Washington Wizards: 5 goals for Ian Mahinmi in 2017-18
By Randy Porga
3. Remain a key part of the defense
The Washington Wizards struggled to set the tone on the defensive end of the court during the 2016-17 regular season. This was one area, however, that Ian Mahinmi stands out in a much better fashion.
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Ian Mahinmi had the second-highest block percentage among his teammates, with 3.6 percent of his opponents’ shots being blocked while he was on the floor.
He stands out by far as the best player in the Defensive Box Plus/Minus column with 2.9, while the second-best on the team was Marcin Gortat with 1.2 per 100 possessions. On average for his career Mahinmi averages a 2.4 DBPM, while over the past four seasons he is averaging a 3.1 DBPM that accounts for him playing over 4,700 total minutes.
However, he also had a personal worst year as far as his Defensive Rating was concerned, posting a 104 during the 2016-17 season.
If he can stay healthy, Ian Mahinmi can be a leader on the defensive end for the Washington Wizards, particularly with the second unit.