Top NBA Big Men In The Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference in the NBA isn't known for big men, let along true centers. Mostly power forwards and swingmen permeate the East. The West, meanwhile, has household names such as Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard,  Zack Randolph, Kevin Love and Anthony Davis.  Here are five notable bigs out of the East. 

1. Andre Drummond.

This dude is a beast, plain and simple. He scores,  rebounds and blocks. Guys find it difficult in the paint against him. The Pistons will either need to build around him, or risk losing him to another team needing that center spot to complete their roster.

2. Roy Hibbert

I mention him next because despite his youth and at times lack of aggressive play, he is still a true center. He is more known for blocking shots with his seven foot frame. His rebounding leaves much to be desired, but is slowly coming along. He is surrounded with other great players in the paint such as David West and Paul George. All of them have a blue collar work ethic and now the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Hibbert will continue to prove he's more than a one-trick pony.

3. Al Jefferson. 

After further investigation and years of watching him, Jefferson is actually much better than Hibbert,  and has rejuvenated the Bobcats into a playoff berth. He may not be a true big, but at 6'11,  he plays like one. He is simply dominant, and has been for years on different teams. It appears the Heat will face the future Hornets in the first round. They will have problems down low since they really don't have a great center, and Bosh can't hang with him the entire series.

4. Spencer Hawes.

He was dominant at center and power forward for the Kings and Sixers before joining a young and improving Cleveland Cavaliers squad. Hawes is one of those guys that rebounds, blocks, and can shoot from high and low range. He can play, period,  has good size, and can't be disregarded.

5. Al Horford.

You may question if he is a true center or another power forward. However, Horford's ability and athleticism are rarley in question. He has suffered with many injuries in his NBA career but on the court at full strength, he holds his own. He caught my eye when he played at the University of Florida alongside Joakim Noah and continues to impress me.

Honorable mention: Noah,  Tyson Chandler, Brook Lopez

The NBA: a month into the 2013-2014 season

The NBA is in full swing, along with the NFL, college football and basketball.  In just a short month, there is a lot to rave about. 

HOT STORIES:

Bulls PG Derrick Rose is injured yet again, this time it's his other knee. He may do like Thomas Davis or Adrian Peterson in the NFL and make a full recovery, or retire early like Brandon Roy. It would be a shame to see him go, as he is very talented.  Nets coach Jason Kidd made a lame move to try and stall the game, just after coming off of suspension himself. He played a long time in the league, and he knows David Stern doesn't play around. Therefore, he should have did better.

Meanwhile, the Heat are still good, but not the hottest team in the league right now. That would be the healthy OKC Thunder, the underrated Spurs, or the upstart Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are a bunch of blue collar playmakers that could very well end the Heat's reign in the Eastern Conference.

WORST:

The mighty Boston Celtics are rebuilding under a new coach and an inexperienced squad. The Knicks are really missing an inside presence and are underperforming. Kobe Bryant has been cleared to practice and signed a contract extension. Nevertheless, it could be too little, too late for the Lakers. The Clippers are now the dominant team in LA. Many other teams appear to already be donning the slogan "Riggin for Wiggins" referring to Kansas player Andrew Wiggins, who is expected to be a high draft pick in 2014.

MISCELLANEOUS:

The Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Houston Rockets are all much improved. Dwight Howard has appeared to find a good fit in Houston.  The Timberwolves are playing fine ball right now also, and Golden State are trying to establish themselves as a Western Conference power. It also appears Philadelphia's Michael Carter-Williams is the rookie of November, and could be the NBA Rookie of the Year.

It would be nice to see the Pacers, Thunder, Spurs or another team give the Miami Heat a serious challenge come playoff time. The Christmas Day games will be here before we know it, and many will be watching.  It will also set the stage for All-Star Weekend.

Maybe this year there will be more exciting dunks in the Dunk Contest and well-known players. In any event, stay tuned for more news regarding the NBA season