Rebounders: 10 Most Dominant in the NBA Today

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The most important key to win games is scoring, right? Well not exactly.

In order to score it is important to get rebounds, both offensive and defensive. Today there are many great power forwards and centers that can grab a lot of rebounds. Here I name the leagues current top 10 rebounders in the NBA today.

10. Marcin Gortat

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

We will start with Marcin Gortat who is in his fifth year in the NBA. From Lodz, Poland, Gortat started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic in 2007 and played for the Magic for the first 4 years till he was traded halfway through the 2010-11 season to the Phoenix Suns where his is now the starting center.

Gortat is currently 11^th in the NBA with 201 total rebounds (155 defensive, 46 offensive). What puts Gortat in the top 10 rebounders is his consistency. Currently Gortat has had at least 10 rebounds in each of his past 12 games and has only had one game this year with less than five boards. 

9. Pau Gasol

Harry How/Getty Images

Pau Gasol is one of the best veteran power forwards in the league. From Barcelona, Spain Gasol, over his career, is averaging 9.1 rebounds per game. In the midst of his 11^th season Gasol has averaged at least 7.7 boards per game in every season he played.

He doesn’t look to be declining in his rebounding or production either, as his is coming off his best two seasons rebounding in 2009-10 and 2010-2011, in which he averaged 11.3 boards and 10.2 boards per game respectively.

8. DeMarcus Cousins

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

DeMarcus Cousins is in his second year in the NBA and is continuing to post some big numbers, averaging 10.9 rebounds a game this year, which is up over 2 boards per game from last year.

Not only does Cousins grab a lot of defensive rebounds, but he is really good at working the offensive glass, as well. With 83 offensive boards in the season thus far, he is averaging 4.4 offensive boards per game which is tops in the league.

If he can continue grabbing offensive rebounds at this rate he could easily become one of the best rebounders in his era.

7. Greg Monroe

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Greg Monroe has been a sensational sophomore center in the NBA for Detroit, who drafted him in 2010. And Monroe has continued to get better each game.

This year almost every single category for Monroe has gone up including his rebounding (7.5 RPG his rookie season to 9.5 this year). Monroe has the size and athleticism to really make his name in the NBA as a star rebounder.

6. Andrew Bynum

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Andrew Bynum is having by far his best rebounding season ever, but as a whole he has not done much on the glass.

Averaging 12.2 rebounds a game this year, his previous high was 10.2 boards, and before that he had not broken and average of ten a game.

This season so far has brought his career average up to only 7.4 per game but this season’s performance could be a sign of things to come now that he is the primary center in Los Angeles.

5. Blake Griffin

Harry How/Getty Images

Blake Griffin is one of the flashiest players in the NBA right now. Although he is mainly known for his high flying and acrobatic dunks, he is also a decent rebounder.

Tied for 12^th for total rebounds Griffin is averaging 11.1 boards per game, which is 4^th in the league. If he could turn his style into rebounds he could easily move up this list.

4. Anderson Varejao

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Anderson Varejao is from Santa Teresa, Brazil and in his eighth season in the NBA, all of which have come with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

As a rebounder Varejao is quickly becoming a much better rebounder since his rookie season during he only grabbed 4.8 boards per game.

He is now averaging a career high 11 boards per game this season. If he can keep up this pace for another few seasons he could easily be moved farther up this list.

3. Marc Gasol

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Pau Gasol’s younger brother Marc Gasol has Pau beat on this level. 

In his fourth year in the NBA and with the Memphis Grizzlies, Marc Gasol is currently tied with the third most rebounds in the league right now with 210 on the season. 

He is one pace to have his highest rebounding season he has ever had by at least one board per game. With many years still left in him, Marc should be able to put up some impressive rebounding numbers.

2. Kevin Love

Elsa/Getty Images

Kevin Love is arguably the games best power forward at the moment for his scoring and rebounding powers.

The second leading rebounder this season is averaging 13.5 boards per game 4.1 of which come of the offensive glass.

The only reason why he gets put down to number two on my list is that his career average rebounding is only 11.9. This may seem like quite a large number but when you are playing in the same era as…

1. Dwight Howard

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Dwight Howard, your numbers need to be really big.

Dwight Howard is by far one of the best rebounders to have played in the NBA. His average of 15.3 boards per game this season is almost 2 more rebounds than his closest competitor. His career average in rebounds per game is 12.9, which is 12^th all time. He has also grabbed 79 offensive boards this season putting him 5^th on that list.

For someone that ranks first in total rebounds, defensive rebounds, and rebounds per game making him the number one rebound in the game right now only seems right.