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The new breed of NBA big men
Using an eight-archetype study to determine most important skills, top players
Originally Published: November 12, 2014
By Kevin Pelton and Jordan Brenner | ESPN Insider
The idea of categorizing the NBA's big men by their skills began, as so many brilliant breakthroughs do, in Las Vegas. As the
Insider hoops team watched marathon summer league sessions, doubled down on every 11 and even enjoyed a Sim Bhullar-
sized cut of meat, the conversation often drifted to the brilliance and versatility of budding superstar Anthony Davis of
the New Orleans Pelicans. It seemed to us that Davis appeared capable of fulfilling every responsibility entrusted to a
modern big man. And, in an age of increasing specialization, those roles are diverse and plentiful.
So that got us thinking about the league as a whole and the universe of big men. How many different skills could we dissect?
Which players were the most versatile? Which jobs were the most important? With those questions in mind, we launched our
study. We first settled upon eight jobs for big men, four at each end of the court. After coming up with statistical criteria to
objectively place post players in each category (they had to rank in the top quartile of players who saw at least 1,000
minutes of action last season), we used lineup data from NBA.com/Stats to determine the performance of lineups with and
without each skill.
The result is a reasonably comprehensive taxonomy of the NBA's power forwards and centers (97 of them), along with new
insight on the importance of their varied roles. (And another testament to the creative magnificence of Vegas.) Check out
the chart at the bottom of the story to see every post player who qualified.
Note: The chart is not a ranking, but rather a grid showing into which categories every post player (who qualified for the
study) fit.
Facilitators

Measured by: Assist rate and elbow touches per game (via NBA.com/Stats)
Examples: Marc Gasol, Joakim Noah, Josh McRoberts
You know those bigs who catch the ball at the elbow, wheel on their pivot foot and find a cutter off a gorgeous, backdoor
pass? Those are facilitators, and their presence in the NBA is growing. Last season, five big men (Noah, Kevin Love,
McRoberts, Blake Griffin and Marc Gasol) averaged at least 3.5 apg, as their teams counted on them to initiate much of the
offense. Those are the high-profile facilitators, but by combining assist rate with elbow touches -- one of the new statistical
gems that SportVU's player tracking data has produced -- we uncovered several more.
Sure enough, playing a big man who can pass tends to improve a team's offense. Lineups featuring at least one facilitator
posted a 108.7 offensive rating, compared with 107.9 when that player was off the court. And their teams were better
defensively, too, giving up 1.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with that facilitator on the floor. The fact that some of the
league's best defensive bigs, starting with Noah and Marc Gasol, fall into this category certainly helps explain the results on
that end of the floor. But the offensive influence is legit (lineups with facilitators assisted on 60.3 percent of their field goals,
as compared with 57.8 percent for all others), and there's no question that the success of these elbow-based operators is
clearing the way for future generations of big men with a soft touch.

Finishers

Measured by: Field goal percentage within 3 feet (via Basketball-Reference.com)
Examples: Chris Andersen, Blake Griffin, Brandan Wright
Scoring around the basket is seemingly the simplest skill for big men, but when it comes to finishing, they're not all created
equal. Some players (such as Wright) utilize soft touch to score over equally large defenders, while others (such as Griffin
and teammate DeAndre Jordan) are able to finish through them with a powerful dunk. One or the other is crucial for pick-
and-roll basketball, which has become the default offense for modern NBA teams.
Lo and behold, finishers have more positive impact on their teams' offenses than any other offensive category. Lineups with
at least one finisher on the floor averaged 110.5 points per 100 possessions last season, as compared with a 107.4 offensive
rating for all others, while improving 2-point percentages from .481 to .507. So if someone describes a big man as "just a
dunker," that might not be an insult.

Post scorers

Measured by: Points scored on post-ups per 36 minutes (via Synergy Sports)
Examples: Nikola Pekovic, Al Jefferson, Zach Randolph
Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty ImagesZach Randolph is an example of a big who thrives in the post.
There is no more enduring image than this one: Big man posts up. Big man receives pass with his back to the basket. Big
man executes a move and scores. And although the NBA grows more consumed with the pick-and-roll and the corner 3 with
each passing season, this species of big will never disappear. In fact, teams should still covet these guys.
Last season, teams with a post scorer put up a 109.4 offensive rating, the best of any of the eight archetypes. That output
dropped to 107.7 with the post scorer off the floor. That group includes some of the best, most versatile bigs in the league
(Davis, Love,Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki), so it's little surprise that they also made an impact on defense (107.2 defensive
rating on the court, 108.5 off the floor). Post play might be on the decline, but that's just because skilled, back-to-the-
basket scorers are hard to find. If you've got one, you're in good shape.

Stretch bigs

Measured by: Shots from beyond 15 feet per 36 minutes (via Basketball-Reference.com)
Examples: LaMarcus Aldridge, Ryan Anderson, Dirk Nowitzki
No skill for big men is more in vogue than the ability to space the floor with outside shooting. The stretch 4 is the new
hotness in the NBA, which makes it surprising that statistically, this skill grades out as something of a wash. Players we
categorized as stretch bigs saw their teams perform 0.8 points per 100 possessions better on offense, as expected, but not
as much as finishers or post scorers, and gave up that value on the defensive end of the floor.
One difficulty with defining stretch bigs is figuring out how to factor players such as Aldridge and Jason Smith, who specialize
in long, 2-point jumpers. We settled for including them, but using 3-point attempts per 36 minutes yields a slightly different
list. That stricter definition of stretch bigs yields more offensive improvement ... but also more defensive decline. Bigs who
shoot 3s still rate as a net neutral. So it's worth asking whether we've overrated the value of shooting for big men.

Mobile defenders

Measured by: Points per play against pick-and-roll (via Synergy) and steal rate
Examples: Chris Bosh, Draymond Green, Anderson Varejao
The NBA is a pick-and-roll league, and stopping that play has become the top priority of a defensive game plan. And nothing
makes that task easier for a coach than being able to utilize a versatile, athletic big man. These guys excel at showing and
recovering against ball screens, enabling them to cut off a point guard's path to the basket while still keeping track of their
own man. Mobile bigs are also the guys you want chasing stretch 4s off the arc, and they use their quickness to deflect entry
passes to force steals.
Our study paints a less-than-flattering picture of their impact, though. While the presence of a mobile big does marginally
improve a team's defense (from 108.3 points per 100 possessions off the floor to 107.7 on it), they seriously injure the
offense (minus-1.3 net points per 100 possessions). Their 107.1 offensive rating is also the lowest of any of the eight
archetypes and leads to several questions. Chief among them: Have coaches gone too far in valuing speed over size? And,
outside of a pure shot-blocker, does it really make sense to utilize a defensive specialist, given the other sacrifices involved?

Post defenders

Measured by: Points per play against on post-ups (via Synergy Sports)
Examples: Omer Asik, Kendrick Perkins, Tiago Splitter
Scott Cunningham/Getty ImagesOmer Asik has carved a niche as a post defender.
As long as post play remains a part of offenses, there will be a need for post defense. The ability to counter opposing
behemoths in the block is a large part of why Perkins remained a starter through last season and the Collins twins (Jarron
and Jason) played a combined 23 years in the NBA.
Surprisingly, the numbers suggest that post defense is still a crucial skill. Lineups with at least one post defender allowed 0.7
fewer points per 100 possessions and were more effective at the offensive end -- possibly because of the overlap between
good post defenders and good post scorers. Howard, Jefferson and Love were some of the stars who qualified for both
categories.

Rebounders

Measured by: Defensive rebound percentage
Examples: DeMarcus Cousins, Reggie Evans, J.J. Hickson
As the name suggests, these guys are entrusted with one job on defense: Finish a stop by securing the board. Sure, plenty
of top bigs combine strong defensive rebounding with other skills, from shot-blocking to post D, but there are also plenty of
one-trick ponies in this group, too, such as Evans and Hickson.
It shouldn't be a surprise that the impact of rebounders is minimal. After all, they don't make the play on defense. They
finish it. And even the most skilled rebounder can't compel a missed shot to bounce his way. The stats showed that rebound
specialists improved a team's defense by only 0.2 points per 100 possessions; their impact on offense was nearly identical
(0.3 points per 100 possessions). Even worse, lineups with rebounders were only marginally better on the defensive glass at
the team level, improving their rate from 74.5 percent of available defensive boards to 75.0 percent. Rebounds are
important, but forcing a missed shot in the first place matters more.

Rim protectors

Measured by: Combination of block rate and opponent field goal percentage at the rim (via NBA.com/Stats)
Examples: Roy Hibbert, Serge Ibaka, Larry Sanders
With improved floor spacing and the rules interpretation limiting contact on the perimeter making it easier for guards to
drive the paint, it's never been more crucial to have a 7-footer in the paint capable of protecting the rim like a goalie. By
giving us new ways to measure rim protection beyond merely the occasionally misleading block statistic, SportVU player
tracking has enhanced the visibility of these players.
The lineup numbers back up the value of rim protection. Lineups with at least one protector are far stingier, allowing 2.5
fewer points per 100 possessions than all other lineups. As expected, these lineups cut down dramatically on opponent 2-
point percentage (.472 vs. .491). So while rim protectors have a slightly negative offensive effect, they still rank as the most
valuable defensive category.

Categorizing every big man (minimum 1,000 minutes in 2013-14)
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Kevin Love MIN SB PS F R PD 3 2 5
Dwight Howard HOU FI PS RP R PD 2 3 5
Kyle O'Quinn ORL FI RP R PD MD 1 4 5

Carmelo Anthony NYK SB PS F PD 3 1 4
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Dirk Nowitzki DAL FI SB PS PD 3 1 4

LaMarcus Aldridge POR SB PS F R 3 1 4
DeMarcus Cousins SAC PS F R MD 2 2 4
Tim Duncan SAS PS F RP R 2 2 4

Carlos Boozer CHI SB PS F R 3 1 4

Nenê Hilario WAS PS F PD MD 2 2 4
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Joakim Noah CHI F RP R MD 1 3 4
Anthony Davis NOP FI F RP MD 2 2 4
Dante Cunningham MIN FI SB F MD 3 1 4
Kevin Garnett BKN SB F R MD 2 2 4

Bismack Biyombo CHA FI RP R PD 1 3 4

Blake Griffin LAC FI PS F 3 0 3
Greg Monroe DET PS F PD 2 1 3

Al Jefferson CHA PS R PD 1 2 3
Roy Hibbert IND PS RP PD 1 2 3
Jonas Valanciunas TOR PS R PD 1 2 3

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Marc Gasol MEM FI PS F 3 0 3
Pau Gasol LAL PS F R 2 1 3

Nikola Vucevic ORL PS R PD 1 2 3

DeAndre Jordan LAC FI RP R 1 2 3
Chris Bosh MIA FI SB MD 2 1 3
Anderson Varejao CLE F R MD 1 2 3
Marvin Williams UTA FI SB MD 2 1 3

Mason Plumlee BKN FI F PD 2 1 3

Jordan Hamilton HOU SB PD MD 1 2 3

Greg Stiemsma NOP FI RP MD 1 2 3

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Zach Randolph MEM PS F 2 0 2
David West IND PS F 2 0 2

Taj Gibson CHI PS RP 1 1 2

Markieff Morris PHX PS PD 1 1 2

Nikola Pekovic MIN PS PD 1 1 2
Thaddeus Young PHI SB MD 1 1 2

Serge Ibaka OKC FI RP 1 1 2
Marcin Gortat WAS FI R 1 1 2

Andre Drummond DET R PD 0 2 2

Paul Millsap ATL F MD 1 1 2

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Spencer Hawes CLE F R 1 1 2

Draymond Green GSW PD MD 0 2 2
Andrew Bogut GSW RP R 0 2 2

Andray Blatche BKN F MD 1 1 2
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Samuel Dalembert DAL RP R 0 2 2

Mike Scott ATL FI SB 2 0 2

Elton Brand ATL FI RP 1 1 2

Luis Scola IND SB F 2 0 2

Mirza Teletovic BKN SB PD 1 1 2

Chris Andersen MIA FI RP 1 1 2
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Nick Collison OKC F PD 1 1 2

Kosta Koufos MEM RP PD 0 2 2

Zaza Pachulia MIL F PD 1 1 2

Andrea Bargnani NYK SB RP 1 1 2

Ian Mahinmi IND RP MD 0 2 2

Kendrick Perkins OKC RP PD 0 2 2
Andrew Nicholson ORL FI SB 2 0 2

David Lee GSW PS 1 0 1

Enes Kanter UTA PS 1 0 1

Amar'e Stoudemire NYK PS 1 0 1

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Robin Lopez POR RP 0 1 1

Josh McRoberts CHA F 1 0 1
Channing Frye PHX SB 1 0 1

Amir Johnson TOR FI 1 0 1

Terrence Jones HOU FI 1 0 1

Jared Sullinger BOS SB 1 0 1

Boris Diaw SAS F 1 0 1

Miles Plumlee PHX R 0 1 1

J.J. Hickson DEN R 0 1 1
John Henson MIL RP 0 1 1

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Timofey Mozgov DEN RP 0 1 1

Tyson Chandler NYK R 0 1 1

Glen Davis LAC MD 0 1 1

Trevor Booker WAS FI 1 0 1

Patrick Patterson TOR SB 1 0 1

Jordan Hill LAL R 0 1 1

Ersan Ilyasova MIL SB 1 0 1

Cody Zeller CHA F 1 0 1

Anthony Tolliver CHA SB 1 0 1

Omri Casspi HOU SB 1 0 1

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Tiago Splitter SAS PD 0 1 1
DeJuan Blair DAL MD 0 1 1

Jeremy Evans UTA FI 1 0 1

Steven Adams OKC RP 0 1 1
Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Darrell Arthur DEN SB 1 0 1

Robert Sacre LAL PD 0 1 1

Brandan Wright DAL FI 1 0 1
Tristan Thompson CLE 0 0 0

Brandon Bass BOS 0 0 0

Derrick Favors UTA 0 0 0

Player Team FI SB PS F RP R PD MD Off Def Tot
Jason Thompson SAC 0 0 0

Derrick Williams SAC 0 0 0

Kelly Olynyk BOS 0 0 0

Kris Humphries BOS 0 0 0

Ryan Kelly LAL 0 0 0

Lavoy Allen IND 0 0 0

Tyler Zeller CLE 0 0 0

Key: FI = Finisher; SB = Stretch big; PS = Post scorer; F = Facilitator; RP = Rim protector; R = Rebounder; PD = Post
defender; MD = Mobile defender