The Golden State Warriors are the NBA’s league-leader in blocks per game yet are in the bottom ten in blocks per game from their center position.
Not many fans would think that the Golden State Warriors would lead the league in blocks. I mean, why would they? The Dubs have no elite shot-blocking center and don’t necessarily have one of the league’s top-tier defenses.
However, they top the league with 6.6 per game. They’re the top spot by quite the margin too with the second-highest team, the Milwaukee Bucks, rejecting just 5.9 shots per game.
That said, how do the Warriors send back to many shots? If they don’t come from the typical shot-blocking position, where do they come from?
It all starts with their forward play. Both Kevin Durant and Draymond Green average over a block per game.
Durant is playing some of the best defense of his career. While his blocks per game are just the fifth highest of his 12-year career, the 6-foot-10 combo forward has proven to utilize his length to defend and shut down some of the league’s elite scoring threats.
As for Green, he’s got to be blocking shots as his quest for the supermax extension is dependent on that.
While not directly a result of his blocks per game, Green will earn the right to the extension if he wins Defensive Player of the Year this season. At just 1.0 per game, Green’s total, just like many of his averages, is down from last season. That certainly doesn’t help his chances for DPOY.
There are only a handful of teams with both their starting forwards averaging over a block per game, so it’s reassuring to know two-thirds of the Dubs frontcourt are elite on the defensive end.
After the injury to former starting center Damian Jones, who was averaging a block per game, the Warriors didn’t have a solid rim protector. Now, with Cousins averaging 1.4 per game, they at least have a physical threat down low again.
As for their guard play, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry are also a dynamic one-two punch. Klay, a bigger, more physical guard, is considered one of the best two-way players in the entire NBA. He gives Curry the ability to focus his sole energy on the offensive end of the court.
Overall, the Warriors have a solid defense, and, while they don’t necessarily have a true rim-protecting big, are still the league’s leader in blocks per game.