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The blocked shot is a last line of defense to guard against the opposition from scoring. Players who are effective at this skillset can influence the opposition psychologically with physical effects. A blocked shot electrifies the crowd, swings the momentum, and even can save crucial games.
What it also does is affect the opponent's style of play. A good rim protector can cause shooters to hesitate and pass the ball rather than risk getting rejected. It can shake an opponent’s confidence or it can make them even more determined. It also allows perimeter defenders to be aggressive knowing that if they force an opponent into a shot blocker or get blown by their efforts defensively.
The drawback to the blocked shot is that it often is a swatted or deflected ball making possession 50/50 thereafter.
Otherwise, it gets swatted out of play giving the offense a chance to recompose and find a better shot. Here is a look at the 5 greatest shot blockers in the NBA today:
#5 Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers)
Myles Turner was drafted 11th overall in 2015 by the Indiana Pacers. He has played extremely well for the Pacers since his rookie season. In 2019, he averaged over 13 ppg and 7.2 rpg.
One stat that really helped the Indiana Pacers is that they were No.1 in opposition scoring at 104.7 ppg. A big part of their fifth place finish in the Eastern Conference was their solid defensive play anchored by Myles Turner who blocked an average of 2.7 shots per game.
This translates to nearly three defensive possessions a game that Turner denies opponents points.
When you consider that Indiana averaged 108 ppg in 2019, Turner is a big reason they won considerably more games than they lost.
The 2.7 bpg is the highest average of Turner’s four-year career. In terms of total blocks, he altered 199 shots in 2018-19 and has affected the trajectory of 575 shots for his career.
#4 Hassan Whiteside (Portland Trail Blazers)
Hassan Whiteside has had a somewhat up and down NBA career so far. Originally drafted in 2011 by Sacramento, he played just 19 games his first two NBA seasons.
He was even playing out of the NBA for the next two years only returning in 2014/15 with Miami Heat where he has been the center anchoring the the franchise's defense until a trade this off-season sent him to Portland.
In the midst of the bouncing in and out and around the league, Hassan Whiteside has found time to alter 798 opposing shots in the 7 seasons he has taken part in.
In other words, he has altered 2.3 shots per game. In 2016, Whiteside was the NBA’s blocks leader averaging 3.7 per game on 269 blocks over 73 games. Whiteside was limited to reserve duties this past season due to a hip injury and was sent to Portland as part of a four-way trade to free salary cap so Miami could afford the contract of Jimmy Butler.
#3 Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks)
The man who is known as “splash mountain” due to the fact he is a 7’0 center bombing away from the three-point line has other skills that make him an old school center still relevant in the NBA.
The 31-year-old former Brooklyn Nets pick just re-upped his contract in Milwaukee four years at $52 million.
What the Milwaukee Bucks management like about this mountain of a man beside his offensive talents is his length alters opposing shots. During 81 games this season with Milwaukee, Lopez played over 28 minutes per game and blocked 2.2 shots per game.
He is no longer a 1 or 2 option offensively but can still light up a score sheet but he also offers Milwaukee a double threat as he is a good rim protector who has blocked 1249 shots over his 11-year career. At age 31, his 2.2 average this season was his highest.
#2 Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Apart from the drama that was Anthony Davis’ life, this past season in New Orleans with all the free agency opt-out rumors that eventually became a trade to the Lakers finalized last weekend, he is an outstanding player in many facets of the game. Everyone knows about the scoring, 25.9 ppg and the 12 rpg, and the fact that he is a double-double machine.
What Davis also brings to the table is elite rim protection. Slashers and cutters had better own a good pull up jump shot or runners and floaters to avoid attracting a swat from AD if he's in the vicinity. In 2019, he averaged 2.4 bpg in 59 games.
As a matter of fact, Davis has been averaging 2 or more blocks a game for the last six years of his seven-year career.
The Pelicans were a bad team in 2018/19 and gave up 116.8 ppg to opponents while scoring just 115.4 ppg themselves. Their games would have been less competitive if AD did not change the flight path of 135 opposing shots.
#1 Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)
The Jazz’s rim protector is Rudy Gobert. The 7’1 center from France is known as the “French Rejection”. He was drafted 27th overall in 2013 by the Jazz and since has terrorized shot takers in the NBA.
Gobert has racked up five straight seasons averaging 2 plus shot blocks a game. In fact, the Jazz averaged 111 ppg in 2019 while giving up just 106 ppg. Gobert’s 2.3 bpg really helped them in the win/loss category as the Jazz were 50-32 on the season.
Gobert is a splendid defender and is the NBA’s reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner. Gobert was also the NBA’s blocks leader in 2017 when he accumulated 214 blocks that season.
In 2019, Gobert had 187 blocked shots over 81 games. Gobert who also provided the Jazz with 15.9ppg and 12.9 rpg in 2019 has a career total of 895 blocks in his six years in the NBA.
This list takes into account the usefulness of the players selected to their current or former clubs. Honorable mentions go to players like Dwight Howard, who while technically active, only managed to play 9 games for the Washington Wizards this season.
Players like Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks were also considered as he averaged 2.4bpg in 66 games in 20.6 mpg but he has only one year of stats to judge by. Perhaps Robinson repeats this feat in 2019/20.
The shot block has long been a key component of defenses in the NBA as it allows you to be proactive rather than reactive with double teams, switches and even forcing driving opponents to your rim protector. Its always comforting to know your last line of defense will bail you out when necessary.
