The NBA block stat is one of the more underrated statistics in the game and rarely reaches its full potential in the highlight reels. It is certainly a notable feat to block ten shots in a game, but it is often overlooked.

There are three players who have blocked 10 or more shots in a game: Mark Eaton, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Andrew Bynum. Of those, only Eaton has ever recorded double-digit blocks in a playoff game.

The most significant of these is of course the first, which is a record for a player in a regular season. In the early 1980s, the Philadelphia 76ers blocked 20 shots in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. As the league moved away from a defensive system, the number of block parties diminished. However, it is still not uncommon to see multiple block parties in a single game.

Elmore Smith's 1973 block party against the Portland Trail Blazers is a well-remembered feat. The stat was a triple-double, as he scored 12 points while blocking 11 shots in the first half. He also had 16 rebounds. His record stands to this day. During his career, Elmore Smith averaged 4.9 blocks per game.

Another exemplary block-blocker was Manute Bol, who blocked more than 2,000 shots in his career. A pure defender, Bol was 7 feet 7 inches tall. While he didn't have the ability to shoot from the three-point line, he did have a knack for denying opponents’ shots. For instance, he had two of his biggest blocks in 15-block games in the late 1980s.

Some of the other notable names in the block-blocking game include Giannis Antetokounmpo, who blocked Andre Iguodala in the finals of the 2021 season. Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks is leading the league in blocks this year. He has 108 on the season and is currently tied for the most in the NBA.

Similarly, Tim Duncan of the Los Angeles Lakers is the only player to average more than two blocks per game in his first ten seasons in the league. He has 3,020 swats on his resume and ranks fifth all-time in career blocks.

Other shot-blocking legends include Elmore Smith, Michael Jordan, and Robert Parish. Each of these players is a testament to the importance of blocking and is a good example of the modern game of NBA basketball. Their careers were built on big defense down low.

Although the Block stat is often regarded as an underrated stat, it still has a huge impact. For instance, a blocked shot can demoralize an opponent and can lead to a basket in a transition bucket. Likewise, a blocked shot can be the key to victory in a close game.

With all of these examples in mind, it is easy to see why the NBA Block stat has become a bit of a relic. Today, the emphasis is on offense and getting the ball to the basket. But that is just a small slice of the overall picture.

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