After not being able to out-rebound anyone in 2016-17, the Celtics have vaulted to fourth in the NBA in rebounds per game led by improvements from Al Horford and Jaylen Brown.
Last season, Boston Celtics fans became accustomed to seeing the likes of Kelly Olynyk, Amir Johnson and Tyler Zeller outmanned for rebounds.
Now, all three have left Beantown, and the result has been a meteoric rise to the top of the rebounding charts for the Celtics.
After ranking 26th in the NBA a year ago with 49.5 rebounds per game, Boston has jumped to fourth in the league with 56.2 boards per night in the early stages of the 2017-18 campaign. Only the Hornets (Dwight Howard ranks third in the league with 13.8 rebounds per outing), Trail Blazers and the 76ers (both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons rank in the top 15 in rebounding) sit higher.
With a 63-rebound performance against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, the Celtics have posted 60.3 rebounds over the last three games. In their last three games of the 2016-17 season, Boston posted 44.3 rebounds per night.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
While newly acquired center Aron Baynes has assisted tremendously in this department, grabbing 10.7 rebounds per 36 minutes while posting a defensive rebound percentage of 20.7 percent and a total rebound percentage of 15.8 percent, it has been the improvement of returning Celtics who have ushered in the change.
It appeared at times last season Al Horford did not know what a rebound was, averaging below seven boards a night for the first time in his career. Horford had posted at least nine rebounds per game in five separate seasons during his time with the Hawks. It was concerning to see him post a total rebound percentage of 11.8 while having one-rebound (December 29 against the Cavaliers) and two-rebound (January 24 versus the Washington Wizards) showings.
Horford has turned it around in major fashion this year. His average of 9.1 rebounds per game is good for 19th in the league and the highest mark that he has posted since he recorded 10.2 a night in 2012-13. His total rebound percentage has hopped to 15.3 percent while his defensive rebound percentage has leaped from 18.6 percent to 25.2 percent. He ranks 11th with 77 defensive rebounds and 10th in contested rebounds with 26.
He has emerged as someone the Celtics can rely on to fight for loose boards inside, something that was not the case a season ago when Horford averaged 1.43 contested rebounds per night, a far cry from his current rate of 2.6. His contested defensive rebounding percentage has skyrocketed from 26.2 percent to 33.8 percent, and he no longer wilts when faced with a tough opponent like Nikola Vucevic or Steven Adams.
Boston has also seen Jaylen Brown‘s rebounding numbers improve. Per 36 minutes, Brown has bumped his rebounding rate from 5.9 to 7.5 while garnering 6.3 defensive boards compared with 4.9 last season. His total rebound rate has been heightened from from 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent and his defensive rebounding percentage is now 18.1 percent, up significantly from 14.4 percent.
Brown retrieved 12 rebounds against the Thunder, nine against the Bucks, and eight while facing the 76ers, all of which the Celtics won. On Sunday against Orlando, Brown grabbed seven rebounds while shooting 3-of-5 from three-point land.
Next: Are the Celtics better than the Cavs?
If these showings continue, his playing time will continue to hover around 30 minutes per game and Boston should be able to remain in the top ten in the league in the rebounding category.