5. Is Rudy Gobert really the best Center in the NBA?
If voters can’t stomach the thought of having a first team center who plays for a Pelicans team that is going to finish at least ten games under .500, Rudy Gobert will likely get the nod over Davis.
Gobert is neck and neck with Green in the DPOY race, and he has been the one constant for a Jazz team that has overcome an onslaught of injuries to remain in position for home court in the first round. At 14 points, 13 rebounds, and almost three blocks per game, he has the numbers to back up the selection.
After the Stifle Tower and the Brow, the race for the final spot is wide open. Marc Gasol is on the verge of 100 blocks and 100 threes while playing fantastic two-way basketball for a Grizzlies team that has stayed the course despite their own injury woes.
DeAndre Jordan has been every bit as good as last year when he was named the first team center. Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic have been amazing in their sophomore campaigns, but the Wolves will finish with about 35 wins, Jokic has only started 55 games, and neither plays much defense. Hassan Whiteside should garner a few votes.