Is it Sabermetrics? Celtics = worst offensive rebounding team ever...

[JSD]

I found it interesting yesterday during the telecast when Kerr brought up the numbers and determined that this Celtic team is the worst offensive rebounding team in NBA history. It got me thinking, is this approach some type of sabermetrics that Danny and Doc employ that they would  with any team or does it have more to do with the personal on this aging squad? Did someone in our front office breakdown some type of equation that determined energy for offense rebounds or giving up defensive positioning is not statistically worth it somehow? That the result gives up net points overall?

I've never seen this approach to basketball before these last couple Celtic seasons.

[apc]

I think it is the strategy, as often we see all players pull back before a shot hits the rim.
it may have been a good strategy when you have a very slow center in JO.
playing against the Hawks who are missing 2 bigs, the plan should be readjusted.
GO after the boards!

[JSD]

I think it is the strategy, as often we see all players pull back before a shot hits the rim.
it may have been a good strategy when you have a very slow center in JO.
playing against the Hawks who are missing 2 bigs, the plan should be readjusted.
GO after the boards!

See that's exactly what I'm talking about. It seems as though, despite who is on the floor, they are tanking the offensive rebound category. I find it very interesting and I wonder this is not some type of Bill James like approach to a different sport.

[Fafnir]

Part of it is that our bigs our primarily jump shooters, Doc has employed offensive rebounding bigs before. Notably Leon Powe, Perkins, and Glen Davis (2007-2008 and 2009-2010 he got offensive boards well)

Additionally Doc seems to have become more and more concerned with getting out run. Combination of scheme and personal leads to it.

[CelticHooligan3]

I think it is the strategy, as often we see all players pull back before a shot hits the rim.
it may have been a good strategy when you have a very slow center in JO.
playing against the Hawks who are missing 2 bigs, the plan should be readjusted.
GO after the boards!

See that's exactly what I'm talking about. It seems as though, despite who is on the floor, they are tanking the offensive rebound category. I find it very interesting and I wonder this is not some type of Bill James like approach to a different sport.

I was under the impression it's definatley part of the strategy. At least that's what Gorman and tommy would have you beleive. They discuss it and usually the frustration Tommy feels because of it is audible on air.

[Chris]

I do think that they believe getting back on defense is more important than going after an offensive rebound, but I also don't think it is planned that way. 

I think they are working with the players they have.  If they had a quality offensive rebounder, they would set them loose.  However, they simply don't have one on the roster, and haven't really since Leon Powe left.  So, they work with what they have, and try to emphasize their strengths.

If they can be great defensively, and incredibly efficient offensively, then they can basically hide their weakness on the boards. 

[myteamisbetterthanyours]

If anybody noticed Steamer playing out of his mind on the boards last night, you would've saw him battling for those offensive rebounds.. He didn't win many.. but he was in there.

[JSD]

Part of it is that our bigs our primarily jump shooters, Doc has employed offensive rebounding bigs before. Notably Leon Powe, Perkins, and Glen Davis (2007-2008 and 2009-2010 he got offensive boards well)

Additionally Doc seems to have become more and more concerned with getting out run. Combination of scheme and personal leads to it.

The Celtics were dead last in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In 2009 they were ranked #20 and in 2008 they were ranked #23. So a #20 rank is the highest they've been in that category in the big 3 era. However, right before that time, with surely a much worse roster, they were middle of the pack.

http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/team/_/stat/rebounds-per-game/sort/avgOffensiveRebounds/seasontype/2

I think it's more scheme than anything else at this point.

[JSD]

If anybody noticed Steamer playing out of his mind on the boards last night, you would've saw him battling for those offensive rebounds.. He didn't win many.. but he was in there.

I noticed him in there early on trying to grab a couple but it was short lived.

[Celtics4ever]

Pretty clear this is the case and some of it is personnel and some of it the schemes we use.  Our guys are older and against athletic and spry bigs we get ate alive.

[RMO]

I can live with the Celtics not getting offensive rebounds.  I agree that's a function of scheme and getting back.  What kills me is not getting the defensive rebounds.  So many times I've seen one guy from the other team emerge from a crowd of Celtics with the rebound.  It's the defensive rebounding to me that should be more of an issue when discussing the Celtics rebounding woes.

[myteamisbetterthanyours]

Also.. Since the Big 3 era, Celtics have been atop the league in terms of FG% so they have less chances of getting offensive boards anyway.. Getting back on defense is more important imo..  The defensive rebounding is more of an issue.

[CelticG1]

Stupid title. Its like saying a team is the worst passing team because they have the lowest assists in the league.

[JSD]

Stupid title. Its like saying a team is the worst passing team because they have the lowest assists in the league.

More like saying a team is the worst assist getting team because they have the lowest assists in the league.

[Fafnir]

We grab offensive rebounds at the lowest rate in league history.

This accounts for how many times we grab rebounds as a percentage of missed shots. So this compensates for how accurate the C's are.