NBA: Top 10 big men heading into the 2019-20 season
6. Blake Griffin, Detroit Pistons
2018-19 stats: 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks, 46.2 shooting percentage, 36.2 3-point percentage
Blake Griffin had a bit of a resurgence year during his first full season in Detroit after being traded midway through the 2017-18 campaign. Some people have given up on Griffin being a franchise-changing talent but that doesn’t change just how good of a player he still is.
You have to give credit to the guys that see and understand the game is changing and you have to be able to do certain things, such as shooting 3-pointers, to stay on the court. Griffin transformed his game and it is one of the reasons he was an all-star again this past season, and why the Pistons were able to make the playoffs this past year.
Griffin attempted a career-high seven 3-pointers per game and shot a decent percentage on them. He is still capable of dunking on a defender’s head but Blake has always had the skill to impact the game in other ways. Leading his team in assists, his passing has been on full display since his departure from the Clippers as he is one of few bigs who can grab the rebound and initiate the offense.
5. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
2018-19 stats: 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 2.3 blocks, 66.9 shooting percentage
Rudy Gobert has yet to make an all-star team through the first few seasons of his career but his impact on the Utah Jazz is well known. The back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year is a defensive system all by himself.
Gobert can cover up any mistakes and make up for lesser defenders when on the court, his instincts and feel for what the opposing team is going to do is top-notch. He posted a defensive rating of 100.4, good for third in the league and finished second in defensive win shares at 5.7.
While he does not blow anyone away with his offensive repertoire, he excels as pick-and-roll man and can finish around the basket.
With Mike Conley in town, another player to draw attention on offense, Gobert could be seeing more opportunities at the rim with lobs and dump-offs. His defensive presence alone makes the Jazz a tough team to beat. Should he start to add an offensive game, Utah could be a serious threat in the Western Conference.