The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Is Rim Protector Nerlens Noel A Starter For A Championship Team?

By Bret Stuter

Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dunks during the third quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dunks during the third quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (left) and center Joel Embiid (right) share a laugh during warm ups before a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel (left) and center Joel Embiid (right) share a laugh during warm ups before a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The Company You Keep

In 2015-2016, the team never seemed to have everyone healthy.  As a result,  the talent level of the team fell by quite a bit.  The point guard situation was unsettled until the arrival of Ish Smith at Christmas time.  The front court situation was horrendous as well, as Noel attempted to play power forward as Jahlil Okafor played his post offensive game.

But the matter of whether a championship team needs a starting center rim protector, or can that be served form the bench?

Joe Boozell covered the ten best rim protectors in the NBA in a January 2015 article (which would have missed on Noel’s first full season).  In this article, his top ten protectors are:

10: Anthony Davis
9 :  Robin Lopez
8:   DeAndre Jordan
7:   DeMarcus Cousins
6:   Tim Duncan
5:    Dwight Howard
4:    Serge Ibaka
3:    Roy Hibbert
2:    Andrew Bogut
1:    Rudy Gobert

Now, you may ask why Hassan Whiteside or John Henson, or even Cole Aldrich failed to make this list?  To be honest, it could simply be the matter of the articles timing.

The focus of this article is to determine whether at championship team needs a starting center who can block everything in sight, or can that role come from the bench?

Let’s examine some recent champions:

San Antonio Spurs
Golden State Warriors
Cleveland Cavaliers

Next: Spurs