Unlock the Secret Twist That Will Change Everything You Thought You Knew About This Story
But again, the primary engine in all this is Diabate. A few games before Charlotte went on its winning spree, he was permanently inserted into the starting lineup in place of Ryan Kalkbrenner (who has had a nice rookie season in his own right). Since Jan. 3, the Hornets have a 108.7 defensive rating with Diabate on the floor, nearly seven points per 100 possessions lower than the league average.
When you look at the Hornets’ defensive four factors, it makes a lot of sense why Diabate is so integral to their success. On the season, they’re second in defensive rebounding percentage and third in opponent free throws per field goal attempts. We’ve already established Diabate’s excellence on the glass, and when a team has a strong rim protector like him anchoring its defense (86th percentile block rate), it greatly suppresses the opposing team’s free throw numbers (the defense doesn’t need to foul as much when offensive players enter the paint).


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