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The Hoop Doctors

Top 10 Centers of the 1980’s (1979-1989)

August 5, 2011 – R.S. De France

The Hoop Doctors continue looking back at the greatest centers in NBA history, decade by decade, with the 1980’s:

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1971 (ABA)
NBA Debut: 1977 season
In 1980’s:
Games 557
Points 11,148 20.0 ppg
Rebounds 4,181 7.5 rpg
Blocks 326 0.58 bpg
  • 1972 All-Star Game MVP
  • 1971 ROY
  • 7x All-Star (1970’s)
  • 13x playoffs (8x in 1970’s)
  • Best years: 1971-1974
  • Career: 22.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.0 spg, 79.3% FT’s, 2.4 apg
  • Rookie Season: 29.9 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 80.7% FT’s
  • Led ABA 3x in points

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1974 (ABA)
NBA Debut: 1977 season

In 1980’s:
Games 708
Points 9,627 13.6 ppg
Rebounds 6,000 8.4 rpg
Blocks 482 0.68 bpg

  • 1977 NBA Champion (Trail Blazers)
  • 5x All-Star (2x in 1980’s)
  • 11x playoffs (7x in 1980’s)
  • Career: 14.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 76.5% FT’s

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1980

In 1980’s:
Games 618
Points 11,657 18.8 ppg
Rebounds 4,937 8.0 rpg
Blocks 998 1.6 bpg

  • 1987 All-Star
  • 4x playoffs (2x in 1980’s)
  • Career: 17.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 1.0 spg, 74.7% FT’s
  • 1983: 24.1 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 1.4 spg

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1979

In 1980’s:Games 734
Points 10,327 14.0 ppg
Rebounds 7,957 10.8 rpg
Blocks 727 0.99 bpg

  • 1989 and 1990 NBA Champion (Pistons)
  • 4x All-Star
  • 9x playoffs (6x in 1980’s)
  • Best years: 1984-1987
  • 1984-1987: 15-17 ppg and 12-13 rpg
  • Career: 12.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 83.7% FT’s, 32.6% 3’s, 49.8% FG’s
  • Led NBA rebounds 2x and rpg 1x

Laimbeer and the Pistons are only team with winning playoff records against Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1984

In 1980’s:
Games 386
Points 8,883 23.0 ppg
Rebounds 4,677 12.1 rpg
Blocks 1,201 3.1 bpg

  • 2x NBA Champion (Rockets) ’94-’95
  • 1994 MVP
  • 2x Finals MVP (’94-’95)
  • 5x playoffs (1980’s)
  • 5x All-Star (1980’s) (7x career)
  • Career: 21.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 3.1 bpg, 1.7 spg, 71.2% FT’s, 51.2% FG’s
  • Led NBA in: rebounds 2x, blocks 2x, bpg 3x
  • 2x Defensive Player of the Year (1990’s)

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1971 (ABA)

In 1980’s:
Games 745
Points 12,173 16.3 ppg
Rebounds 7,020 9.4 rpg
Blocks 1,363 1.8 bpg

  • 1975 ABA Champion (Kentucky Colonels)
  • 6x All-Star (NBA) (5x 1980’s)
  • 6x playoffs (5x 1980’s)
  • Best years 1972-1985
  • Career: 18.8 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 2.4 bpg, 2.3 apg, 58.2% FG’s
  • 1st in FG %
  • 21st in blocks
  • 1974: 18.3 rpg
  • 1976: 24.6 ppg
  • 1972: 5.0 bpg
  • All 3 major awards 1970’s
  • Led NBA in: FG% 4x, rebounds 5x (ABA), blocks 3x (ABA), rpg 4x (ABA)

Gilmore and then teammate Dan Issel led the Colonels to 2 ABA Finals in the 1970’s.

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1977

In 1980’s:
Games 877
Points 14,623 16.67 ppg
Rebounds 9,205 10.4 rpg
Blocks 896 1.0 bpg

  • 1979 NBA Champion (with Dennis Johnson and Gus Williams)
  • 6x All-Star (7x career)
  • Career: 15.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.0 spg, 84.9% FT’s, 32.8% 3’s
  • 1987-1988 led NBA in FT shooting, 92.2%

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1976

In 1980’s:
Games 862
Points 15,347 17.8 ppg
Rebounds 9,111 10.5 rpg
Blocks 1,563 1.81 bpg

  • 4x NBA Champion (3x in 1980’s)
  • 9x All-Star (7x in 1980’s)
  • Best years 1979-1989
  • Career: 14.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 53.7% FG’s, 72.1% FT’s
  • 1989: 18.6 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.0 spg
  • 19th in points
  • 7th in rebounds
  • 10th in blocks
  • 21 seasons

Parish has as solid a body of work in the 1980’s as any great center. He’s tied for 1st in most solid years, 2nd in playoff record, 3rd in points, 3rd in rebounds, and 2nd in blocks.

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
Drafted: 1969

In 1980’s:
Games 787
Points 18,149 23.0 ppg
Rebounds 7,005 8.9 rpg
Blocks 1,910 2.42 bpg

  • 5x NBA Champion in 1980’s (Lakers) (6 career)
  • 5 MVP’s in 1970’s (1 MVP in 1980’s)
  • 1969-1970 ROY
  • 1970-1971 Finals MVP
  • 1984-1985 Finals MVP
  • 19x All-Star (10x in 1980’s)
  • 13.9 ppg in All-Star games
  • Career 24.6, 11.2, 2.6 bpg, 3.6 apg, 55.9% FG’s, 72.1% FT’s
  • 1st all-time in points
  • 3rd in rebounds
  • 12th in FG%
  • 3rd in blocks
  • 15th in ppg
  • 23rd in rpg
  • 8th in bpg
  • 12th in PER
  • Best ppg (’71-’72) 34.8
  • Best bpg (’75-’76) 4.1
  • Best rpg (’75-’76) 16.9
  • Best apg (’78-’79) 5.4
  • 3.8 bpg in playoffs (’79-’80)

Jabbar scored a ton of points in the 1980’s and blocked more shots than anybody else on this list. But, shot block specialists like Mark Eaton and “Tree” Rollins blocked more. Combined with Magic Johnson and an unbelievable cast, Jabbar won the most titles and had the best playoff record among the greatest centers of the ‘80’s.

The Sky Hook:

ABOUT STATISTICS NOTES
ABA Debut: 1975
NBA Debut: 1976

In 1980’s:
Games 860
Points 21,1113 24.5 ppg
Rebounds 11,713 13.6 rpg
Blocks 1,302 1.51 bpg

  • 1983 NBA Champion (76ers)
  • 1983 Finals MVP
  • 13x All-Star (11 in the 1980’s)
  • Best years: 1975-1985
  • Career: 20.3, 12.3, 1.3 bpg, 76% FT
  • 1981-1982 (PHI) 31.1 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 51.9% FG’s
  • 7th in points, 29, 580
  • 5th in rebounds, 17, 834
  • 22nd in blocks
  • 15th in rpg
  • 27th in PER
  • 1979, 1982 and 1983 MVP
  • Led NBA in rebounds 5x and PER 2x

Coming straight out of Petersburg High School, Moses Malone made an instant impact in the NBA, and he took command of the league in the 1980’s. Even though he only won one title in 2 trips to the NBA Finals, Malone combined an unparalleled ability to rebound and score the rock. The ‘80’s were his stage, and he put his skills on display.

Top 10 Playoff Plays:

Honorable Mention

Bob Lanier, Elvin Hayes, Patrick Ewing, Mychal Thompson, “Tree” Rollins, Bill Cartwright, James Edwards “Buddha”, Roy Tarpley C/PF, Herb Williams, Steve Stipanovich, Swen Nater, Mike Gminski “G-Man”, Benoit Benjamin, Darryl Dawkins “Chocolate Thunder”, Jeff Ruland, Mark Eaton

Rob S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition living in Los Angeles. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. De France has played, coached, and officiated competitive high school basketball in California for many years. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.

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