By Alvin Halimwidjaya
When I play pickup basketball at the Lombardi Fieldhouse, I’m always stunned by how many people do what I don’t expect them to do. I’ll see short people take shorter people down in the post, centers popping out for threes and a person that is very clearly taller than me running the break with better handles than I could ever hope to have. This vein of “positionless basketball” runs through every level of play and all the way up to the NBA, and its evolution is most apparent at the forward positions.
Throughout the course of NBA history, forwards have played very defined roles. Whether it’s small forwards like Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins dominating the perimeter or power forwards like Karl Malone and Tim Duncan commanding the post, the two positions were confined to a specific set of responsibilities on the court. However, in more recent years, 3s and 4s have made versatility their calling card.
Since 2010, playmakers like Hedo Turkoglu and Lamar Odom sparked interest with their ability to direct a second-string offense with aplomb, and in the past couple of years, Lebron James has played point guard in disguise for the Cavaliers while Kevin Durant moved to center in the Warriors’ “Death Lineup” and won Finals MVP. This year, a whole new breed of forwards is paving ways with their own specific combination of skills, while others are expanding their repertoire to keep up with the NBA’s rapid evolution.
Two examples of small forwards who have grown into their respective teams’ primary ballhandlers are the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 76ers’ Ben Simmons, although they use their size advantage towards different ends. For Giannis, it’s all about rampaging in the lane and dunking on every living being in sight. By bringing the ball down the court for the Bucks, the Greek Freak has been able to channel his inner Russell Westbrook and use his downhill momentum to supercharge the two steps he seems to take from halfcourt into a two-handed slam.
Ben Simmons, on the other hand, uses his role as the floor general to maximize his incredible court vision. Because of his size and athleticism, he has maneuvered his way into the lane with ease, kicking the ball out to shooters like Joel Embiid and J.J. Redick. The Wonder Down Under — a nickname I just made up — has succeeded in Philadelphia’s youth movement because of the impact he can make by becoming the primary ballhandler.
Power forwards have also gotten in on the ballhandling, perimeter-oriented action. Though the Warriors’ Draymond Green comes to mind first when fans think of a 4 who can run the floor, the Magic’s Aaron Gordon is another forward that has expanded his game to become a more significant point of his team’s offense leading the Magic to a 6-4 record through vastly improved handles and shooting.
After shooting just under 29 percent from beyond the arc throughout his first three seasons, he is knocking down 2.6 (!) three-point attempts per game at a 58 percent (!!) clip. In the Magic’s surprisingly competent start, Gordon has started to display skills beyond his incredible vertical and athleticism, as he has repeatedly pulled up from three in transition a la Steph Curry. With his frontcourt mate Nikola Vucevic also spreading the floor this season, Gordon’s development has subsequently raised the Magic’s level of play by a significant margin.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, Chris Paul’s departure from the Clippers this past summer has allowed Blake Griffin to blossom into the freewheeling, All-NBA talent he’s always been capable of becoming. With Griffin running pick and rolls and taking defenders off the dribble, he’s been able to open up so much more space on the floor for the other players on the Clippers. With weapons like Deandre Jordan, Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams, the Clippers’ offense is now akin to a Lamborghini driver whose speed limit of 40 miles per hour has finally been lifted.
Not to be forgotten as a rising talent is Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis; after three straight losses to start the season, the Knicks have reeled off five wins in their last six games, with Porzingis averaging over 32 points per game on above 50 percent shooting before Sunday’s game against the Pacers, where he went off for 40 points and six blocks. With a reach that could wrap around both MSG and Penn Station, KP’s sharpshooting playing style gives him a huge advantage, as he just shoots over smaller defenders and drives right by slow, plodding big men. His ability to score like a guard from the perimeter gives the Knicks a glimmer of hope as their dark Dolan days continue.
With so much changing in the game of basketball today, fundamental skills and unique talents are becoming more and more important in the NBA. No one can really control how tall or short they’re going to be; trust me, I know. However, the most recent crop of NBA forwards have been the clearest examples of how the league has blended positions together to simply have the five best players on the court when the game is on the line.
