Brad Stevens, on Boston Celtics no longer being last in defensive rebounding: 'Did a team drop out of league?'

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/02/brad_stevens_on_boston_celtics_4.html#incart_river_index



Brad Stevens, on Boston Celtics no longer being last in defensive rebounding: 'Did a team drop out of league?'



Posted on February 11, 2017 at 10:03 PM



Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) blocks out Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, center, as Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko ( grabs a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Monday, Jan. 30, 2017. The Celtics defeated the Pistons 113-109. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)



By Tom Westerholm




The Boston Celtics have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league all season.

They still are, but recently, the Celtics surpassed the New York Knicks in defensive rebounding percentage, pulling down 74.7 percent of all available defensive rebounds to the New York Knicks' 74.3.

So no, Brad Stevens, nobody dropped out of the league.

Follow
Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Brad Stevens upon my informing him the Celtics were no longer last in defensive rebounding;

"We're not? Did a team drop out of the league?"
6:00 PM - 11 Feb 2017 · Salt Lake City, UT
 234 234 Retweets   637 637 likes


Of course, the Celtics are still an atrocious rebounding team -- nearly six percent below the best team (the Detroit Pistons), which is pretty significant. Al Horford historically has never been a great rebounder, and neither has Amir Johnson. Jonas Jerebko has gotten significant minutes at power forward, and he plays very hard, but he is in the game for his defensive contributions and floor spacing rather than his work on the glass. Boston's reliance on small lineups that include Marcus Smart and other guards playing up isn't particularly helpful either.

But suddenly, last place in the NBA doesn't appear to be locked in. In fact, the Pacers are just .2 ahead of the Celtics for 28th, and three teams -- the Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers -- are all within one percent at 75.2.

The Celtics are on a tear! You can't hold them off the defensive glass!

In all seriousness, Boston's rebounding has taken a big uptick in the last 10 games. The Celtics have pulled down 79.5 percent of all available defensive rebounds, which -- if carried out for the entire season -- would be good for third in the league this year. That's a big jump, and while it's unlikely to continue, it does perhaps bode well that Boston might not be as hopeless putting an end to possessions as the season progresses.

A couple of other pre-game notes:

-- Stevens complimented his former player Gordon Hayward for making his first All-Star team.

"It's very exciting for him and the organization that he's an All-Star," Stevens said. "He certainly deserves it."

You can insert your own mediocre Jae Crowder joke here, but just know that whatever it is, Twitter probably made it first.

-- Per the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, Demetrius Jackson is back with the Celtics.

Follow
Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
Demetrius Jackson is back with the Celtics.
5:56 PM - 11 Feb 2017
 4 4 Retweets   32 32 likes
Don't expect Jackson to get minutes in what is likely to be a hard-fought game against a talented Jazz team, but he has been productive with the Maine Red Claws. In 22 games played, Jackson has posted 16.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds.


-- Isaiah Thomas gets the award for the most fun pre-game quote when asked about competing against Rudy Gobert (again, via Himmelsbach): "I don't wait for anybody to react. I'm all gas, no brakes."

If anybody in the NBA plays like someone just cut the brakes, it's Russell Westbrook, but Isaiah Thomas is probably a close second.

-- The Celtics are great at making corner 3-pointers. The Jazz are great at defending them. Something will have to give on Saturday night.

Follow
David Locke @Lockedonsports
Boston is the 2nd best corner 3 shooting team 43%
Jazz are #1 team in NBA at denying opponents the corner 3
1:08 PM - 11 Feb 2017
 20 20 Retweets   94 94 likes



bob
MY NOTE:  Brad is usually such a sober person, who knew he had a sense of humor? As it says our rebounding is improving, so let's hope that trend continues through the playoffs!


.

Bob,

If the rebounding trend (basically even with the Jazz last night) does not continue we may not be in the playoffs for very long. We were completely spanked on the boards in both of the last two years in the playoffs.

Yes, Wideclyde, but last year we didn't have Zizic.

Oh wait. He's in Europe.