Apparently 82Games.com has a deal with NBC. This is a great analysis of the type of block that a player has. http://www.nbcsports.com/nba/302147/detail.html Meaningful blocks By Roland Beech Special to NBCSports.com Posted: Nov.3, 2006, 10:23 am EST Rim shaking slam dunks may be the most popular of all highlights, but a ferocious block is also very appealing to your typical mainstream NBA fan. Indeed it seems the most beloved of all blocked shots are the ones that get sent fifteen rows into the stands…now that’s being rejected. Of course, there’s one small problem with the grand display of a block into the seats: it gives the ball right back to the offense. ntimidation of future shots perhaps, some loss of time on the shot clock, yes, but all in all not that successful a play for the defense unless the shot looked likely to go in otherwise. So that’s the difference perhaps between the young up and coming shot-swatter and the less flashy but wily veteran defensive presence: the block is only the first step. Leading Shot Blockers in lowest “blocked out of bounds” percentage (2005-06 Regular Season) Player Team Blks Sent O/B OB% Bosh TOR 74 0 0.0% Ratliff POR 88 3 3.4% Harrison IND 58 2 3.4% Brown NOK 50 2 4.0% Mutombo HOU 56 3 5.4% Najera DEN 34 2 5.9% Ely CHA 44 3 6.8% Mihm LAL 72 5 6.9% Sweetney CHI 56 4 7.1% Swift SEA 56 4 7.1% Mourning MIA 172 13 7.6% O'Neal IND 117 9 7.7% Miles POR 39 3 7.7% Milicic ORL 61 5 8.2% Gasol MEM 151 13 8.6% League Average 15.7% It’s a pretty compelling metric when among the top fifteen players you have such notable block kings as Ratliff, Mutombo, Mourning, and Shaq. These players have been around long enough that they’re not worried about making the highlights, just doing the job! It’s also promising that some of the shot blocking stars of a few years from now like Bosh, Harrison, and Milicic are also already getting the hang of making a block that stays in play. At the other end of the spectrum… Highest percentage of Blocks Sent Out of Bounds Player Team Blks Sent O/B OB% Gadzuric MIL 43 14 32.6% Pachulia ATL 39 12 30.8% Anthony DEN 42 12 28.6% McDyess DET 48 13 27.1% Diogu GSW 30 8 26.7% West BOS 46 12 26.1% Thomas PHO 54 14 25.9% Bonner TOR 31 8 25.8% Horry SAS 51 13 25.5% Pierce BOS 34 8 23.5% Johnson ATL 31 7 22.6% Ruffin WAS 31 7 22.6% Blount BOS 36 8 22.2% Howard ORL 114 25 21.9% Livingston LAC 32 7 21.9% Now it’s a little unfair to chide players for blocking the ball out of bounds when we’re not adjusting for context. Certainly a block from behind on the fast break may have a higher likelihood of heading off the court then a floater approaching the hoop with the big man waiting underneath. Still, young players like Carmelo, Joe Johnson, and Dwight Howard may over time settle more often for the smart play over the spectacular play. The team defensive rebound percentage after a block could be argued to be the more important measure. Defensive Rebound % off a Block Player Team Blks Off Reb. Def. Reb% Harrison IND 58 14 75.9% Brown NOK 50 13 74.0% Bosh TOR 74 20 73.0% Sweetney CHI 56 16 71.4% Najera DEN 34 10 70.6% Curry NYK 56 17 69.6% Granger IND 62 19 69.4% Childress ATL 39 12 69.2% Miles POR 39 12 69.2% Outlaw POR 45 14 68.9% Ilgauskas CLE 136 43 68.4% Kirilenko UTA 220 70 68.2% Mihm LAL 72 23 68.1% Deng CHI 50 16 68.0% Griffin MIN 148 48 67.6% Mohammed SAS 49 16 67.3% Jones PHO 49 16 67.3% Gooden CLE 49 16 67.3% Milicic ORL 61 20 67.2% Marion PHO 136 45 66.9% Dalembert PHI 160 53 66.9% League Average 61.3% The shot blocker’s “defensive rebound percentage” clearly relies on his teammates to some degree, but give a shout out to David Harrison for leading the league last season. The players whose blocks were least often recovered by the defense: Player Team Blks Off Reb. Def. Reb% Blount MIN 40 23 42.5% West BOS 46 24 47.8% Swift HOU 50 26 48.0% Bonner TOR 31 16 48.4% Ruffin WAS 31 16 48.4% Gadzuric MIL 43 22 48.8% Blount BOS 36 18 50.0% Brezec CHA 32 16 50.0% Petro SEA 51 25 51.0% Collison SEA 35 17 51.4% Howard ORL 114 55 51.8% Thomas PHO 54 26 51.9% Lewis SEA 50 24 52.0% Jefferson BOS 46 22 52.2% Anthony DEN 42 20 52.4% Mark Blount stands out in this chart since he played for two different teams last year, and as we’ve elected to show the stats by specific team in such cases, he makes the list twice. At the same time, the fact that three Seattle players are in the bottom fifteen suggests that there may be a pretty strong team influence at work here. For one more quirky look to close, we’ll scan which players not only make the block but collect the rebound themselves with the highest frequency. Player Team Blks Gets Reb. Own Reb% Elson DEN 45 11 24.4% Duncan SAS 162 35 21.6% Sweetney CHI 56 12 21.4% Frye NYK 47 10 21.3% Jackson IND 43 9 20.9% Marshall CLE 40 8 20.0% Walker MIA 30 6 20.0% Webber PHI 62 12 19.4% Biedrins GSW 47 9 19.1% Marion PHO 136 26 19.1% League Average 11.8% With a multi-year study we could get to whether the rebound opportunities are truly a function of the blocker’s skill, a product of the shot type and circumstance, or primarily a team level issue. In the meantime though we can assume that yes a block is great, but a block followed by a defensive rebound is even better. Roland Beech is the founder of 82games.com and is a regular NBA contributor to NBCSports.com.
<aside> Kelly, I tried emailing you through the board about a month ago - just wondering if you got it, never got it, or simply use a different address. I was just wondering about some Sports Journalism information, since it's the career I'm looking into.</aside> ckettner@gmail.com
