Blocking Ain’t Easy
Blocking NBA shots is not an easy thing to do. The highest average of blocked shots per game by an NBA player since the 1999-2000 season was the Philadelphia 76er’s very own Theo Ratliffe at 3.74.
Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers are led by Jerami Grant in blocked shots per game at 1.6 blocks. That’s a far cry from double digit blocks, and the Philadelphia 76ers were actually a good team in that department.
The largest number of blocks in a single game by a Philadelphia 76er was on 20 February 2015 when Nerlens Noel blocked nine shots, pulled down nine rebounds, and scored 12 points. But he had no assists in that game.
And that’s the challenge. A quad double is more than a statistic for a great player, it’s a litmus test to the entire team. An assist requires a successful pass followed by a shot that scores. Rebounds require great spacing. great positioning, physicality,and sometimes random luck. Blocking shots requires all of these things plus excellent timing. The alignment of all these factors has only happened five times in the NBA. Let’s examine the history:
Next: Quad Double History