02/04/04 ...A beautiful day in Northern California may have sent many to the golf course. Me? I spent time watching Viktor Khyrapa of CSKA Moscow as his squad took on Panathenikos. The Euro League contest was on NBA-TV. Khryapa is a mobile, strong, inside / outside threat that is listed as a top pick in the 2004 NBA draft. Victor Alexander (slimmed down) was also on the Moscow roster. ...Mikki Moore has signed with the Utah Jazz. ...The Eastern Conference coaches in the NBA are collectively in question for naming Jamal Magloire to the All-Star team. I am the first to acknowledge Magloire's improvement from level of collegiate to professional. However, Magloire isn't having as good a year as he had last year. So he's an All-Star? And Zydrunas Ilgauskas is not? The Eastern coaches had to pick a backup a center. But Jamal Magliore? He has 2 turnovers for every assist. He's a 69% free throw shooter. The only category where Magliore is superior to Ilgauskas is rebounding (and his team's number of wins.) Magloire by the NBA's definition is a Center, and he is arguably among the best pivots in the "rugged east" for the first half of the season (which is what I believe the all-star squad should be based on). Magloire should be commended for coming to work. He played all 82 games last year. ...To me, a Center blocks shots. If you can't do that you are not a true Center in my book. The position may need redefinition because everywhere you look 'small ball' is cropping up. The Orlando Magic, who by the way do not win very often, play Juwan Howard at Center more often than not. Andrew DeClerq, who starts, plays limited minutes. Howard has blocked only 14 shots in over 1700 minutes which is a HUGE part of why the Magic get housed often.

Look (table below) at each Eastern team, and the five players who have logged the most minutes on each squad. Logic says, of those five, one has to be playing Center. We pick out the most likely "Center" on each team and rank them.

The BasslineSpin.com Eastern Conference Center rankings. as of Feb 04, 2004. (Center based who has played the most minutes on his team)

Player	Team	EFR	Minutes	Ht.	Weight
Jermaine O'Neal	Pacers	.600	1744	6'11"	242
Zydrunas Ilgauskas	Cavs	.552	1435	7'3"	260
Ben Wallace	Pistons	.531	1935	6'9"	240
Samual Dalembert	Sixers	.506	1169	6'11"	250
Joe Smith	Bucks	.490	1430	6'10"	225
Kurt Thomas	Knicks	.484	1600	6'9"	235
Mark Blount	Celtics	.478	1283	7'0"	250
Jamal Magloire	Hornets	.478	1614	6'11"	259
Etan Thomas	Wizards	.461	1078	6'10"	260
Eddy Curry	Bulls	.456	1194	6'11"	285
Theo Ratliff	Hawks	.439	1557	6'10"	235
Chris Bosh	Raptors	.435	1385	6'10"	210
Juwan Howard	Magic	.423	1754	6'9"	230
Brian Grant	Heat	.407	1377	6'9"	254
Jason Collins	Nets	.324	1309	7'0"	260

Also, is Ron Artest really that good? Just asking. I know he plays defense and he is a warrior like Ronnie Lott. ( next)

 

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