List your top 10 best defensive centers.

[PosImpos]

Overall, Marc may need to move up my list a bit. Defensively, he is perhaps the 2nd best vs Dwight, holding him to 55%, but he seems to score the easiest vs Dwight at 14.4 pts and almost 66% FG.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=gasolma01&p2=howardw01

I'm using Dwight as my frame of reference for comparisons. I'm sure that Team Defense plays a role as well. I just thought the head-head matchups were interesting.

Edit: Our own JO appears to play Dwight 2nd best, behind Perk.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=onealje01&p2=howardw01

Get well, JO.

That's an interesting analysis, but I don't think ability to defend Dwight Howard is a definitive stat for determining the relative defensive ability of centers.

[GreenFaith1819]

Overall, Marc may need to move up my list a bit. Defensively, he is perhaps the 2nd best vs Dwight, holding him to 55%, but he seems to score the easiest vs Dwight at 14.4 pts and almost 66% FG.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=gasolma01&p2=howardw01

I'm using Dwight as my frame of reference for comparisons. I'm sure that Team Defense plays a role as well. I just thought the head-head matchups were interesting.

Edit: Our own JO appears to play Dwight 2nd best, behind Perk.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=onealje01&p2=howardw01

Get well, JO.

That's an interesting analysis, but I don't think ability to defend Dwight Howard is a definitive stat for determining the relative defensive ability of centers.

What other metric could be used, then? Defensive Win Shares, maybe?

[PosImpos]

Overall, Marc may need to move up my list a bit. Defensively, he is perhaps the 2nd best vs Dwight, holding him to 55%, but he seems to score the easiest vs Dwight at 14.4 pts and almost 66% FG.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=gasolma01&p2=howardw01

I'm using Dwight as my frame of reference for comparisons. I'm sure that Team Defense plays a role as well. I just thought the head-head matchups were interesting.

Edit: Our own JO appears to play Dwight 2nd best, behind Perk.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=onealje01&p2=howardw01

Get well, JO.

That's an interesting analysis, but I don't think ability to defend Dwight Howard is a definitive stat for determining the relative defensive ability of centers.

What other metric could be used, then? Defensive Win Shares, maybe?

That would be a start.  Also defensive rating, plus minus, among other things.  Of course there's always the imperfect SPG / BPG, too.

[jdpapa3]

1. Dwight
2. Bogut(even the injured version)
3. Chandler
4. Jermaine(playoff Jermaine was unreal...test me/him on this)
5. Marc Gasol
6. Bynum
7. Asik
8. Noah
9. Okafor
10. Perk(higher before injury, but not very useful after)

[GreenFaith1819]

Good Point, Pos.

Based off of Defensive Rating alone, here's my revised list:

1. DH - 98
2. JO - 100
3. Perk - 101
4. Dalembert -102
   Tyson - 102
   Noah - 102
5. Bynum - 103
6. Okafor - 104
   Bogut - 104
7. Horford - 105
8. DeAndre - 106
   Marc Gasol - 106

[The Walker Wiggle]

Chuck Hayes Bogut should be 3 or 2 on every list.

The only player besides Dwight Howard to get more than one first place vote for Defensive Player of the Year.

Chuck ranked better than Bogut in post defense, against spot up shooters, and overall in PPP allowed.

I'm disappointed that Horford hasn't gotten a mention yet either. Is this list shot blockers only?

And I'm uncomfortable including either Perkins or J.O. in the discussion given that they played in 29 and 24 games respectively.

[indeedproceed]

Bogut played injured for most of the year, and with a rotating cast of starting pfs and sfs

[Who]

(1) Dwight Howard

(2) Tyson Chandler
(3) Marcin Gortat
(4) Andrew Bynum -- would rank second if his defensive effort was more consistent
(5) Joakim Noah
(6) Andrew Bogut

(7) Omer Asik -- not 100% sure but I think he can handle high minutes
[8] Kendrick Perkins -- if able to regain his previous form otherwise he is towards the bottom
(9) Anderson Varejao -- more PF than C
(10) Tim Duncan
(11) M.Gasol
(12) B.Haywood
(13) Sam Dalembert

(14) Kwame Brown
(15) Nene
(16) LaMarcus Aldridge
(17) Al Horford
(18) Pau Gasol
(19) Emeka Okafor
(20) Brook Lopez

(21) DeSagana Diop
(22) Jermaine O'Neal
(23) Ronny Turiaf
(24) Kurt Thomas
(25) Chuck Hayes
(26) Marcus Camby
(27) Roy Hibbert

(28) DeAndre Jordan
(29) Darko Milicic
(30) Joel Anthony
(31) Epke Udoh -- more PF than C
(32) Eric Dampier
(33) Ben Wallace (not a high level defensive C anymore but still a high level defensive PF)

(34) Robin Lopez
(35) Jason Collins
(36) JaVale McGee
(37) Hasheem Thabeet

** Joel Przybilla is an unknown. No idea what he is capable of post-injuries. He was too poor to make this list based on his performance last season. Prior to that, he was in the upper half of this list.

[Shots]

I'd just like to remind people that Chicago consistently in the playoffs used Asik and not Noah, going down the stretch, where they were able to lock even the Heat down consistently. So, I don't at least see the argument of putting Asik below Noah. Noah to me is a high intensity and energy player, but not a top level player in terms of defensive skill.

My top 10 would probably be something like this:

1. Dwight Howard
2. Andrew Bogut
3. Tyson Chandler
4. Andrew Bynum
5. Kendrick Perkins
6. Omer Asik
7. Marc Gasol
8. Joakim Noah
9. Marcin Gortat
10. Emeka Okafor/Anderson Varejão

(This list is not based on their current level of play, but rather on their ability to play defense at 'full health')

[Eja117]

Perk and a bunch of other guys. 

[paulcowens]

Perkins is an excellent team defender, VERY aware of what the whole offense is doing, and of controlling the lane, not just defending his man.  He does benefit from having a strong  defender at pf who is mobile, like KG, but he also amplifies such a defender.

And yes, we need to keep front and center the fact that we are constantly talking about how desperately we need bigs, when WE HAD ONE OF THE BEST DEFENSIVE BIGS is nothing short of an insane situation to be in, thanks to Danny's manic episode.

[paulcowens]

1. Dwight
2. Bogut(even the injured version)
3. Chandler
4. Jermaine(playoff Jermaine was unreal...test me/him on this)
5. Marc Gasol
6. Bynum
7. Asik
8. Noah
9. Okafor
10. Perk(higher before injury, but not very useful after)

Do you folks understand how crazy some of the things you say are, in trying to rip Perkins, or Baby?   How the HELL did OKC almost make the finals, losing to the eventual champions, with a terrible center?  You know the answer.  They didn't.  Perkins made them a lot stronger even at 60%.

[syfy9]

1. Dwight
2. Bogut(even the injured version)
3. Chandler
4. Jermaine(playoff Jermaine was unreal...test me/him on this)
5. Marc Gasol
6. Bynum
7. Asik
8. Noah
9. Okafor
10. Perk(higher before injury, but not very useful after)

Do you folks understand how crazy some of the things you say are, in trying to rip Perkins, or Baby?   How the HELL did OKC almost make the finals, losing to the eventual champions, with a terrible center?  You know the answer.  They didn't.  Perkins made them a lot stronger even at 60%.

Honestly, I think Perk's game is overrated. He commits hard fouls and I rarely see him defend without fouling unless it's a block or a team effort. Perk is a great defender and all - and by no means is he a terrible center, but he did not carry the Thunder that far. In the Mavs series, Serge Ibaka (Who is not a center) looked like Robert Parish and Perkins looked like Sam Perkins.

I believe OKC could have gone as far as they have or further, with any of those centers listed (Except maybe Asik or Jermaine).

Don't get me wrong, Perkins is tough as can be, and is a pretty good defender, but in nowhere in his game could you call him "elite" (Except maybe his 1on1 post game). If he could defend without fouling (which he does often, but not enough), I would put him higher up in the list.

[greenpride32]

Perkins is an excellent team defender, VERY aware of what the whole offense is doing, and of controlling the lane, not just defending his man. 

In my opinion Perk benefited greatly from having KG by his side (you more or less said the same thing by calling him a  good team defender).  Nobody ever talked about Perk being a good defender before KG arrived.  All he has is size and hustle.  He is not agile on his feet, he can't block shots, rarely draws charges, and is an average rebounder. 

[CaptainJackLee]

1. Dwight Howard
2. Andrew Bogut
3. Tyson Chandler
4. Marcin Gortat
5. Andrew Bynum
6. Kendrick Perkins
7. Omer Asik
8. Tim Duncan
9. Joakim Noah
10. Samuel Dalembert