INDEPENDENCE: After the Cavaliers let Timofey Mozgov walk in free agency, one of the biggest concerns was finding another rim protector. It’s what has made Tristan Thompson’s emergence this season such a pleasant surprise.
Part of the reason the Cavs pursued Mozgov two years ago was their lack of rim protection. Now in his sixth year, Thompson might be evolving into a shot blocker.
It’s still too early to draw any definitive conclusions, but Thompson’s 1.8 blocks per game this season are more than double his career average (0.8). He is tied with Dwight Howard for eighth in the league in blocks after he tied for 72nd last season with noted defensive windmill James Harden.