Is Al Jefferson...

[Stifle Tower]

Let's see Big Al block ten shots in a game and then discuss this. I think he's certainly (and obviously) an offensive upgrade over Eaton and Tag, but then so is Memo.

Yes, let's see if Big Al can develop into a complete center. Certainly Eaton was the best ever Jazz defensive center. And Memo is the best ever offensively. Best all-around would have to be Ostertag, as much as that pains me to say. He didn't do it often enough, but Greg was a force defensively and was not a complete liability on the offensive end. With Eaton, he just had to get completely out of the way. At least Ostertag could drop it in the hoop occasionally.

Having Jefferson around just might help Fes. After all, he's never really had a low-post guy to watch: Memo, Collins, Boozer and Millsap - you aren't going to get learn post moves from those guys or have to defend against them on the low block.

 

[kabenac]

One of the best things about AJ is he plays his best against the toughest teams. Someone on here took the time to make a post of AJ's best PPG/RPG/etc. against specific teams, and his best numbers were against the better teams. It's tough to compare him and Eaton, because Eaton had a completely diff. skill set than AJ.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

I want to see if he pisses down the side of his trousers when he faces the Lakers in a postseason game before I vote on this. The second he is tough and viable in those conditions then we can start talking.

This.

 

[JimLes]

Eaton was a 2-time DPOY and even stumbled into an All-Star Game(1989...I think...either way the first ASG I'd ever seen). Yeah, Jefferson is a 20-10 guy, but if the Jazz had a 2-time DPOY center instead of Al right now, we'd be contenders. I don't think Jefferson makes us contenders.

 

[JoelHodgeJr]

Jefferson is a great player, and could very well be the best "center" have ever had but at the moment Fesenko is a better Jazz center then Jefferson, because Jefferson has scored 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 Assists, 0 blocks, 0 steals in Jazz uniform. I hate to be a debbie downer, but all this talk about Jefferson being the best makes me feel like we are curseing ourselves.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Eaton was a 2-time DPOY and even stumbled into an All-Star Game(1989...I think...either way the first ASG I'd ever seen). Yeah, Jefferson is a 20-10 guy, but if the Jazz had a 2-time DPOY center instead of Al right now, we'd be contenders. I don't think Jefferson makes us contenders.

It's also a different era. When Eaton played, you could get physical with opponents. It was all man-to-man, no zone defenses. Today, you sneeze on someone and it's 2 shots. Eaton probably couldn't play in today's NBA. Too big and too slow to keep up with the hybrid PF/C's that most teams have. It's all about offense and "protecting the superstars" in today's game.

 

[JimLes]

It's also a different era. When Eaton played, you could get physical with opponents. It was all man-to-man, no zone defenses. Today, you sneeze on someone and it's 2 shots. Eaton probably couldn't play in today's NBA. Too big and too slow to keep up with the hybrid PF/C's that most teams have. It's all about offense and "protecting the superstars" in today's game.

He'd also get killed because of the defensive three-second rule, but that's not the point. You can only play in the era you live in and against the competition facing you. Mark Eaton was one of the prime defensive centers of his generation, and Al Jefferson is hardly the prime anything of his generation yet. I wholeheartedly hope it doesn't stay that way very long, but you gotta give credit to Eaton where credit is due.

 

[gregbroncs]

He'd also get killed because of the defensive three-second rule, but that's not the point. You can only play in the era you live in and against the competition facing you. Mark Eaton was one of the prime defensive centers of his generation, and Al Jefferson is hardly the prime anything of his generation yet. I wholeheartedly hope it doesn't stay that way very long, but you gotta give credit to Eaton where credit is due.

Eaton played when there was an actual illegal defense rule. The one now would suit his game better as it is less restrictive not more, at least it would help him on defense. On offense Eaton stood around trying to get the opposing center out of the paint for Malone and Dantley. This strategy worked because of the illegal defense rule. The defensive 3 seconds only counts if you are not guarding a player within arms reach.

He was a better player than Ostertag all the way around. They played in different era's but Eaton would have been better in either era than Tag.