By InsideHoops.com

Atlanta Hawks center Theo Ratliff is one of the NBA's best defenders and shot-blockers. This season he's averaging 3.13 per game, better than anyone in the league not named Ben Wallace. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner met with Theo in the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden, to discuss the art of blocking shots.

InsideHoops.com: You block shots better than almost anybody, and you're climbing the NBA's all-time list pretty quickly. Talk to me about the art of blocking shots, and how you're able to do it better than guys who may jump as high as you or may be as quick as you.

Theo Ratliff: Blocking shots is not just about how high you can jump. It's about knowing the right position to be in, getting in the right position to be able to help to be able to block a shot. That's something that I've always tried to work on throughout high school and college. Always trying to get myself in the right position, in the ready position so I can react when the offense is reacting, and meet them at their peak.

InsideHoops.com: Do you pay special attention to the exact players you're playing against, as far as consciously focusing on what you know they like to do?

Theo Ratliff: Yeah definitely. I've been watching guys play, college, coming into the league and what-not, and I got a feel for the type of shots everybody I play against... I know what type of shot they like, and I try to counter that by being in the right position, so when they do take the shot I'm able to challenge the shot, if not block it, or to distract them when they do try to take a shot.

InsideHoops.com: So in you're head, you're already saying to yourself what type of shot they like, doing that just as much as you are relying on your instincts...

Theo Ratliff: Yeah, I know what he likes to do, I know if he like to shoot a floater, if he likes to bring the ball close to the goal on a release, or if he likes to release outside, or if he's more likely to pull up for a jumper, and that's what makes you become a better defender. Everybody can just move into position, but when you study your opponents and you know their tendencies and what they like to do well on offense, then you can learn how to counter that when you play against them.

InsideHoops.com: And would you say you may far more attention to all of this than other guys at your spot, helping you to excel at it?

Theo Ratliff: Definitely. I think I pay more attention than a lot of other guys. Because the glamour is putting the ball in the basket, scoring a lot of points, and doing that, but it's something that I've always concentrated on since I was younger. I've always concentrated on trying to be a better defensive player.

InsideHoops.com: Is there anyone over the course of your entire career that helped you get better at defending and blocking shots in particular?

Theo Ratliff: I used to watch Akeem (Hakeem Olajuwon) and David Robinson a lot back in the day when I was in high school and saw those guys play. I always made it a point to try to take those guys and watch how they defend and play the game.


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