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NBA Rankings: Top 10 centers for 2014-15

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 18, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets power forward Dwight Howard (12) talks to Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets power forward Dwight Howard (12) talks to Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Richardson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 20, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) falls onto Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Nets 121-120 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

10. Brook Lopez:

2013-14 Stat Line: 17 games, 31.4 MPG, 20.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.8 BPG, .563/.000/.817 shooting, 25.5 PER

If we knew for sure we’d see a completely healthy Brook Lopez in 2014-15, he’d be much higher on this list. Had he not suffered yet another season-ending foot injury 17 games into his 2013-14 campaign, Lopez would’ve posted a top 10 Player Efficiency Rating as one of the league’s most efficient interior scorers. So while the news that Lopez has been fully cleared to play is great, we have to take it with a massive grain of injury-prone salt.

In the past three seasons, Lopez has missed 134 games out of a possible 230. In two of those three seasons, he’s suffered a year-ending foot injury just weeks into the season. It’s usually good to give players the benefit of the doubt when they’re coming off a serious injury, but there are just some guys who can’t stay healthy and Brook Lopez feels like he’s one more setback away from joining their company.

Lopez is a dynamic scorer, though he’s a lackluster rebounder considering his size. If he’s healthy, the Nets will be in a better place, especially following the departure of Paul Pierce, Shaun Livingston and most likely Andray Blatche. However, we also can’t ignore that Brooklyn became a much better team after Lopez went down and Jason Kidd started experimenting with some hybrid lineups to compensate, so between that and the injury history, Lopez barely squeaks in at No. 10.

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