Predicting the 5 blocks leaders for the 2021-22 NBA season
The 2021-22 NBA season commences in a few days as preseason games continue to take their course. The previous season had the Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner named the blocks champion, having recorded 3.4 blocks per game in 47 appearances and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz finishing second with 2.7 blocks, although Gobert was the blocks leader with a total of 190 blocks.
Myles Turner - 2x blocks leader (and counting) #Pacers: https://t.co/Rd93VvTW0U
The 2019-20 season blocks leader was Portland Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside with 196 blocks, with Gobert trailing in fourth place with 135 blocks. Although the NBA can be very unpredictable with circumstances possibly changing the course of things, below is a list of the probable top 5 block leaders in the 2021-22 NBA season.
The possible 5 blocks leaders in the 2021-22 NBA season
#5. Kristaps Porzingis
The New York Knicks No. 4 draft selection for the 2015 NBA draft, Kristaps Porzingis, is expected to finish the coming season placed in 5th position in total blocks made.
The former Knicks power forward successfully completed a career-high 134 blocks in his debut season in the NBA and was selected to the 2015-16 All-Rookie First Team.
Kristaps Porzingis became the first NBA player to have more than 35 points, more than 5 threes, and 5 or more blocks in a game (per @tim_cato)
🙄🙄🙄 https://t.co/2iskSlLpFH
After his third season with the Knicks, Porzingis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, owing to an ACL injury. In his first season with the Mavs, he led the team in blocks and placed 7th in the league, while ranking 6th in blocks per game.
With the Mavericks acquiring the services of Jason Kidd and infusing some championship-experienced players on the roster, Porzingis is poised to make a comeback to his old Knicks form and put up good numbers in the coming season.
#4. Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel was the 6th overall pick by the New Orleans Hornets in the 2013 NBA draft and was later traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. His supposed debut season was marred by a knee injury that saw him miss the entire season.
However, he had his time in the 2014-15 season to prove himself as he was featured in 67 games for the 76ers with 62 starts. Noel recorded 142 blocks in his first season, leading the team in blocks, rebounds and steals.
Eraser, as he is fondly known, finished the previous season ranked in third place in total blocks and blocks per game, having completed 141 blocks and an average of 2.2 blocks per game. The coming season might see Noel drop down the rankings by a spot, giving rise to the next block leader on the list.