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Random Stat: Goaltending "Leaders"

Q: I suggest that blocks and goaltending be compared. Guys like Samuel Dalembert get plenty of blocks and seem to have great timing, but they also give plenty of easy goaltending points to the opposition. A simple ranking of blocks/goaltending/48 minutes might be good, especially if one can differentiate blocks from 2pt attempts and 3pt attempts. -- Cisco Costa (in Brazil!)

A: we haven't posted goaltending stats on player pages since they are frankly rare (there's a goaltending called once for roughly every 20 blocks...actually 5.5% of the time this season a block is nailed for goaltending), but it's an easy enough thing to do a leaderboard glance. Perfect for a random stat look!

Most Goaltending calls (on defense)
Team
Player
Goal-
Tends
Blocks
GT%
PHI  Dalembert 24  120  17% 
POR  Przybilla 15  106  12% 
ATL  J.Smith 13  101  11% 
MIA  Mourning 13  141  8% 
POR  Ratliff 10  61  14% 
IND  O'Neal 76  11% 
NYK  Curry 34  17% 
TOR  Bosh 49  13% 
ORL  Howard 73  9% 
UTA  Kirilenko 106  6% 
HOU  Swift 27  18% 
HOU  Ming 41  13% 
DEN  Martin 46  12% 
MIA  O'Neal 47  11% 
BOS  Perkins 65  8% 
CHA  Wallace 69  8% 
DEN  Camby 95  6% 
NYK  Frye 36  12% 
NOK  Andersen 40  11% 
CHA  Okafor 48  9% 
DET  R.Wallace 77  6% 





Our friend in Brazil guessed right: Samuel Dalembert is the runaway leader in being called for goaltending, and also among the highest players in goaltend % -- of the players with five or more goaltends, only Stromile Swift and Eddy Curry have worse percentages.

Even with the high goaltends though, it's pretty hard to argue that Samuel should just "step aside" and let the shots go passed...he's obviously saving points, albeit perhaps with some better judgement he could be a little more efficient in his shot swatting.

Furthermore, there could be some level of reputation at work here we would guess, and a look at the lowest goaltending %'s may confirm that.

Lowest Goaltending % (Min: 40 blocks)
Team
Player
Goal-
Tends
Blocks
GT%
LAC  Brand 118  0% 
SAS  Duncan 95  0% 
CLE  Ilgauskas 86  0% 
SAS  Nesterovic 59  0% 
PHO  Diaw 53  0% 
PHO  Thomas 48  0% 
BOS  Jefferson 41  0% 
MEM  Gasol 94  1% 
WAS  Haywood 68  1% 
MEM  Battier 64  2% 
DAL  Dampier 60  2% 
MIL  Bogut 55  2% 
UTA  Ostertag 55  2% 
NOK  West 43  2% 
BOS  LaFrentz 42  2% 
CLE  James 42  2% 
LAC  Kaman 76  3% 
DET  B.Wallace 108  3% 





Is Elton Brand really perfect in this regard -- has he blocked almost as many shots as Dalembert without once committing the faux pas?

Probably not.

Most likely there's a little more leeway given to the Duncan, LeBron, and Ben Wallace's of the world than is given to the Przybilla, Ratliff and Josh Smith's of the world.

Still we wouldn't disagree that some players could do a better job of backing off on blocking shots which are clearly liable for getting a goaltending whistle.


Do you have an idea for a cool "random stat" you would like to see? If so, drop us a line

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