In the scope of the NBA, height matters. Sure, it can’t override raw talent, but there’s a reason mediocre big men like Kwame Brown, Nazr Mohammed and Jason Collins lasted an average 14 seasons in the pros – their size was an asset.
And while height certainly isn’t an end-all variable tied to team success, PointAfter thought it would be interesting to rank 2015-16 NBA starting lineups from “shortest” to tallest. Does having a more imposing starting five bode well, or is small-ball the way to go?
To peg each team’s starters, PointAfter looked at which players on each roster started games most often through the month of November. We also accounted for key injuries along the way, so while Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers) has not suited up yet this season, he got plugged in because he’ll return to court before season’s end. In other instances, where head coaches use a platoon at a given position, we averaged the heights of both players.
Average heights were calculated in inches. In the event of a tie, teams were ranked by the height of their tallest player. If that was also the same, we deferred to the height of the shortest player as the tiebreaker.
#30. Boston Celtics
Average Height (Inches): 78
Tallest Starter: Amir Johnson/Jared Sullinger (6’9″)
Shortest Starter: Avery Bradley (6’2″)
The Celtics have plenty of height on their bench via two seven-footers – Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller – but head coach Brad Stevens has opted to embrace small-ball for the most part. Jared Sullinger has been the regular starter at center since Zeller earlier in the season.
#29. Atlanta Hawks
Average Height (Inches): 78
Tallest Starter: Al Horford (6’10”)
Shortest Starter: Jeff Teague (6’2″)
Atlanta only has three players on its roster taller than Horford. Kent Bazemore (6’5″), who starts at small forward, brings down the collective height of the Hawks starting unit.
#28. Los Angeles Clippers
Average Height (Inches): 78
Tallest Starter: DeAndre Jordan (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: Chris Paul (6’0″)
Even though “Lob City” has considerable size in the frontcourt through the tandem of Blake Griffin and DJ, the 6’0″ CP3 leaves the Clips tied as the shortest starting five. Though they’ve had their fair share of struggles to start the season, the Clippers should still be viewed as a contender in the Western Conference.
#27. Indiana Pacers
Average Height (Inches): 78.4
Tallest Starter: Ian Mahinmi (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: George Hill/Monta Ellis (6’3″)
By trading Roy Hibbert to the Los Angeles Lakers and signing Monta Ellis in the offseason, Indy committed wholeheartedly to a small-ball style. The early returns have been solid, but Ellis needs to start playing and shooting like he’s capable if the Pacers want to be a genuine threat in the Eastern Conference.
#26. Memphis Grizzlies
Average Height (Inches): 78.4
Tallest Starter: Marc Gasol (7’1″)
Shortest Starter: Mike Conley (6’1″)
The Grizzlies’ starting unit experienced quite a bit of continuity over the past few years. With so much turnover in the NBA via free agency and trades, that’s become somewhat of a rarity, but the “Grit and Grind” mantra continues to live on through Zach Randolph and Tony Allen.
#25. Charlotte Hornets
Average Height (Inches): 78.6
Tallest Starter: Al Jefferson (6’10”)
Shortest Starter: Kemba Walker (6’1″)
The Hornets don’t boast a seven-footer in the starting rotation and they have a point guard just a hair taller than 6′. Nevertheless, their long wing players keep them out of the bottom tier. Both Nic Batum (6’8″) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (6’7″) – who we decided to include despite his injury – have great size out on the perimeter.
#24. Phoenix Suns
Average Height (Inches): 78.6
Tallest Starter: Tyson Chandler (7’1″)
Shortest Starter: Eric Bledsoe (6’1″)
Although the Suns went out and paid Chandler in the offseason to be the team’s defensive anchor behind their tandem of point guards, the lanky center hasn’t played much under Jeff Hornacek. Young center Alex Len made some starts with Chandler out injured, but we’ve seen a lot of small-ball lineups from Phoenix. Those seem poised to continue throughout the campaign.
#23. Houston Rockets
Average Height (Inches): 79
Tallest Starter: Dwight Howard (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: Patrick Beverley (6’1″)
It’s tough to pin down exactly what Houston’s starting five is going to be for the long haul. The addition of Ty Lawson has not worked at all. The diminutive point guard has since been moved to the bench. Meanwhile, interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been embracing Clint Capela as a starter in the frontcourt (something nobody saw coming before the season started).
In any case, this is just about the biggest lineup the Rockets can roll with, and it still doesn’t crack the top 20 in the NBA for height.
#22. Toronto Raptors
Average Height (Inches): 79.2
Tallest Starter: Jonas Valanciunas (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Kyle Lowry (6’0″)
Like Chris Paul, Lowry is another short, yet totally capable starting point guard. He drags down Toronto’s average starting height, but the Raptors still have solid size and length on the wing. DeMar DeRozan (6’7″) and new addition DeMarre Carroll (6’8″) are valuable pieces.
#21. Orlando Magic
Average Height (Inches): 79.2
Tallest Starter: Nikola Vucevic (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Elfrid Payton/Victor Oladipo (6’4″)
Though Orlando’s starting five might not be among the tallest, it’s most definitely among the youngest. At 25 years old, Vucevic is the oldest starter on the Magic. Oladipo, Evan Fournier and Tobias Harris are all 23, and Payton is only 21.
#20. New Orleans Pelicans
Average Height (Inches): 79.2
Tallest Starter: Omer Asik (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Jrue Holiday/Eric Gordon (6’4″)
Injuries decimated the Pelicans early this season, and they’ll spend the year trying to climb out of a deep hole as a result. Asik has helped the team defensively as a seven-foot center, but his complete ineptitude on offense has led to a terrible net rating for the Turkish big man.
#19. San Antonio Spurs
Average Height (Inches): 79.4
Tallest Starter: LaMarcus Aldridge/Tim Duncan (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: Tony Parker (6’2″)
Gone are the days when San Antonio would slot 7’1″ center David Robinson alongside Tim Duncan in the post, but the Spurs still sport impressive size with both Duncan and the freshly signed Aldridge down low.
#18. Washington Wizards
Average Height (Inches): 79.4
Tallest Starter: Marcin Gortat (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: John Wall (6’4″)
The Wizards actually sacrificed some size by swapping Kris Humphries into the power forward slot in place of Nene, but Humphries’ newfound three-point stroke is a welcome addition. The tallest (Gortat) and shortest (Wall) members continue as mainstays in Washington’s starting lineup.
#17. Sacramento Kings
Average Height (Inches): 79.4
Tallest Starter: Willie Cauley-Stein (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Rajon Rondo (6’1″)
Through November, a ridiculous 12 different Kings players have started at least one game. That’s the byproduct of injuries, but it also speaks to Sacramento’s lack of an identity.
Rondo is experiencing a bounce-back campaign after a brief and disappointing tenure with Dallas, but DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins’ health will be a key X-factor moving forward.
#16. Brooklyn Nets
Average Height (Inches): 79.4
Tallest Starter: Brook Lopez (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Jarrett Jack (6’3″)
The Nets franchise is trapped in a terrible position right now, as its not winning games and doesn’t hold the rights to its own first-round picks (Boston can and will swap with them for the foreseeable future).
But hey, at least rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shows promise.
#15. Golden State Warriors
Average Height (Inches): 79.4
Tallest Starter: Andrew Bogut (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Stephen Curry (6’3″)
Golden State comfortably sits atop the standings as the best team in basketball. Frankly, even if you chopped two inches off the heights of all their players, it still likely wouldn’t impact how well the Warriors are playing.
#14. Denver Nuggets
Average Height (Inches): 79.5
Tallest Starter: Joffrey Lauvergne and Nikola Jokic (6’10.5″)
Shortest Starter: Gary Harris (6’4″)
Nobody expected the Nuggets to be competitive in the Western Conference this season. Honestly, Denver should focus its attention on developing its young roster. At this point, though, the Nuggets must figure out who the starting center is going to be.
We provided a tossup between Joffrey Lauvergne (who was out injured for virtually all of November) and Nikola Jokic. But ultimately, the choice might be Jusuf Nurkic, who has yet to play this season due to a knee injury.
#13. Detroit Pistons
Average Height (Inches): 79.6
Tallest Starter: Andre Drummond (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: Reggie Jackson (6’3″)
With Drummond patrolling the paint and snatching down rebounds, the Pistons don’t exactly need any more size to help on the glass. Nevertheless, Ersan Ilyasova and Marcus Morris round out a very tall frontcourt that makes up for Jackson’s 6’3″ frame out of the point guard spot.
#12. Philadelphia 76ers
Average Height (Inches): 79.8
Tallest Starter: Nerlens Noel/Jahlil Okafor (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: T.J. McConnell (6’2″)
Even if the 76ers signed one of the Monstars off the street, they still wouldn’t be able to contend. There’s a reason why this franchise got the nickname Tankadelphia in recent years.
#11. Miami Heat
Average Height (Inches): 79.8
Tallest Starter: Hassan Whiteside (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Goran Dragic (6’3″)
In the early stages of 2015-16, the trio of Whiteside, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh is playing great collective basketball. Dragic and Luol Deng, on the other hand, are sputtering. Miami could potentially be an Eastern Conference contender come summer, but the point guard and small forward need to step up.
#10. Los Angeles Lakers
Average Height (Inches): 79.8
Tallest Starter: Roy Hibbert (7’2″)
Shortest Starter: D’Angelo Russell/Jordan Clarkson (6’5″)
Byron Scott’s Lakers have gone somewhat small by sliding Kobe Bryant down to the 3 to complement Russell and Clarkson. But even though they’re playing three guards, Hibbert’s skyscraping size makes Lakerland’s front five one of the tallest in the league.
#9. Chicago Bulls
Average Height (Inches): 79.9
Tallest Starter: Pau Gasol (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Derrick Rose (6’3″)
New Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg is a complete 180 from former coach Tom Thibodeau. Now, Joakim Noah comes off the bench in favor of the more offensively-inclined Nikola Mirotic, and Tony Snell has been supplanted at small forward in favor of three-point sniper Doug McDermott. (We averaged the heights of McDermott and Snell together for Chicago’s ranking).
The Bulls are well above .500, but there’s no way they can stay competitive if D-Rose’s struggles continue.
#8. Utah Jazz
Average Height (Inches): 80
Tallest Starter: Rudy Gobert (7’1″)
Shortest Starter: Raul Neto (6’1″)
If 6’6″ point guard Dante Exum was starting this season instead of nursing a torn ACL, Utah would have the tallest starting five in the league bar none. But because he’s out for the year and substituted with Raul Neto, the Jazz slide down to No. 8 on our list.
#7. Portland Trail Blazers
Average Height (Inches): 80
Tallest Starter: Meyers Leonard (7’1″)
Shortest Starter: Damian Lillard (6’3″)
You’d think Portland would land at least in the middle of the pack with a backcourt that features Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but the collective size of their frontcourt is absolutely huge. Al-Farouq Aminu (6’9″), Mason Plumlee (6’11”) and Leonard (7’1″) combine for one of the biggest frontcourts in the league.
#6. Cleveland Cavaliers
Average Height (Inches): 80
Tallest Starter: Timofey Mozgov (7’1″)
Shortest Starter: Kyrie Irving (6’3″)
Again, we’re opting to include Irving here (even though he hasn’t played) because he’s undoubtedly the starting point guard for the Cavs when healthy.
If you’d rather sub him out for 6’1″ Mo Williams in the meantime, Cleveland slips down to No. 13, just behind the 76ers and Pistons.
#5. Dallas Mavericks
Average Height (Inches): 80.2
Tallest Starter: Dirk Nowitzki (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Deron Williams (6’3″)
If you weren’t aware that Chandler Parsons is listed at 6’10”, it would come as a surprise to see Dallas in the top five for tallest starting lineups. We had to triple-check his listed height, and, frankly, we’re still not convinced he’s that tall.
#4. Oklahoma City Thunder
Average Height (Inches): 80.2
Tallest Starter: Steven Adams (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Russell Westbrook (6’3″)
Lengthy wing players Kevin Durant and Andre Roberson help prop up OKC as one of the tallest starting fives in the NBA beside Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams.
#3. New York Knicks
Average Height (Inches): 80.6
Tallest Starter: Kristaps Porzingis (7’3″)
Shortest Starter: Jose Calderon (6’3″)
At 7’3″, rookie big man Porzingis is the tallest starter on any NBA roster. He somehow manages to make starting center Robin Lopez (7’0″) look average by comparison.
#2. Milwaukee Bucks
Average Height (Inches): 80.8
Tallest Starter: Giannis Antetokounmpo/Greg Monroe (6’11”)
Shortest Starter: Michael Carter-Williams (6’6″)
It would be difficult not to rank in the top three tallest starting lineups with a 6’6″ point guard and 6’11” small forward. Of course, having collected a hearty sample size now from MCW, it’s fair to assume Bucks fans would rather have Brandon Knight back in Milwaukee (height be damned).
#1. Minnesota Timberwolves
Average Height (Inches): 80.8
Tallest Starter: Karl-Anthony Towns (7’0″)
Shortest Starter: Ricky Rubio (6’4″)
Minnesota’s starting lineup features an intriguing mix of youngsters (Towns, Andrew Wiggins) and much older veterans (Tayshaun Prince, Kevin Garnett). We’ll likely see more mixing and matching as the season goes along, but for now, Minny boasts the tallest top-to-bottom starting five in the league.