The Power Forward, along with the Center position, make up most of the Rebounding and Blocks statistics your team will have. Usually, you should get more offensive production (points and FT% especially) from your Power Forward than your Center. Some Power Forwards are also eligible to be played at the Small Forward or Center position. These combo players add nice depth to your lineup, as you have more options for setting your starting squad. Here's a list of Power Forwards that will give your NBA fantasy team the chance to play for the championship.
Top Tier
1. Pau Gasol, LA Lakers, PF/C - Pau Gasol is the best fantasy big man at both the Center and Power Forward positions. Gasol really plays the Power Forward position. However, due to an early-season injury of big man Andrew Bynum, Gasol has taken over at the 5 slot. Take advantage of this in your NBA fantasy league if he is available as a Center. Gasol is consistent, plays major minutes, and doesn’t get hurt often. Here are his numbers from the first half of the season:
18.5 ppg, 2.0 bpg, 51.1 FG%, 10.7 rpg, 3.9 apg, .7 spg, 1.9 TO, 82.4 FT%
Gasol's high scoring, assist, and free throw percentage totals make you forget about his poor shooting average. That should pick up in the second half of the season as Bynum returns, opening up better looks for Gasol. If Gasol is only available as a Power Forward in your league, he is still worthy of an early-round pick. However, his value is certainly greater as a combo player.
2. Amare Stoudemire, NY Knicks, PF/C - Same thing as Gasol. He should play the 4, but in Mike D'Antonoi's offense, Amare fits the Center position. He will continue to dominate the rest of the season. Pick up STAT without any qualms as a Power Forward, Center, or more preferably, both.
26.4 ppg, 2.4 bpg, 50.5 FG%, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, .9 spg, 3.6 TO, 78.5 FT %
Turnovers are high for Amare, but so are points and blocks.
3. Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves, PF - I suspected Kevin Love would have a breakout year (I wrote as much in my blog (check my profile), and to a lesser extent here, at the beginning of the season), and Love has surpassed even what I projected. He is just a rebounding machine. He is always in position to grab a board, and understands the angles that the ball comes off the rim. He is also tenacious as a pit bull on the glass. In most leagues, Love doesn't qualify as a Center, but he is still worth an early draft pick. I suspect Love will be the anchor on many NBA fantasy championship squads at the end of this season.
21.2 ppg, .3 bpg, 46.4 FG%, 15.7 rpg, 2.5 apg, .6 spg, 2.31 TO, 87.3 FT%, 59 3PM
In addition to tremendous rebounding totals, Love scores the ball well from the line and beyond the arc. There aren't many Power Forwards who will contribute from downtown. Pair Love with a Center with high block totals and a high field goal percentage to make an imposing front court on your fantasy team.
Not Quite Elite
4. Blake Griffin, LA Clippers, PF - Blake Griffin is a beast. He's running away with Rookie of the Year honors, and I don't think he'll hit the rookie wall that slows so many rookies down at the end of the season. Get this guy on your NBA fantasy basketball team. He may slip further than he should in many leagues, so you may end up getting tremendous value from him in the third or fourth round. He just keeps getting better as the season progresses, always a sign you like to see going into a second half draft. On a non-fantasy note, Blake Griffin will also appear in the NBA All Star Slam Dunk Contest this All Star Weekend.
22.5 ppg, .65 bpg, 52.5 FG%, 12.8 rpg, 3.4 apg, .7 spg, 2.73 TO, 60.8 FT%, 4 3PM
Griffin's two downfalls are his blocks totals and his free throw shooting. Both should improve with time, Griffin recently had a 9-11 FT performance.
5. Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, C/PF - See Center page for NBA fantasy draft analysis of Horford.
6. Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks, SF/PF - The ultra-athletic Smith plays both forward positions in many fantasy leagues. This gives him additional value for his stats, which are so good because he fills up so many categories. This guy can be an X-factor on your team, giving you the edge in steals, blocks, rebounds or points. He doesn't excel at any one category, but adds some value almost across the board.
16.0 ppg, 1.8 bpg, 46.4 FG%, 8.9 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 2.65 TO, 72.7 FT%, 31 3PM
Pair Smith with a combo PF/C with good rebounding numbers and field goal percentage to give your fantasy team much flexibility in the front court.
7. Lamarcus Aldridge, Portland Trailblazers, PF - Aldridge is really starting to come into his own this season with the Trailblazers. After Brandon Roy went down with an injury, Aldridge has stepped up to be his team's leading scorer and paint defender. Most leagues only list him as a PF, but if you can get him as a combo player, he is a better play than Smith and maybe even Horford going forward. He logs heavy minutes, and his team will contend for a playoff spot all season.
21.1 ppg, 1.2 bpg, 48.7 FG%, 8.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.1 spg, 2.1 TO, 77.3 FT%, 3 3PM
Aldridge's numbers have increased to 26.3 ppg and 11.1 rpg since Roy has been injured. If Roy comes back, Aldridge's numbers may drop. However, the Blazers may decide to shelf Roy for the rest of the year, especially if Wes Matthews and Rudy Fernandez perform at high levels in his absence.
Best of the Rest
Here are other players that are worth picking up in your NBA fantasy basketball draft. Look for one of these players in middle to late rounds, where they have real value. You'll have to look up their stats on your own.
- Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks, PF
- Al Jefferson, Utah Jazz, PF/C
- Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz, PF
- Tim Duncan, SA Spurs, PF/C
- Lamar Odom, LA Lakers, PF/SF
- Luis Scola, Houston Rockets, PF/C
- Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls, PF
- Chris Bosh, Miami Heat, PF/C
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