The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Is Rim Protector Nerlens Noel A Starter For A Championship Team?

By Bret Stuter

Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dunks during the third quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dunks during the third quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 109-108 in OT. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) moves the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) in the second half in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Cavaliers

The last championship team we will consider is that of the Cleveland Cavaliers.  It is the Cavaliers which are the most curious team for this topic.

You see, the Cavaliers ended the season with the third best record – trailing both the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.  But an even greater anomaly is the fact that they were not good at blocking shots at all.  In fact, the team averaged only 3.87 blocked shots per game last season, which was only good enough for a tie at 26th in the 30 team NBA.

Center Timofey Mozgov led the team in the regular season with just .75 blocks per game.  While the team overall improved the blocks per game to 4.24, Mozgov’s defense dropped to .23 blocks per game, it was 6-foot-9 Tristan Thompson who started the post-season games, and who had .86 blocks per game.  However, in keeping with a Warrior’s model, Thompson’s offense only ended up at 6.7 points per game in the playoffs, after a 7.8 points per game run in regular season.

So what can we conclude?

Next: Noel Can Start