How Powe Can Play Center

by Jeff Clark on Nov 6, 2008 9:00 AM EST in Boston Celtics News & Links

Scott Souza has a nice look at Leon Powe filling in as the backup center on this team, despite being generously listed at 6'8". How does he do it? Leon gives us some insight:

Through the first two weeks of the campaign, Powe has already found himself looking up nearly a foot at Houston’s Yao Ming and more than eight inches while guarding Cleveland’s Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

At first glance, Powe always appears to be on the wrong end of the mother of all mismatches. But as soon as opposing teams try to exploit it, they often find Powe plays a lot bigger than his size.

Powe knows he doesn’t have the height and length to bother a shot around the rim, so instead he tries to use his low center of gravity to force taller opponents out of the paint and away from easy opportunities.

“You’ve got to do your work early — pretty much above the 3-point line,” he said. “You can’t give up too much ground, because if you give up a lot of ground he’s going to be able to just turn and shoot that hook over you. You’ve got to keep them as far away from the basket as possible and make them take contested jump shots.

“I just try to use my strength, my muscle, to keep them at bay. In this league, you only have to do it for two or three seconds before you’re going to get help.”

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Comments

Powe also has a 7'4" Wingspan

Google it. It should be there.

by William_Ayers on Nov 6, 2008 9:33 AM EST reply actions

Sounds a lot like Dave Cowens

And he is a hall of famer

by michael32951 on Nov 6, 2008 10:05 AM EST reply actions

about Rondo

I hold my own opinion about this kid,,,,he’s not all of what i thought he might be. Does any one else agree or am I crazy for thinking this?

by richardlight on Nov 6, 2008 12:58 PM EST reply actions

I like him

I think he’ll be very, very good. Will he be an All Star? That’s a tougher question.

by Jeff Clark on Nov 6, 2008 1:23 PM EST up reply actions

Powe or Big Baby

I love Leon. He gets his shot off vs much larger players and part of that is just scorer’s instinct. Perk still gathers. Not Leon.

But, I think Big Baby does a better job using his width to make up for lack of length.

These last few games have shown me the bigs off the bench are not over-matched or needing the “veteran presence” that is worn out by other bloggers.

by Wildblu1 on Nov 6, 2008 3:08 PM EST reply actions

Powe hasn’t been back up center this year, Big Baby has. In fact, Powe is only playing a few extra minutes. If I remember correctly, it was Big Baby guarding Shaq and Big Z. When Powe comes in, he is always PF. And he’s not even a very good post defender. If he is in with KG, KG moves to center. If not, it’s Big Baby moving to center.

While Powe has played admirably this season, he hasn’t done it at the backup center spot;

by Greg on Nov 6, 2008 3:32 PM EST reply actions

While not trying to sound as down on Powe’s plat as Greg here, I do think he is right in that I haven’t seen him playing a whole lot of center. I love Leon and hope his pimpin’ ways continue(where are you Bassthumper, we miss you?) because I think he is a great backup power forward and could start for some teams. But he hasn’t been nor will he play much center. 82games.com has him as having played under 1% of the available minutes thus far at center for the Celtics.

http://www.82games.com/0809/08BOS7C.HTM

by nickagneta on Nov 6, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

Davis and Powe have proved that you don’t have to be a seven footer to defend the post. BBD is the same size as Wes Unseld, who was a great post defender and HOF center. In fact, BBD is a little taller than Unseld.

As for Powe, just look at his arms. He has the standing reach of a 6-10 or 6-11 player. It’s a misnomer to say that he’s “only” 6-8.

by Brickowski on Nov 6, 2008 4:02 PM EST reply actions