Indiana Pacers Are No. 1 Rebounding Team in the NBA

Frank Vogel likes to throw around the term "smashmouth" to describe what he calls the type of basketball the Pacers play. 

The Pacers don't have a Derrick Rose or a LeBron James, but they do have a team that believes they can compete with those guys.

Today, the Pacers are the top rebounding team in the league, averaging nearly 45 rebounds per game. Leading the Pacers in rebounds per game is Roy Hibbert, who averages 10 per night on his own.

The rebounding of the Pacers has been a deliberate effort. In order to achieve Vogel's "smashmouth" status, the Pacers have had to make a very distinct effort at becoming one of the better rebounding teams in the league. While they have been close to the top all season, they haven't hit top team status yet in any statistical category.

Along with becoming the top rebounding team, they are sixth in points allowed, at 91 per game. These two categories distinguish the Pacers as one of the top defending teams in the league. Even the stats are starting to indicate the Pacers are smashmouth. 

The Pacers topped the Dallas Mavericks last night, giving them their fourth straight victory and their first in Dallas since 2004. They will look to continue their tough defense and stellar rebounding tonight against the Orlando Magic (14-9). The Magic bested the Pacers in their last meeting in Indianapolis on Jan. 24, 102-83.