MIAMI -- After swatting Kemba Walker's jumper at the end of the first half, Dwyane Wade became the all-time leader in blocks for players 6-foot-4 or shorter, passing Dennis Johnson, who tallied 674 swats in his 14-year career. The NBA first began recording the stat in the 1973-74 season.
It was Wade's second block of the night and both came against Walker, which got me thinking. Among Wade's 675 blocks, which player has been victimized the most over his career?
Thanks to NBA's StatsCube database, we can look it up.
Turns out there are two players whom Wade has blocked nine times in his career, the highest total for any of Wade's victims. Who are those two players?
The first one may not be too surprising: Joe Johnson. They've faced off 26 times in the NBA, which makes sense considering Johnson shared divisions with Wade for seven seasons in Atlanta. It's an impressive feat since Johnson is one of the biggest shooting guards in the game.
But it's not nearly as impressive as the other guy who has been blocked by Wade nine times in his career.
That guy?
Surprised? So was Wade upon finding out this nugget after Sunday's game.
"All weak side with Dwight," Wade laughed. "I got him a couple times."
Any stand out?
"I got him once in Orlando, a two-hand block," Wade recalled. "I came from behind, he went up and I bammed it with two hands. That felt good. That felt real good."
The video confirms that not only did Wade block him there, he retrieved the ball and drove the other way, coast to coast, for a layup.
Howard isn't the only center that he's swatted a bunch of times. There are two other centers who have fallen victim at least five times over their careers. When asked for their names, Wade immediately got the first one.
"Brook Lopez has to be one of them."
Yup. The other?
"I have no idea."
"Pau! I was gonna say Pau!"
Sure, sure.
That's the thing about Wade. He's not picking on the smaller players.
Get this: Wade has blocked a 7-footer more times (45 total) than players who are 6-feet or shorter (35 total). The average height of a Wade blocked player? 6-foot-6. The tallest player he has blocked? That would be former teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is 7-3. The shortest? Earl Boykins, at 5-5.
Here's a chart that illustrates Wade's block victims over his career, by height. As you can see, he's not picking on someone his own size.
WADES 676 BLOCKS BY HEIGHT
Who are the other players? Well, the list is 342 names long. So here's just a sample of the top casualties.
Nine blocks: Howard and Johnson.
Eight blocks: Vince Carter, Andre Miller.
Seven blocks: Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Ray Allen, Ben Gordon, Baron Davis, John Salmons, Larry Hughes.
Six blocks: Brook Lopez, Russell Westbrook, Rashard Lewis, Marquis Daniels, Jameer Nelson.
Five blocks: Pau Gasol, Danny Granger, David West, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, Gilbert Arenas, Courtney Lee, Cuttino Mobley, DeMar DeRozan, Stephen Jackson.
One last thing: Wade has gotten LeBron James three times in his career. No one needed to remind him of that. He knew.