Just How Bad a Shot-Blocker is Carlos Boozer, Anyway?
by Evan Dunlap on Apr 15, 2009 12:19 AM MDT
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PrintDuring last night's Jazz/Lakers game, JAZZSPIN.com sent this Tweet:
Boozer now has 14% of his blocks on the year against the Lakers.
So I looked at the totals: 1196 minutes played for Carlos Boozer, and 7 blocks. Absolutely baffling. So I did some research. How common is it for players of Boozer's size to play so many minutes and block so few shots?
Per basketball-reference, here's the answer to that question:
| Year | Player | Min. | Blk. | Wing / Post? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004/05 | Eric Williams | 1322 | 4 | Wing |
| Juwan Howard | 1624 | 5 | Post | |
| Jason Kapono | 1491 | 6 | Wing | |
| Jalen Rose | 2710 | 10 | Wing | |
| Jerome Williams | 1211 | 10 | Post | |
| 2005/06 | Juwan Howard | 2537 | 8 | Post |
| Reggie Evans | 1393 | 10 | Post | |
| Peja Stojakovic | 2601 | 10 | Wing | |
| 2006/07 | Jason Kapono | 1767 | 2 | Wing |
| Adam Morrison | 2326 | 6 | Wing | |
| Juwan Howard | 2123 | 8 | Post | |
| 2007/08 | Jason Kapono | 1530 | 2 | Wing |
| Reggie Evans | 1879 | 8 | Post | |
| Thaddeus Young | 1554 | 8 | Wing | |
| Peja Stojakovic | 2711 | 10 | Wing | |
| 2008/09 | Jason Kapono | 1811 | 3 | Wing |
| Peja Stojakovic | 2047 | 3 | Wing | |
| Carlos Boozer | 1196 | 7 | Post | |
In the last 5 years, 10 different players have accomplished that feat 18 times. Based on Peja Stojakovic's and Jason Kapono's presence on the list, it's clear that we should consider positional tendencies, though. So, here's the list again, this time with "Wing" players excluded.
| Year | Player | Min. | Blk. | Wing / Post? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004/05 | Juwan Howard | 1624 | 5 | Post |
| Jerome Williams | 1211 | 10 | Post | |
| 2005/06 | Juwan Howard | 2537 | 8 | Post |
| Reggie Evans | 1393 | 10 | Post | |
| 2006/07 | Juwan Howard | 2123 | 8 | Post |
| 2007/08 | Reggie Evans | 1879 | 8 | Post |
| 2008/09 | Carlos Boozer | 1196 | 7 | Post |
Both Juwan Howard and Jerome Williams were in their 30s when they made this list, making Boozer and Reggie Evans the players 6'08" or taller, in their athletic primes, to play roughly 1200 minutes in a season and block fewer than 10 shots.
There are, of course, some caveats. First, that's a lot of endpoints. Second, one need not block shots in order to be a great defender. Third, and most obviously, he's been injured this year.Nonetheless, it seems like a man of Boozer's size should be able to luck into a few blocked shots every now and again.
All comments are the opinion of the commenter and not necessarily that of SLC Dunk or SB Nation.
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Nice work.
Next up… how often is Booze blocked?
This is just… kinda scary.
Maybe all the surgeries have eaten away his jumping ability?
And there is the fact that he’s only played 37 games. Still not a good amount (especially considering that he had 41 in 81 games last year)…
True Blue Jazz
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
according to my unofficial tally
boozer has 54 BAs this season…
in other words, his B:BA ratio is roughly (drum roll….)
1 : 8
(and yes, this is actually irrelevant to the original post)
maybe if he yelled more?
Haha. Good job turning my tweet into a post. Booze only had 3 blocks this season prior to his injury so it cannot be fully blamed on that. Brevin Knight and Mo Almond have 8 blocks between them in a combined 1193 minutes, compared to Boozers 7 in 1197 minutes. Prior to coming to Utah, Booze had 50 and 55 blocks in his 2 seasons in Cleveland… not great, but definitely better.
Would never have guessed that Juwan Howard got so few blocks.
Juwan Howard...
… really!!?? that guy was horrible on d. he is almost an exact replica of booze. good low post player, horrible low-post defender.
this was great info. thanks ben q rock.
As a comparison...
The more-than-earthbound Zach Randolph has 13 blocks in his 1369 minutes as a Clipper this season.
The never-accused-of-being-a-help-defender Dirk Nowitzki has 63 in 3009 minutes.
The best-Gaucho-who-can’t-jump Luis Scola has 11 blocks in 2466 minutes.
Boozer’s best shotblocking season in Utah was last year….with 41 in 2827 minutes.
Millsap has 74, 73, 73 with 1472, 1702, 2290 minutes in his career. Talk about consistency.^^
One thing I wish I had included, now that I think about it
Shooting fouls committed. I mean, maybe Boozer (or Howard or whatever) doesn’t block many shots, but that may be because he doesn’t actively swat them.
But if he’s committing a ton of shooting fouls, and blocking a shot once every 200 minutes, then he’s, um, not too good.
82games has it
To date, Boozer has committed 57 shooting fouls.
by Evan Dunlap on Apr 16, 2009 10:18 AM MDT up reply actions
57 fouls to 7 blocks is pretty bad, yeah.
Dwight Howard, the league’s leading shot-blocker, had 232 rejections this year and committed only 120 shooting fouls. Chris Andersen, the runner-up, blocked 175 shots and committed 105 shooting fouls. I imagine you’d want a ratio of at least 1 block for every shooting foul committed.
Boozer isn't supposed to play defense anyways
You guys have Miles, and Millsap and Williams – they are all good defenders, Boozer was never supposed to be a good defender. What you guys need to do to win is give Deron Williams the ball all the time and have him drive. Shannon and Fisher are too slow. He will either run into someone and dish it to Boozer for an easy lay-in, pass it to AK or Memo for a three-pointer or take that shit in himself. That should be your strategy every single game. Your entire offense should go through your best player. Besides that, don’t give us easy fast-break points and that’s the only way you can win the series.
You forgot a few key stats...
Boozer:
Jerk: 100%
Greed: 100%
Defense: 0
2009-10 Salary: $12,657,233
by iLoveBooks100per on May 15, 2009 12:16 PM MDT reply actions
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