The 'Real' Roy Hibbert

Poor Roy Hibbert...I know the man has put up donuts in multiple categories in this year's playoffs, but has it really come to this? It's one thing for Samuel L. Jackson to rag on Hibbert on Twitter, but Gilbert Arenas? The man who single-handedly killed the Wizards franchise for about, I dunno, 5 seasons? The player who's greatest accolades are doing number 2 in a teammate's shoe and nearly setting off a fire-fight in a locker room? Or Tracy McGrady? The superstar who never even got out of Round 1 of the playoffs until he rode San Antonio's bench to the Finals last year? (I actually like and feel for T-Mac, but still.)

No, this is too much.

The truth is that Hibbert's demise has been of epic proportions. Name another All-Star center who had multiple 0 point, 0 rebound postseason games. You can't, because it's never happened before. Everyone is postulating as to why this is. Was it simply a match-up issue against Atlanta, who uses big guys that hover around the 3-point line and shoot 8,000 triples a game? But the Wizards, who Hibbert also vanished against in Game 1 of this series, play 2 traditional bigs in Nene and Gortat. And Hibbert gave Miami, who plays more of a small-ball lineup, fits last year. So, maybe it's partially that, but there are counterarguments to be sure.

Is it purely psychological? Personally, Hibbert doesn't strike me as having a killer's demeanor. This is a guy who was basically a nothing-player until his last season of college ball, and he was a late bloomer on the NBA level as well. Could he be a little bit fragile? You bet your a** he could be. But then again, this doesn't seem like Chuck Knoblauch not being able to throw to 1st base either.

Is there so much turmoil on the Pacers right now, that Hibbert can't function? Now, I'm not a beat reporter, but the troubles within the Pacers' organization are well documented. Larry Bird isn't sold on Coach Frank Vogul. Lance Stephenson is a ticking timebomb ready to go off at any moment, and he apparently has gotten into it with teammates at times this year...at least he did with Evan Turner. Others we aren't so sure about yet. We all know Indy traded away veteran locker room presence (and apparently very well liked and well respected dude) Danny Granger to bring on Turner and malcontent Andrew Bynum. The point is that this is a team with a lot of strong personalities. When things have gone well for them in the past, the ball moves on offense, and that usually starts with pounding the ball inside to Hibbert. Lately, even when Hibbert's in the game, it doesn't seem like he's getting many touches. The ball seems to stick to Paul George, Stephenson, or David West's hands, and the possession usually seems to end with some version of iso-hero-ball. As dominant as big men can be, they still rely on guards to get them the ball, and that doesn't seem to be happening right now. But even that doesn't excuse Hibbert for not grabbing a rebound or blocking a shot.

I think all of these things play a roll, but truthfully I just don't think Roy Hibbert is that good. In basketball terms, this age should be known as The Death of the Center. Look at the best centers over the last 10 years or so. A fat old Shaq, Dwight Howard, Yao Ming, and Tim Duncan (sorry, he's not a power forward). Duncan is truly great, but if this were the 70's, 80's, or 90's, I think Yao Ming would've projected to a slightly better Rik Smits. Maybe that is sacrelidge for me to say, but that's how I feel. And in those eras, I'm not sure Howard would have ever even made an All-Star game. Sure, he's a freakish athlete, but I think guys like Patrick Ewing, young Shaq, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson would have eaten him alive. And who is on that next level of recent centers? Joakim Noah, Bynum, Marc Gasol, and Hibbert maybe?

Honestly, it's tough to come up with names for that list.

So, I guess my point is this: lay off of Roy Hibbert a little bit. He's a 2 time All-Star, but even in his best statistical season (2011-2012), he only averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds a game...those are pretty pedestrian numbers if you ask me. I think the fact that he matches up well with Miami and got hot against them in last year's playoffs put the spot light on him too much. I watched this guy play at Georgetown; Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, and Alonzo Mouring he is not. When he was a freshman in college, he ran in such a way that made you wonder if he could even get up and down the court and back. When you think about the improvements he made to actually be an NBA-level player, it's amazing. I'm not giving him a complete pass either. I think he can do better than a line of 0, 0, and 0. But he's not what we've made him out to be either.