Rebounding, 2nd Chance Points and The Clips

How is it possible that the Clippers rank 5th from the bottom in team rebounding? This should be an area of complete and total domination, should it not? I know we don't have a lot of size coming off the bench, but I'm not sure we can heap all the blame on Reggie and Co. for the Clippers' rebounding woes. What's really going on in LA? The only teams that the Clippers have an edge on in team rebounding are Golden State, New Jersey, Boston and Detroit? There is something seriously wrong with this. We have freaking BG and DJ!

It just honestly kind of feels like our guys don't have that nasty edge--that junk-yard mentality--that comes with being a dominant rebounding team right now. I'm not saying they won't ever have that edge. I'm not even saying that it's that big of a concern It's just rebounding hasn't exactly been a point of emphasis, or one of our strongest suits. It makes sense considering the circumstances the Clippers faced coming into this season, but at the same time ... WE HAVE BG AND DJ. WE EVEN HAVE REGGIE. WE SHOULD NOT BE RANKED 26TH IN REBOUNDING.

Team Rebounding Leaders (ESPN):

1. CHI (45.2 rpg; +6.2)

2. IND (45.1; +1.7)

3. LAL (44.4; +2.6)...

21. TOR (41.8, -0.9)...

26. LAC (40.7, -0.8)...

29. BOS (38.8, -2.5)

It's just silly, huh? To think we have two guys who have both been championed as the most athletic guys at their position (or in DJ's case the second most athletic guy) but we can't even crack the Top 10 in rebounding. You serious? A lot of you will say that we can't put it all on BG and DJ because our bench has no size and you know what, you'd be right. Our lack of rebounding cannot be pinned to any one player. More of you though will want to blame VDN and you know what you'd be right about this too because the dude has failed to give the Clippers any semblance of a defensive identity, which is critical to being a strong rebounding team. It can't be all on VDN either. You know he's in there before every game circling the words "Rebound" and "2nd Chance Points" on the team white board. This is where I think the good coaches are really able to separate themselves from the average ones. The good ones can demand things of their teams--like boxing out, closing out, rebounding with two hands, etc.--that average ones just can't demand. VDN can preach all he wants but he just can't command the same kind of respect that a Tom Thibodeau or Phil Jackson would. It can't all be on the coach though and that's my point. Look at Boston. Doc Rivers is a pretty darn good defensive coach with some great schemes, but there isn't a scheme in the world that could make the Celtics a good rebounding team.

I think that's why your team is only as good as the players and their will to get it done on both ends of the floor with the same amount of focus and intensity. Sometimes I feel like the Clippers get lackadaisical and give up really easy 2nd chance points. It's so frustrating to watch because like I said WE HAVE BG AND DJ!

Like am I crazy? Am I thinking about this too much? We kind of suck at rebounding, huh? All season long this team gives up 2nd chance buckets like they're going out of style.Will someone please explain to me in basketball terms why the Clippers, specifically Blake Griffin, struggle with defensive rebounding?

Let's take a closer look at BG and DJ:

Blake Griffin is averaging 11. 2 boards per game, good for 4th best in the NBA. Great numbers, but I still find myself wanting to complain about the feeling that BG always seems to leave about 4 or 5 extra boards out there on the court that he should have had. Steve Kerr suggested last night--I thought it was an interesting point--that Blake was expending too much energy on the offensive end to worry about crashing the boards hard on defense. The stats fit kind of as BG is averaging 7.8 defensive boards per game vs. 3.4 of the offensive variety.

At the end of the day, it's Blake's team and if his team is last in team rebounding then it's up to him to change it. I'm not saying to be like KG, cause KG is kind of a d bag, but Blake should at least take a little bit more charge on defensive end. He should at least act like he's somewhat interested in stopping his man. If Blake worked on his rebounding, he could just as easily be averaging 15 or 16 per right now Onto DJ,,,.

DeAndre Jordan is averaging 8.4 rebounds per game to Dwight's 15.6. Yeah, yeah I know DJ isn't on Dwight's level and probably never will be but if he wants to be an elite center (not just an athletic one), then he needs to do much better than 8.4 per. I think DJ needs to man up and put on about 15-20 pounds one of these offseasons. Sure, with every 10 pounds gained, DJ would probably sacrifice about an inch of vert, but it would be worth it in the long run, That's an offseason activity though. DJ just need to be a defensive stopper who grabs 12 or 13 boards a night with a couple of blocks. Nothing else...

Gosh, I just want these guys to be nasty on the boards. It's so much better when your team is just straight nasty on the boards.

One last thing: Did you know in 2002-03 the Clippers ranked 4th in the NBA in team rebounding (46.8, +4.0)? Of course you did, you're a citizen. You'll remember the rebounding prowess of this Clippers team was spearheaded by Elton Brand (11.3 rpg) and Michael Olowakandi (9.1). Is it crazy for me to think/expect that Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are capable of similar figures? I mean Brand and Kandi were two really good rebounders, but give me one good reason why can't BG and DJ be better?

That 02-03 team went 27-55 by the way