12.04.2008

Rebounding Anomaly?

Dave Cowens and Paul Silas averaged more than ten rebounds per game for four straight years. Robert Parish and Larry Bird accomplished the same feat. Both teams had other very capable rebounders. Don Nelson, John Havlicek, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Johnson. So when three Celtics grabbed 10 or more rebounds in a single game, no one so much as batted an eyelash.

The Boston Celtics have been a good rebounding team over the last two years. On very few occasions have they given up more rebounds than they've grabbed in a particular contest. But other than Garnett's first few games in green, when he wanted to show everyone what he was all about, the Celtics' roster has not boasted a monster rebounder.

Garnett was their leading rebounder last year, and he averaged less than 10-per game. He is their leading rebounder this year, and he's averaging less than 9 per game.

I'm not saying Kendrick Perkins is not a very good rebounder. Ditto for Paul Pierce and James Posey. And everyone is starting to realize that Rajon Rondo might be one of the best rebounding point guards in NBA history.

But with your leading rebounder averaging a mere 8.8 per game, the fact that the Celtics had three players grab 10 or more caroms last night does give me moment for pause.

When is the last time anyone remembers this happening?

To be honest, I don't remember the last time it happened. In fact, the numbers struck me as so unusual that I wonder if the answer might be more than five years.

Something to keep your eyes on as we peruse FCF's daily links.

1 comment:

FLCeltsFan said...

Rajon Rondo is indeed one of the best rebounding guards I have seen. Perk's value as a rebounder isn't always in the rebounds that show up in the stats for him. He is one of the best players at boxing out the opponent's big man so that his teammates have a better chance at getting the rebound. Rondo and the others get a lot of rebounds because Perk with his size and ferocity opens it up for them to get them.

I really enjoyed watching that game last night. We haven't seen a team like this in a long time.