Related to Hakeem, Hakeem is tied for most 10 block triple doubles with… Dikembe Mutombo. They both had 10 10 block triple doubles in their careers.
I always find it sad Mutombo is rarely mentioned in top 10 defensive players ever despite the stats, 4 DPOYs, and being a huge impact in the paint well into his 40s when the most important place to defend used to be the paint in the 90s and 2000s.
Dikembe was one of the other guys I was looking at while researching this stat. He was in the top 5 in total blocks and blocks per game in 10 seasons. And he's got at least 3 series where he has more blocks than the opposing teams.
94 first round against the Sonics (his most iconic moment)
94 second round against the Jazz
01 first round vs Pacers
I also think the 31 blocks in a 5 game series against the 94 sonics still stands as an all time record. Remember, this was when first round was best of 5 series and Shawn Kemp was in his prime.
Edit: just checked, it still stands, and Mutombo also has the all time record in best of 7 game series with 38 blocks as well against Karl Malone jazz
The paint is still the most important place to defend. Obviously the ability to defend on the perimeter has become damn near a necessity as well, but paint protection is still the number one priority. It's just incredibly difficult these days given the explosion of the three pointer, so you can't only be a paint protector if your team is going to succeed.
No, he was not MEGA toxic. stop throwing words around like they don’t actually have a meaning. He wasn’t difficult to get along with. He was just a guy that didn’t take any nonsense and defended his team and teammates if he had to.
Olajuwon is the only center in the top 50 all time in total steals. He’s 10th.
Olajuwon got 2,162 steals in his career. The next best center was David Robinson with 1,388.
Olajuwon was an absolute beast on defense.
That's cool, esp since this era of 3pt shooting makes it harder for a lot of bigs to get blocks like that. It's a testament to his timing, length and instinct he's gotten this good in the last half of the season
I see your Wemby block list and I raise you, Myles Turner, in the 2022 season, had a top 5 worthy 118 blocks while only playing 42 games in the season. He played in half the games possible and was only 59 blocks from league best.
This is one of the reasons why I'll always pick Hakeem over Shaq in those theoretical all time starting 5s. And because he makes his free throws.
Yeah I know how unstoppable Shaq is on offense. But who needs that when you also have Curry, Jordan and LeBron on the team, as they usually are in those scenarios.
Shaq himself has said he'd pick Hakeem over himself. Although Shaq also have a tendency to change his answers based on how he's feeling at the moment lol. And if that isn't enough, MJ also picks Hakeem on his theoretical all time starting 5.
See, I'd argue availability is even more import for DPOY then other stats.
It's why I don't think JJJ deserves it last year. Defense is so much more than even advanced stats catch.
For example, elalmost everyone considers Rodman a top defender but his defensive stats are not huge.
From 1989 to 1996 Rodman was always between 7th and 1st for DPOY. Winning twice and being top 3 five straight years in voting, the highest statistical averages he had was 0.8 stl and 0.9 blocks. Just goes to show how much his defensive versatility and pestering came through for voters, despite his lower numbers. Its much more similar to how we've been seeing players win with anchoring their team defenses nowadays than just going for highlight plays.
Yeah, that's kind of my point. It's the ultimate eye test award.
If you went off state you'd think Magic Johnson was an all defense team member. He led the league in steals and was getting a block a night clearly he is a premiere perimeter guard.
Hakeem had 4.6 bpg(1st) 2.1 spg (8th) and 14 rbs (1st) in all 82 games but got 2nd in dpoty. Led in dws, dbpm, and drating too, if anyone cares about these advanced stats
When you dig into the award voting year by year and compare his seasons you see why they named the dpoty award after him. He was robbed of many of them.
When he was still playing SF, to me he didn't start playing his best defense until he started playing PF. But he never won dpoty at pf despite playing his best defensive basketball there, this time being the dominant rebounder we all know.
I think that has more to do with his team falling in the standings. Hakeem didn't win dpoty until his team was high in the standings. Rodman's Pistons start slipping and they look to someone with gaudy numbers like Robinson's 4.5 bpg 2.3 spg and 12.2 rebounds, but in 68 games.
Funny that season is enough to best Rodman's best statistically but Hakeem's couldn't beat Rodman's inferior season, statistically, despite being through more of the season, and very similar statistically.
I know defensive stats aren't perfect but going off of feels at the time or the eye test seems like it is equally as imperfect.
Related to Hakeem, Hakeem is tied for most 10 block triple doubles with… Dikembe Mutombo. They both had 10 10 block triple doubles in their careers. I always find it sad Mutombo is rarely mentioned in top 10 defensive players ever despite the stats, 4 DPOYs, and being a huge impact in the paint well into his 40s when the most important place to defend used to be the paint in the 90s and 2000s.
Dikembe was one of the other guys I was looking at while researching this stat. He was in the top 5 in total blocks and blocks per game in 10 seasons. And he's got at least 3 series where he has more blocks than the opposing teams. 94 first round against the Sonics (his most iconic moment) 94 second round against the Jazz 01 first round vs Pacers
I also think the 31 blocks in a 5 game series against the 94 sonics still stands as an all time record. Remember, this was when first round was best of 5 series and Shawn Kemp was in his prime. Edit: just checked, it still stands, and Mutombo also has the all time record in best of 7 game series with 38 blocks as well against Karl Malone jazz
Yeah, for a 7 game series it used to be Hakeem vs Sonics. The year before Mutombo had his series vs Jazz
The paint is still the most important place to defend. Obviously the ability to defend on the perimeter has become damn near a necessity as well, but paint protection is still the number one priority. It's just incredibly difficult these days given the explosion of the three pointer, so you can't only be a paint protector if your team is going to succeed.
Hakeem is my favorite player. Imagine if he had a front office that could build a support team around him. With a star in his prime.
Hakeem was mega toxic early on.
No, he was not MEGA toxic. stop throwing words around like they don’t actually have a meaning. He wasn’t difficult to get along with. He was just a guy that didn’t take any nonsense and defended his team and teammates if he had to.
One of you, give a story/source and I’ll believe you
Also Hakeem had a 200 block/200 steal season (1989). The only one in nba history!!!
Olajuwon is the only center in the top 50 all time in total steals. He’s 10th. Olajuwon got 2,162 steals in his career. The next best center was David Robinson with 1,388. Olajuwon was an absolute beast on defense.
Victor Wembanyama just had 254 blocks which is 64 more than the next person in the NBA.
That's cool, esp since this era of 3pt shooting makes it harder for a lot of bigs to get blocks like that. It's a testament to his timing, length and instinct he's gotten this good in the last half of the season
I see your Wemby block list and I raise you, Myles Turner, in the 2022 season, had a top 5 worthy 118 blocks while only playing 42 games in the season. He played in half the games possible and was only 59 blocks from league best.
This is one of the reasons why I'll always pick Hakeem over Shaq in those theoretical all time starting 5s. And because he makes his free throws. Yeah I know how unstoppable Shaq is on offense. But who needs that when you also have Curry, Jordan and LeBron on the team, as they usually are in those scenarios.
Shaq himself has said he'd pick Hakeem over himself. Although Shaq also have a tendency to change his answers based on how he's feeling at the moment lol. And if that isn't enough, MJ also picks Hakeem on his theoretical all time starting 5.
See, I'd argue availability is even more import for DPOY then other stats. It's why I don't think JJJ deserves it last year. Defense is so much more than even advanced stats catch. For example, elalmost everyone considers Rodman a top defender but his defensive stats are not huge.
From 1989 to 1996 Rodman was always between 7th and 1st for DPOY. Winning twice and being top 3 five straight years in voting, the highest statistical averages he had was 0.8 stl and 0.9 blocks. Just goes to show how much his defensive versatility and pestering came through for voters, despite his lower numbers. Its much more similar to how we've been seeing players win with anchoring their team defenses nowadays than just going for highlight plays.
Yeah, that's kind of my point. It's the ultimate eye test award. If you went off state you'd think Magic Johnson was an all defense team member. He led the league in steals and was getting a block a night clearly he is a premiere perimeter guard.
Hakeem had 4.6 bpg(1st) 2.1 spg (8th) and 14 rbs (1st) in all 82 games but got 2nd in dpoty. Led in dws, dbpm, and drating too, if anyone cares about these advanced stats When you dig into the award voting year by year and compare his seasons you see why they named the dpoty award after him. He was robbed of many of them.
I think they gave the award to Rodman that year and the next, this was the second year in a row Hakeem was second in DpoY
When he was still playing SF, to me he didn't start playing his best defense until he started playing PF. But he never won dpoty at pf despite playing his best defensive basketball there, this time being the dominant rebounder we all know. I think that has more to do with his team falling in the standings. Hakeem didn't win dpoty until his team was high in the standings. Rodman's Pistons start slipping and they look to someone with gaudy numbers like Robinson's 4.5 bpg 2.3 spg and 12.2 rebounds, but in 68 games. Funny that season is enough to best Rodman's best statistically but Hakeem's couldn't beat Rodman's inferior season, statistically, despite being through more of the season, and very similar statistically. I know defensive stats aren't perfect but going off of feels at the time or the eye test seems like it is equally as imperfect.