Why can't we rebound the ball ?

[tenn_smoothie]

the Celtics have gone from being a very strong rebounding team in 2008 to a weak rebounding team three years later - why ?

this year's team is missing leon powe, pj brown, james posey and, temporarily, kendrick perkins. also, paul pierce and kevin garnett are three years older and kg has been thru knee surgery and rehab since winning the title.

on the plus side, the Celts have added shaq and jermaine o'neil this season to bolster the front line. in addition, rondo has become the best rebounding point guard in the league.

so essentially, our post players have gotten older, bigger and bulkier, but have lost that quickness and explosiveness required to get to the ball first. rebounding is about positioning and quick feet along with a knack for reading where a shot is going to come off of the rim and then having the desire to go get it.

when are we going to stop being embarrassed on the boards - this weakness has already cost us one title - i don't want that to happen again.

[GranTur]

Before KG went down we were near the top of the league in rebounding.

No Perkins and no KG will make rebounding difficult. Shaq and JO can only play limited minutes because of age and injury, leaving Baby, Semih, and Harangody.

Each of those three guys are either a rookie, undersized, or both.

Injuries, my friend. Injuries.

[clover]

Pierce and KG are actually rebounding at a higher rate than in 07-08, it's Baby who has declined. 

PJ was a great rebounder, but he played relatively few minutes in 07-08. 

KG, Luke, JO and Shaq have all been rebounding at a better rate than Posey did in 07-08.

[dasani]

it's frustrating I know. It will get better though.

[Change]

On Defense: Dribble Penetration have been Celtics Achilles-heals  Rondo mainly. As fast as he is, he can't keep his man in front of him. It forces the defense to collapse & help. By helping, You leave rebounding gaps on the boards. Its leaves you vulnerable on the back end. Celtics have given up a lot of put back basket as result.

On Offense: Celtics simply don't care about Offensive Boards. They are more worried giving up transition basket on the other end. Another reason why they don't grab many O-Rebounds, Celtics BIGS are jump shot happy ahem.....Baby and KG...

Did you know Rajon Rondo is statistically Celtics best Offensive Rebounder? Stats don't lie. I would be a shamed to be bigman for the Celtics right now.

[clover]

Pierce and KG are actually rebounding at a higher rate than in 07-08, it's Baby who has declined. 

PJ was a great rebounder, but he played relatively few minutes in 07-08. 

KG, Luke, JO and Shaq have all been rebounding at a better rate than Posey did in 07-08.

Oh, and Erden's been rebounding at a greater rate than Posey was, too.

[Who]

Glen Davis and Semih Erden are very poor rebounding big men averaging 6.3 boards per 36 minutes this season so far.

Glen Davis leads the Celtics bigs in minutes played with 1104 total minutes played which ranks third on the Celtics overall while Erden tosses in another 364 minutes. Which means they have played 1450 total minutes out of an available 3456 big man minutes which is 42%.

So two fifths of the time, Boston is at a large disadvantage on the glass because of these two.

---------------------------------------------

On average, a big man pulls down around 9 boards per 36 minutes. A little less at PF and a little more at C. So, as a ball-park, Erden and BBD are getting out-rebounded by about two and a half to three rebounds every 36 minutes.

According to 82games.com's opponent PER, Erden gets out-rebounded 4.5 rebounds every 48 minutes while BBD gets out-rebounded 2.8 rebounds every 48 minutes.

[Who]

Recently, things have gotten much worse due to three main factors:

(1)  Kevin Garnett went down with an injury.

He is the team's strongest rebounder pulling down 9.5 boards in 31.5 minutes a night while routinely out-rebounding his opponent at his position (according to 82games.com, by 3 boards every 48 minutes).

(2) Glen Davis took over KG's starting position.

Glen Davis' rebounding has gotten even worse with him pulling down only 3.8 rebounds in 35.5 minutes while starting at power forward in Kevin Garnett's absence.

Roughly one rebound every 10 minutes ... Numbers you'd normally equate with a solid rebounding PG or a weak rebounding two guard. Nevermind comparing his rebounding numbers to a big man.

Glen Davis was averaging 5.7 rebounds in a little under 30 minutes as a reserve.

(3) Shaq's dip in form (health?)

Unfortunately, this has coincided with a large decline in Shaq's rebounding productivity too with O'Neal pulling down only 2.7 rebounds a game in just under 20 minutes a night over the past 9 contests.

This dip started just before KG went down with an injury.

Personally, I think Shaq must be carrying an injury of some variety and that that injury is hurting his rebounding + overall performance. He just doesn't look himself recently.

He is usually an above average rebounder and will surely get back to his best in time.

[KungPoweChicken]

Recently, things have gotten much worse due to three main factors:

(1)  Kevin Garnett went down with an injury.

He is the team's strongest rebounder pulling down 9.5 boards in 31.5 minutes a night while routinely out-rebounding his opponent at his position (according to 82games.com, by 3 boards every 48 minutes).

(2) Glen Davis took over KG's starting position.

Glen Davis' rebounding has gotten even worse with him pulling down only 3.8 rebounds in 35.5 minutes while starting at power forward in Kevin Garnett's absence.

Roughly one rebound every 10 minutes ... Numbers you'd normally equate with a solid rebounding PG or a weak rebounding two guard. Nevermind comparing his rebounding numbers to a big man.

Glen Davis was averaging 5.7 rebounds in a little under 30 minutes as a reserve.

(3) Shaq's dip in form (health?)

Unfortunately, this has coincided with a large decline in Shaq's rebounding productivity too with O'Neal pulling down only 2.7 rebounds a game in just under 20 minutes a night over the past 9 contests.

This dip started just before KG went down with an injury.

Personally, I think Shaq must be carrying an injury of some variety and that that injury is hurting his rebounding + overall performance. He just doesn't look himself recently.

He is usually an above average rebounder and will surely get back to his best in time.

Honestly, I think Shaq's play of late is not related to an injury but is just a case of the January doldrums.

[pearljammer10]

Shaqs play might be due to the foul trouble he is constantly finding himself in. (Most of it unwarranted with bad calls). The Celtics have rebounded the ball fairly well for their system this year, they dont take many shots therefore dont get many rebounds.

[nba is the worst]

Last night was the 1st severely pathetic showing on the boards this season.

But it does show a weakness in the team.

The 1st two losses, the C's actually outrebounded their opponent.  Since then, they have been outrebounded in every loss except for the Hornets game, where it was the turnovers that turned a win into a loss.

Obviously, KG is key.

Which leaves the elephant-sized question - can he make it to/through the playoffs playing at the level we saw before this injury?

[xmuscularghandix]

Because KG, who is one of the leagues best rebounders at the defensive end, it out.

[PutBackDunk]

You sort of answered your own question. Like you said, rebounding is not about quickness and explosive athletic ability, it's about positioning and effort.

Look at Kevin Love; do the words quickness and explosiveness come to mind?

Most of the Celtics bigs on the other hand grew up with at least one overpowering physical trait, being size and/or great athletic ability, that allowed them to compensate until this point for their lack of good positioning and effort.

I'm not saying someone like KG doesn't play with effort, but his effort specifically when it comes to rebounding is not good. How many times have you seen KG, Shaq, Perk (not this year obviously), etc go up with one hand and try to tip the ball to themselves? A lot of times this creates offensive rebounds for the other team and second chance buckets (see game 7).

[Jon]

I think, as others have said, the answer is obvious.  We've missed KG, Shaq, and JO for stretches and Perk the whole year.  This has left us with the 6-6 BBD playing the 4 and 5 for big minutes, not to mention the likes of Pierce and Daniels playing the 4 for stretches. 

I wouldn't worry until we're at full speed. 

[More Banners]

Rebounding is about desire, technique, and, to a lesser extent than one might think, size.

Our bigs, except perhaps for Gody, lack the first two.  KG is an average rebounder at this point, IMO.

Shoot me for saying this, but Toine could help is in this area...

[BANG!  BANG!]