HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors

With the updated Top-150 Overall rankings already posted, as well as the rankings for the Top 50 guards and forwards as well; today we’ll finish the breakdown by individual position by listing the Top 40 centers for the 2012-2013 season

As always, it is important to mention that these rankings are based on a nine-category rotisserie league format – the nine categories being: points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, three-pointers made, turnovers, FG%, and FT%.

Also please note that any player with center eligibility in Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues will be listed; which means that many players will be ranked at multiple positions, i.e. forward as well as center. Beneath the rankings, I included a number of random stats and interesting tidbits to help explain the thinking behind a handful of these selections…

* When healthy, Kevin Love has been as proficient as any player in the sport. Look at the ridiculous numbers he posted in March: Over 16 games that month, he averaged 30.7 points, 13.9 boards, and 3.0 three-balls.  He finished the year averaging 26 ppg, 13.4 rpg, and 1.9 three-pointers. Consider this: Love averaged more rebounds than Andrew Bynum; more points than Carmelo Anthony; and more three’s than Jason Richardson. In historical context, Kevin Love has a higher career rebounding average than Shaq, and averages more three-pointers per game than Larry Bird. In addition, Larry Bird’s career-high in made 3T’s in a single season was 98. Kevin Love made 105 three’s in 55 games last season.

* Last season, Andrew Bynum appeared in 60 games, averaging 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 35.2 minutes, ranking him among the league leaders in scoring (20th), boarding (3rd), FG percentage (4th), and blocks (6th). He became just the fifth Laker in franchise history (joining Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and George Mikan) to record 30+ rebounds in a single game on 4/30. Then, in L.A.’s next game, he scored 30 points in a 103-97 Lakers victory over the Denver Nuggets at STAPLES Center. In doing so, Bynum became the first NBA player with 30 rebounds in one game and 30 points in the next since Moses Malone had 32 rebounds on February 11, 1982 and then scored 32 points in his next game, two days later… Now that he no longer has to share the spotlight (or the basketball) with Kobe out in L.A., Bynum (if healthy!) has an opportunity to see his scoring opportunities increase dramatically as the focal point of the Philadelphia 76ers offense.

* I loved Ryan Anderson as a sleeper last season, scooped him up late in nearly every draft in which I partook, and he delivered in a major way. What separates Anderson from the pack is the fact that’s he’s center-eligible and contributes in a number of different categories, without hurting you in any. Not only did Anderson lead the league in three-point makes last season, he also averaged 7.7 rebounds and turned the ball over fewer than once per game. Now a member of the Hornets, Anderson will be looked at as a primary scorer on the frontline.

* We know the deal with Dwight Howard – he is far, FAR more valuable (Top-10 overall) in 5-category leagues and head-to-head formats. But in nine-cat leagues, which are what these rankings are based on, his FT% is crippling. Last season, Dwight shot just 49.1% from the stripe. Not only does he shoot poorly from the line, he gets there more than any other player in the NBA (10.6 attempts per game), which really drags down your overall score in roto leagues. (As a point of comparison, Corey Maggette averaged just 6.5 attempts per game, but still averaged more FT makes). The other major blemish on Howard’s resume is the turnovers. Last season, he turned the ball over 3.2 times a night. Again, if you are playing in a five-category league (which tallies solely points, boards, assists, steals, and blocks), feel free to take Dwight early in the first round. If you play in an 8 or 9-cat league, let somebody else make the mistake of reaching for him too early.

* Marcin Gortat was a monster last season, but what happens now that his partner in pick-and-roll crime (Nash) has left for Hollywood? It is unlikely Gortat would approach last seasons numbers without Nash running point in the Valley of the Sun. Nash & Gortat were the most effective PNR duo in the NBA last season. Per Fox Sports Arizona, Gortat was 118th among NBA players in points-per-play on the block, converting just 42% in 1-on-1 situations. However, with Channing Frye sidelined the entire season due to a heart issue, Gortat could see an increase in his playing time.

* Anthony Davis will make an immediate impact on the defensive end of the floor. A rebounding machine at Kentucky (10.4 rebounds per game) and a defensive dynamo (4.7 blocks and 1.4 steals per game), the #1 overall pick is expected to step in and make significant contributions in those categories from the very start of his initial NBA season. Unfortunately, you’ll likely have to reach early on in your draft to secure his services, as the big man’s undeniable upside will have fantasy GM’s salivating on draft day.

* Over the final 11 games Glen “Big Baby” Davis played in last season (excluding the final contest in which he left early dude to injury), Davis averaged 17.7 ppg (on 50.6 FG percentage), 9.5 rpg, and 1.5 spg. With Dwight Howard sidelined, Davis was viewed as a crucial source of offensive production. As we know, D12 is in La La Land, which means Big Baby will see the ball early and often in Orlando.