Why Can't KG Rebound Anymore?

[moiso]

Rebounding is ENERGY, ACTIVITY, and WANT (in addition to all that fundamental stuff).  As players age, those three things tend to decrease.  It has happened to EVERY player as they get older and it has happened to KG.  Don't expect this to get any better because it won't.

Co-cosign. TP.  He just didn't have the energy to compete for rebounds like he used to.  His athletic ability looked exactly the same in spurts.

[droopdog7]

Rebounding is ENERGY, ACTIVITY, and WANT (in addition to all that fundamental stuff).  As players age, those three things tend to decrease.  It has happened to EVERY player as they get older and it has happened to KG.  Don't expect this to get any better because it won't.

KG has always been a pogo stick, using his athleticism, his quick feet and long reach to be an excellent rebounder. After that knee injury he's lost some of the quickness and spring in his step. Now he needs to use a lot more of the fundamentals to rebound. Rodman was an instructional video of how to rebound. Did all the fundamental first and then used his quickness to go get the ball. Not sure why guys don't specialize more in rebounding. Any one who can average 10 boards and over can make it in this league.

I agree that specializing in something, especially when limited in other facets of the game, is something more people should do.  But I also think that to concentrate in one area almost always hurts you in another area.  Put it this way, Rodman was able to rebound the way he did in part because that is all he cared about.  He dedicated all of his energy to the defensive side. 

Rodman was unique because he did it, but not especially because of his skill or talent (though that was certainly above average).  Put it this way;  a guy like Dwight Howard could probably average 25 rebounds a game if that is all he had to worry about. 

[byennie]

I have to think it's a combination of health, minutes and Perk.

1) Obviously the knee is an issue
2) KG played < 30 MPG for the first time since his rookie year. He used to be a 40 MPG guy.
3) Perk is pulling down about 2 RPG more these days than when KG first arrived

Obviously he's not the same KG who used to average 13-14 RPG in his prime, but if you give him a weak rebounding center and longer minutes he could probably still pull down 10-11 per night.

I don't suggest the latter, but with Perkins out and KG's knee possibly another notch recovered, I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at the 8-9 RPG level this year.

[guava_wrench]

Rebounding is ENERGY, ACTIVITY, and WANT (in addition to all that fundamental stuff).  As players age, those three things tend to decrease.  It has happened to EVERY player as they get older and it has happened to KG.  Don't expect this to get any better because it won't.

Speed, jumping ability, and strength are all just as important as energy, activity and want. It is the former 3 that have decreased the most in KG, not the latter 3.

[celtics2]

You must be a youngsta. Wait till your 34 and see how much you can jump up and down playing 40 minutes a game.

[Witch-King]

You must be a youngsta. Wait till your 34 and see how much you can jump up and down playing 40 minutes a game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4i5-0Se98E

^Kevin might not display the defensive explosiveness that characterized his younger years as often anymore, however now Garnett plays on a team where he doesn't have to be the leading scorer, average a double-double with rebounds and be the best defender on the court every possession like during his Timberwolves days. Didn't Garnett win defensive player of the year during his first season with the Celtics?

At this point in his career, Garnett needs to focus on keeping his legs fresh for the playoffs.