Monday 06th May 2024,

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

Rob August 5, 2011 Blogs, R.S. De France 4 Comments

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.