In the 1991 NBA season, hakeem Olujawon averaged 4.3 blocks per game. He did not lead the league in blocks
David Robinson led the league with 4.4 blocks per game. Just a crazy tidbit that is absolutely bonkers in my opinion.
In 85-86 Mark Eaton averaged 4.6 a game and didn’t lead the league. Manute Bol averaged 5.0 a game that year.
Absolutely crazy. Didn’t eaton do over 5 per game one year? Still the highest average I think for a single season.
Yeah it was 5.6 bpg. His block average over his first 5 or 6 seasons was absolutely insane. I’m pretty sure he still has the career bpg record.
If we knew Wilt’s true numbers he’d probably have several of the best ever, or at least the top 5 ever at minimum.
His CAREER average is estimated to be 8.5 bpg. He absolutely had at least a season over 10. Absolutely insane.
Him and Russell would account for every season of the top 20 most likely. There are hand tracked games through the 60s, over 100 per player, and they were at 8.8 and 8.1 blocks per game respectively.
As a 36 year old in 1973, what would be his last season, Wilt averaged 5.4 blocks per game. Likely a career low but still officially the 2nd most in league history. Pretty wild.
I know the pace was higher, but they probably combine for all of the top 20 lol. Completely untouchable records. Wish we knew the real ones but of what little footage we have, we can see the craziness.
To be clear, those are real totals from hand tracked games, newspapers, and coach soundbites. 135 games of Russell and 112 games of Wilt. I would expect their careers to be mostly in line with that large of a sample over multiple seasons.
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No, those were from many games in their prime. Lots of early to mid 60s games.
Man I honestly think it’s possible that Wilt recorded, or at least got close to, recording a quintuple double.
But sadly we’ll never know
March 18th, 1968 blocks and steals tracked by Harvey Pollack showed he would have earned a quintuple double.
Of course as far as I’m aware we really only have this guy’s stat tracking as evidence. Which may or may not be enough for some people.
Half those blocks would be goal tending though
Didn’t Wilt’s last season get counted recently or something and it’s crazy
80’s blocks are a bit inflated due to increased pace (more shots) and fewer three pointers (more blockable shots for slow footed bigs). Also no defensive 3 seconds rule, more post play, etc.
Eaton had way more blocks per game than wemby at the same point of their careers yet every year of wemby’s career thus far he’s had a higher block% (% of opponent shots that were blocked) than mark eaton ever had. If you do it a % of shots that are not three pointers the difference would be even higher.
Last season teams shot 89.1 FGA per game. Only 2 seasons in the 80s had a higher number of FGA per game.
It’s pretty crazy that in one of those seasons, teams averaged 87.4 2PA per game out of the 89.7 FGA. And yet teams averaged only 5.6 blocks per game versus last year’s 4.8 blocks.
True, FGA per game is back to 80’s level now. The 2pt FGA per game difference still substantial
Every era has inflated stats somewhere
Bonkers.
The ‘80s were just a ridiculous era for shot blockers. You could average 4.6 blocks a game and still finish second.
So the thing is, average centers averaged 2 blocks a game for 2 reasons
Bigs would post up a ton so they would get a block a game on a post up
And players just drove/ tried to shoot near the hoop more.
For example in 1991, 14 players averaged 2 or more blocks
26’ 1 player.
I think also teams hadn’t figured out how to pull the big out of the paint as well as they do now.
This is true, largely due to the difference in spacing given most teams ran a traditional 4⁄5 and your small forward may very well have been a slasher, not a shooter.
Also, guards couldn’t take advantage of dribbling rules quite as much either so their ability to create space in any direction was comparatively limited as well. Guys just weren’t getting to the rim for an uncontestable shot quite as often because of those two things.
Plus, ya know, bigs also hunted blocks more than they do now. Less punishing to do so for the most part.
There was a lot less pick and roll running and screening actions too. Pretty much everyone ran drop coverage, not to mention illegal defense rules kept schemes much simpler. It was a different game
There was a 26’ 1” player??
4 MJs in a trench coat
And no defensive 3 seconds
Yeah, it puts into perspective how much the game has changed in terms of how defence works.
We all are pretty aware of how the 3 point revolution shaped offence, but it’s effect on defence isn’t spoken about as much.
And rebounding
I Think the lack of knowing how to block out has had a more profound effect on rebounding.
Block what?
No outside shooting = more opportunities to block 💩
Haters ball type comment
It’s the truth though. The game was played inside out. No hate in the truth.
Yeah but you could bring up a nitpick about any stat in any era, when the OP is just bringing up an impressive season
Olujawont*
Olujalost
OlujasecondplacetoDavidRobinsonjustlikeMVPthatyearhesmokedhimonthewaytoachampionship
It just seems like a natural occurrence when the game used to be more about pounding the ball in the paint to get close range shots. Now with the vast increase in three point shots you’ll see much lower block averages for various reasons related to the game being shifted to behind the three point line.
I think seeing blocks is one of the more exciting things in the game and I miss the higher number
Crazy stat, 4 per game is a monster number
They both also had games that season where they got 11 blocks.
But here’s a weird thing about the ‘91 season that I don’t think Kenny Smith remembers, or he’d never shut up about it on Inside the NBA. Hakeem was out a lot of the year because of an eye injury. Kenny actually got more MVP votes than Hakeem that year.
Ehh, all those stats are kinda inflated by the era. Granted Hakeem and Robinson are also inflated, but even in the 90’s, there were a lot more harder-to-block jumpshots compared to the near exclusive rim game of Wilt’s era.
Yeah bro the man mountain was on patrol
The game was played in the paint, inside out. Hard to block a perimeter shot.
mark eaton goat shot blocker
Not really. Jjj would average more in that era tbh when everyone’s attacking rather than settling for 3’s
Hakeem is the only 90s player that coukd still play today
Not prime Jordan or Shaq?
Crazy deep pulls I’m not even sure anyone remembers those guys
Hey I’m not gonna justify deep pulls like John Crotty even though I got that in my bag, I’m just more in disbelief this guy thinks Hakeem is the only player that could play today’s game.
Oh, no, that’s just Gleece. He’s literally 12 years old. All of his comments are like this.
MJ is just a shorter, bald and asshole DeRozan while Shaq is fat, bald and lazy Giannis. Too obvious their games wouldn’t translate smh
Watch some Jordan highlights rn he just shoots some open cas midrange shots, travels and does basic dribble moves
That insinuates that players in today’s game don’t travel
I’d buy season tickets to try and see Draymond and sprewell fight each other