poll coming. Discuss.
good shot blocking where you still hold solid defensive ground is all about timing.
highlight reel shot blocking that gets you nicknames like "Birdman" is all about athleticism because you don't actually care about your positioning or defensive ground.
BUMP
I'm not talking about good shot blocking or highlight reel shot blocking, I'm talking about what gets you more blocked shots in the stat column. The question is simple, "Does athleticism or good positioning contribute more to a player's ability to block (not alter) shots?"
So the people voting positioning and timing, you're saying when the Clippers led the NBA in blocks in 2006-2007 it was because of great positioning and timing?
you can be the greatest athlete in the world but if you dont have the position or time it right, you're going to get called for a foul every time.
Stupid-ass players with freak athleticism will always have more blocks than players with lesser physical gifts but can time things right.
So you'd say the 2006-2007 LA Clippers, a team that led the NBA in blocks, had a great team defense full of players that were never out of position?
Timing more so than athleticism. There are plenty of athletic bigs that don't shot block at a good rate.
But more important than the two choices is size and length. Just as important as the two choices is effort.
It's all about not jumping until the opponent jumps.
I would say timing should be a choice by itself.
There are tons of great defenders like Kurt Thomas with a lack of athleticism that prevents them from blocking tons of shots.
athleticism. easy
And touche Jamstone, size and strength is by far the most important the more I think about it.
I think timing is the most important thing. Players like David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwan were masters at timing the block just after the release.
However, at the risk of sounding like a homer, DRob was a rare combination of both which I think is why he was so devastating on defense. I know I sound like I'm wishy washy, but consider this... DRob had the ability to jump as high as he wanted and was as agile as he needed to be to get to where he could make the block. And, I saw time after time where David mis-timed the jump/was faked out and was still able to get the block from sheer athleticism. But without the timing to be able to stop the forward progress of the ball and tap it to a teammate, he would've been in foul trouble much more often. Timing the block just after the release was key. So many guys try swatting at the ball or making a broad arc and get called for the foul. David was a master at timing the block to come just after release.
Great question.
This question is pointless the more I think about it, length size and strength are by far the most important.
You can be athletic but you will never block shots if your doin it the wrong time!
when you think of athletic bigs do you think about elton brand and chris kaman?
great defense doesnt mean shot blocks.
when you think of athletic guys, do you think about duncan and mutombo?
when its athleticism vs positioning and timing, ill take the guy who can position himself and time his jump better every time
This should be a rhetorical question to anyone who understands what blocking shots is all about. it has little to do with jumping high and everything to do with timing and position. Being a lengthy, athletic body type makes it easier to excel on the defensive end. But being lengthy and athletic does not a defender make.
Explosiveness and anticipation.
Check how quickly Hakeem gets from stationary to fully extended in this vid, start at 1:30 and then go to 3:45 ish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwtTBK0cCnk
wow....im so glad you shared that video with us
not
Can we get one thread with legit bball talk without the bags rolling in?
I think you can get by on freak athleticism alone, it's easier to make up for your lack of timing and positioning. If you're a timing shot blocker and you don't have freak athleticism, you HAVE to be in the right position all the time.
But I'd still rather have Duncan patrolling my paint than Birdman.
?? dood it starts out with him gettin 3 boards cuz he was rejected twice.
Great find.
If you watch, half of those shots were of Hakeem positioning himself for a block before the guy even picks up his dribble. Timing is key.
Hakeem is one of those rare guys that's always in the right position with good timing and freak athleticism.
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