You of course pretty much need a superstar #1 scorer who can take over a game and run the offense through, but that can come from any position+
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+32. You need A LOT of things to win a title, talent and depth everywhere. But looking at successful and disappointing teams, is center the most important position in the league right now? Does any team win a title without a versatile center who can adjust to different styles of play during the playoffs?
- Nuggets are the best team and have the best center.
- Warriors won a litany of titles because they can play Draymond at center. He has always been the skeleton key that unlocks their death lineup, without him nothing works. Looney was key to their recent title run as well now that Draymond has slowed down.
- The Heat have recently outperformed their record in the playoffs, partly due to having a center like Bam.
- The Celtics are great all over, which includes the Horford/Williams two headed monster. This year with Porzingis having a career renaissance they look even better.
- The Suns best year coincided with Ayton’s best year, every since he’s been inconsistent and so have they.
- Lakers won a title with Anthony Davis healthy and playing out of his mind.
- Kings hit a wall last year because Sabonis is great but can’t adjust to different styles of play and sucks at defense.
- Timberwolves were disappointing last year with Gobert struggling, but he’s better now and they look great.
- Mavericks finally got a center and look much better.
- Thunder added a great center and look much better.
- Clippers have been so talented but Zubac and nobody else is a bad center rotation and they keep disappointing.
- 76ers prove having a great center doesn’t guarantee deep playoff runs, but Embiid is good enough that they are always solid despite turnover and turmoil.
- Grizzlies collapsed in on themselves last year without Steven Adams (among MANY other reasons of course).
- Recent versions of the Nets have been talented but disappointing, partly due to having unreliable centers.
- Bucks won a title with Lopez in DPOY form and shooting the lights out, alongside Giannis who often operates as a center as well.
Is this something? Could you do this for any position, and I just have confirmation bias when going through the league right now?
The most important position is “guy who can create elite offense for himself and others.”
It doesn’t matter what position they play. They can be a center (Jokic), a PG (Steph), a wing (KD, LeBron).
Most title teams have a good center because it’s hard to win a title with a major weakness. Sooner or later, that weakness gets exposed.
You could do what you did above with almost any position. Warriors aren’t winning the '22 title without Wiggins elevating his game. Bucks don’t win the title without Jrue. etc etc etc. The issue isn’t positions, it’s weaknesses. In most years, in today’s fantastically deep league, it’s simply really hard to win a title if you have a major weakness.