Drafting the Right Big Men

Quality centers and power forwards aren't always easy to come by in some drafts. Most are already obvious, but it's important to keep in mind how they will pair alongside your other players. Here's a list pointing out how they've been doing in this shortened season.

No-Brainer Pick ups

• Kevin Love (PF/Wolves) – Love doesn't last on the draft board for more than three picks these days. If you're looking for a 6'10'' forward that can stroke it 35% from beyond the arc while averaging a double-double, this is him. Kevin is coming off a 42-point performance over the Blazers on Saturday, dropping five three-pointers and nabbing ten boards.
• Dwight Howard (C/Magic) – Dwight is the obvious grab for your center slot. He puts up double-doubles effortlessly each night and will get his share of blocks and steals along the way. Howard is averaging 20.8 ppg. and 14.9 rpg. this season for Orlando.

Efficient Big Guys

• Andrew Bynum (C/Lakers) – Bynum is worth an early draft pick if you plan to have a stacked set of guards in your fantasy team. The 24-year-old center will give you points in the high teens while averaging 12.8 rebounds per game. If this big center were to get moved before the deadline, his value could sky-rocket.
• LaMarcus Aldridge (PF/Blazers) – A certified low-post scorer that can also give you double-digit rebounds from night to night. Aldridge is having one of his best seasons this year and has been able to easily net 20 points a night against any opponent.
• Al Jefferson (PF/Jazz) -- Jefferson is no longer a secret when it comes to drafting a quality center that can give you the numbers. The Jazz absolutely love to utililize Jefferson on all sorts of creative sets to allow this big guy to average nearly 20 a night. Jefferson is also a menace around the glass, averaging 9.4 boards this season in Utah.
• David Lee (PF/Warriors) – Golden State is investing nearly $12 million a year on their lone big man, David Lee to provide the productiveness in the paint. Lee is currently red hot in his last ten games, averaging 20.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
• Blake Griffin (PF/Clippers) – Blake is averaging 21.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season. The addition of Chris Paul has taken the leadership load off of Griffin and while also letting him dominate around the glass.

Heating Up

• Dirk Nowitzki (PF/Mavericks) – Nowitzki shooting the ball much better in the second half of the season, averaging 23.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in his last ten games. This year he's shooting 35% from the three and can still light up the scoreboard on any night. Last week Dirk was able to torch Utah for a 40-point outing, before hanging 27 points on the Thunder in the following game.
• Josh Smith (PF/Hawks) – Smith is sizzling in the early days of March, and continues to put up better numbers with each game. The absence of some of his teammates has allowed Smith to become the scorer he wants to be, while also being an effective rebounder.
• Marcin Gortat (C/Suns) – Gortat is a fantasy favorite for those looking for the cheap path to points and rebounds. Marcin can also bring home some blocks for your team, while peppering in several boards and points in the mid teens on a nightly basis. Recently, the Suns have put together a nice winning-streak that has Gortat working like a horse around the paint.

Late Steals

• DeMarcus Cousins (PF/Kings) -- Cousins is putting up 16.2 points and 11.4 boards a game in his sophomore season. These numbers will surely make it easy for anyone to take a stab at the young big man. His main problem lies behind the stupid fouls he tends to commit, which end up taking away from his playing time.
• Pau Gasol (PF/Lakers) – Gasol has been pitted under the radar lately in some drafts, mainly because he's not the same power forward from two years ago. Still, Gasol is sixth in the league in double-doubles, with a total of 22 this year. He's putting up 16.7 points and 10.4 boards for the Lakers, look for a real slight bump in these numbers as the playoff push begins in the West.
• Thad Young (PF/Sixers) – Coach Collins is now giving Young some more minutes now that the tall athletic forward is finally putting up consistent numbers. Thad is averaging 16.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in his last five games for the Sixers. He continues to come off the bench for the Sixers, but played 38 minutes in his last game against Milwaukee.
• Greg Monroe (C/Pistons) -- Monroe is becoming more and more comfortable as the Pistons' primary center. He's not one of the best scorers, but can be looked as one of the fiercest rebounders in Detroit since the old Ben Wallace days. He's looking to close his sophomore season in the league with a solid line of 16.7 ppg. and 10.1 rpg.