NBA Power Rankings: Who Are the Best Rebounding Teams in the NBA?
A month into the NBA season and we are now seeing the foundations of each team. Those that are good and bad are being decided, but more importantly, what type of teams they are has been falling into place. Phoenix is an offense-first team and Golden State is a fast-paced team, for example.
Beyond that, the good rebounding teams are beginning to stand out. Good or bad rebounding teams may not be determined by their record, but nonetheless it tells a lot about a team. Perhaps a team isn't scoring often, and as a result they often grab offensive boards, or a team may be struggling to grab rebounds due to a lack of size.
The following are the top 30 rebounding teams ranked. The team with the fewest rebounds isn't necessarily last, and the team with the most isn't necessarily first.
30. Phoenix Suns
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The Suns are 28th in rebounding, with 39.2 a game, and dead last in rebounds allowed. It doesn't help that their center, Channing Frye, isn't much of a rebounder, leading the team with 5.4 a game. While they are third in field goal percentage, that doesn't explain things.
Once Robin Lopez returns from injury, things will improve, but until then, they belong here.
29. Detroit Pistons
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I'd hate to think of how the rebounding would be without Ben Wallace. He leads the team with 7.7 a game, and only Charlie Villanueva has more than five. They can't shoot very well either, so there's plenty of opportunities to get rebounds; they're just not taking them. 26th in rebounds with 39.4 per game.
28. Washington Wizards
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Another team that both struggles to shoot the ball and struggles to rebound it. The Wizards average 39.3 rebounds per game, and while JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche are fairly good rebounders, they're not the players you would count on to grab boards and keep opponents from getting them as well.
27. Charlotte Bobcats
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When your top rebounder is a small forward, there's a problem. Either he's a really great rebounder or the frontcourt isn't getting it done. In Charlotte's case, it's the latter. Tyrus Thomas doesn't start, so he's not on the court enough to rebound well, and neither is Nazr Mohammed, who never was a big rebounder.
Boris Diaw is a bigger problem though. He should be getting a decent number of boards if he's out there 25 minutes a game.
26. Portland Trail Blazers
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The Blazers are tough to rank because they're actually a decent offensive rebounding team. Marcus Camby and LaMarcus Aldridge know what to do on that end. On the defensive rebounding end, they're dead last, and that's what needs to improve to fix that 29th ranked rebounding total.
25. Boston Celtics
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This one you can give the team the benefit of the doubt on if you'd like. Although they're last in total rebounds, they lead the league in field goal percentage by quite a bit, so of course their offensive rebounds are almost nonexistent. Kevin Garnett gets just enough defensive boards to make it work, though they don't get very many of those either.
24. New Jersey Nets
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When the top rebounder is 1. playing 24 minutes a game and 2. not Brook Lopez, there's a problem. Lopez's rebound totals are down this year, and while Kris Humphries is picking up the slack, they'll need to grab more boards to win the close games.
23. Cleveland Cavaliers
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After losing Z, Shaq, and LBJ, the surprising thing is that they're ranked as high as they are. Anderson Varejao is rebounding well, though Jamison and Hickson aren't exactly impressing anyone with their numbers.
22. Utah Jazz
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It's a safe bet to say the Jazz miss having Carlos Boozer grabbing all those boards. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are doing what they can both on scoring and rebounding, but this team's strengths lie elsewhere.
21. New Orleans Hornets
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Much like the Cavs, you have one good rebounder in Emeka Okafor, while others are underachieving. I know that David West can get more boards than he has.
20. Philadelphia 76ers
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Elton Brand's rebounding numbers are increasing, but nonetheless losing Samuel Dalembert left a rebounding hole that hasn't been filled. They rank 17th overall, which was higher than I expected, in total rebounds. Andre Iguodala has a career high average this year, so that helps.
19. Miami Heat
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They'll shoot into the top half of the list when Udonis Haslem comes back, but even without him, they should be having no problem rebounding. Chris Bosh was always good for a double-double and Lebron sometimes led the Cavs in rebounding in games, yet both are way down in that department and no one else has stepped up.
18. New York Knicks
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Amar'e Stoudemire has been a great pickup for the Knicks, and Landry Fields has been a pleasant surprise as a second-round draft pick. Their efforts have put the Knicks right in the middle of rebounding teams, an area I thought they would have problems in.
17. Atlanta Hawks
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Josh Smith becomes a better rebounder each year, and Al Horford is always good for 9-10 a game. They actually don't have that many as a team, ranking 25th, but their main scorers grab the boards when it matters
16. Oklahoma City Thunder
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The Thunder have no dominant rebounders, but as a team they rank 13th. Not having an eight rebound per game guy, yet still getting a good number is impressive in a way. Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, and Serge Ibaka get them when they matter.
15. Denver Nuggets
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They are a top ten team in rebounds per game, but the fact that Carmelo Anthony's getting them all is concerning. He won't be there much longer and others need to step up. Shelden Williams has started to do this for Denver, so they may be alright.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
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Two words: Zach Randolph
Randolph's 11.6 rebounds a game encompass many of them for the Grizzlies, but Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol have been doing their share of rebounding as well. They could very well be a top ten rebounding team by season's end without moving anyone.
13. Houston Rockets
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Even without the big man in the middle, the Rockets have been a solid rebounding team this year. Luis Scola is getting nearly 10 a game, and they are one of six teams with more than 43 rebounds per contest. Size is a concern though, and I don't expect them to remain up there in the top six.
12. Sacramento Kings
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There are no rebounders on this team that stand out, but nonetheless as a unit they do their job well. Samuel Dalembert grabs nearly eight a game, and Carl Landry's three offensive rebounds a game help tremendously.
11. Toronto Raptors
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Reggie Evans has been the surprise of the league so far, grabbing 12.1 rebounds a game. Moreover, he leads the league in offensive rebound percentage. If he had any help or if Bargnani was a typical center, the Raptors would easily be in the top ten.
10. San Antonio Spurs
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Tim Duncan is currently in his first season with under 10 rebounds a game, and DeJuan Blair doesn't play enough to get over six rebounds a game. Nonetheless, they're a solid team on that front, and have Antonio Mcdyess to help out.
9. Indiana Pacers
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Roy Hibbert has been a pleasant surprise for the Pacers, averaging nine boards a game and shining as a starter. This is another team that rebounds fairly well as a unit, though aside from Hibbert, no one truly stands out.
8. Orlando Magic
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Two words: Dwight Howard.
He's been an amazing rebounder as usual, but beyond him, everyone else is quite lackluster. The next highest player is Brandon Bass, who's only averaging five a game.
7. Dallas Mavericks
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I'm sure Dirk Nowitzki is excited to have Tyson Chandler help him out with rebounding. It's turned the Mavs into one of the best teams in that regard. The two are averaging nearly 17 a game between them and have been getting some help from Shawn Marion as well.
6. Milwaukee Bucks
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Andrew Bogut is showing what he's made of, averaging a double-double, and Drew Gooden has been a solid rebounder as well. Bogut's nearly four offensive rebounds a game would be invaluable to any team.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
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The Clippers, really? You can thank Blake Griffin for that. His 11.6 rebounds combined with Chris Kaman's 7+ have made the Clippers very good in that regard.
4. Golden State Warriors
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To my surprise, not only are the Warriors one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the league, but the duo of Andris Biedrins and David Lee is one of two to both average 10+ rebounds a game.
3. Chicago Bulls
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Joakim Noah has shifted into another gear this year, averaging 12.4 rebounds. What's more is that they're second in the league in rebounds without Carlos Boozer; imagine how they'll be with him.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
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The LA Lakers, the second team to have two players with ten boards, are a mix of what's good about the Warriors and Bulls' numbers. They don't even have their other big rebounder, Andrew Bynum, yet are just fine at third in the league. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom have been great so far and I don't see them slowing down.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
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Three words: Kevin Love. Wow.
If your main player is grabbing 15 rebounds a game and you're still able to have others grab six or more, then that's a powerful rebounding team. They lead the league in rebounding for a reason. Part of it's that they are 29th in field goal percentage, but still. I could see the Bulls or Lakers passing them in due time, but if we're talking right now, Minnesota's at the top.
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