Can a center-oriented offense still win an NBA title?

[mastermind]

The answer is yes but you're asking the wrong question.

The right question would be is there a center that's good enough to build your team around that could win you the championship?

You can't tell me prime Shaquille O'Neal, prime Tim Duncan, prime Hakeem Olajuwon, etc., couldn't be thrown into the league right now and their team wouldn't be competing for the title. The teams with the best players win championships, it's just so happens there aren't many (any?) centers amongst the best in the league today.

This.

We have seen offense run through smaller player in the post (Kobe, Pierce, LeBron) just fine so why wouldnt' it work with bigger players on the same talent level?

He has to be a top 25 player of all time caliber of big for it to happen.

Average center no, hof center yes

I agree with you all, but when has this never been true? When has a team built around an average center won a title?

 

[Kill Dat Noize]

The last time we saw something real close to that was the '09 Magic and they went to the Finals but lost.

well maybe dwight "no moves in the paint" howard had something to do with that.

 

[itsyoung!!]

But...the '09 Magic were just that. A dominant center and shooters everywhere lol. Not that I specifically agree or disagree.

Dwight wasnt dominant though.. in the words of the great Shaq "HES ONLY GONNA GET YOU 20!"

Dwight cant and never has had the ability to take over a game/series (35 ppg type shyt in a series over 3-4 games tpye shyt.. ). Hes gonna get you 18-24 with a rare 30+ during that time period but offensively even in his prime he wasnt really a scorer like that.. his was "dominant" because at the time center position was at an all time low and his defense was good. But if he had ANY competition at the position at the time, he would of never been called "dominant"

 

[filial_piety]

Yes, as a matter of fact I think any coach worth his weight would prefer it that way.
When I look back at history with guys like Shaq, Ewing, Mourning, Mutumbo, Olajuwan, D. Robinson etc etc...they were always the key factor to the team's success and made their teams VERY competitive.

Curry is an anomoly, a once in a life time player. I wouldn't bank on getting a player like that.

 

[KevCo]

But...the '09 Magic were just that. A dominant center and shooters everywhere lol. Not that I specifically agree or disagree.

Wait...the magic won a championship in 09?

 

[Malta]

Yes, it would need to be a two way big and a team would be built around them with a stretch 4 at PF now.


That's also why Joel Embiid was supposed to go 1, he represented the rare two way big with elite potential on both ends. The Celtics are basically ready made for a center to be dropped onto their team.

 

[Loose]

I agree with you all, but when has this never been true? When has a team built around an average center won a title?

I can't name a team where an average center was the focal point of the offense and they won