Are teams pushing small ball too far in these NBA playoffs?

Which kind of NBA center is the most helpful?

A lot has been made of the different types of bigs that are required for today’s playoff basketball and I want to weigh in on the debate. This post is not aimed at guys like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid—who are absurdly dominant on the offensive end and should rarely come off of the court in the playoffs.

No, let’s talk about the other, non-MVP centers who have made appearances this postseason. I’m talking about the bigs who are mostly confined to the paint on both ends of the floor but provide varying levels of rim protection, physicality and rebounding. The (typically) smaller and more mobile centers who are better equipped to defend 5-out offenses while offering versatility in pick-and-roll coverages. I’ll even throw in the bigs that are an awkward combination of everything, but not great at either.

The first round of the playoffs showed us that the paint-bound big was mostly off-limits. Kevon Looney, Andre Drummond and Steven Adams were ultimately benched for not being able to keep up on defense. Instead, the smaller or more mobile fives shined — Bam Adebayo, Brandon Clarke, Maxi Kleber, Larry Nance Jr., etc. 

I admit it’s been weird to witness Rudy Gobert become less impactful each postseason, even if that has almost everything to do with covering for Utah’s lackluster perimeter defense rather than his play-type not being suitable for a seven-game series. Still, I can’t fully commit to selling stock in that archetype of player. Not when roster construction is the most important factor.

Brook Lopez doesn’t seem to have many issues being impactful on defense. Nor does Deandre Ayton. And both Milwaukee and Phoenix are two rounds away from earning consecutive Finals appearances while utilizing a 7-foot centers as drop-coverage defenders. Why? Those guys are great at what they do and have other quality defenders around them to make schemes work.

This whole tangent is not a knock on small-ball. I actually find it immensely useful on both ends of the court, especially if it’s giving you an advantage on the offensive end. However, I do believe that every team could benefit from rim protection, bolstered rebounding and size to make life “more difficult” for the aforementioned Jokic and Embiid quality of talent. If that comes in the form of someone Draymond Green’s size, then so be it.