when you are 7+ feet tall and your wing/Pg gives you the ball 3 feet away from the rim. But to score in the post on a set defense is a lot more difficult, yet both baskets are worth the same amount of points.

EDIT : I would add offensive rebound to these "change of possession" offensive possibilities. Basically a player that gives you lots of change of possesion via blocks, steals, altering shots so that there are more defensive rebounding possibilities, defensive rebounds AND offensive rebounds is giving you a massive boost on offense because scoring success is considerably higher after a change of possession. THIS is a big defensive center's contribution to the offense and it shows in advanced stats.
 
Interesting article on Grantland on Okafor's future in the NBA : it explains how the evolution of the center position in the NBA has made defense a priority and devalued somewhat players with Okafor's skillset. Gobert is mentioned once as an illustration of that premium given to 5 who can protect the rim and move fast enough to form the backbone of a collective defense
 
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