What has happened to our rebounding?

[sendai91]

Besides our interior defense, I think that the 2nd biggest area of concern for me on the team is the puzzling lack of intensity in rebounding. Last year we were 7th, this year we are 21st in total rebounds per game. We are shooting a little better than we did last year (49.1% to 47.4%) and our opponents are shooting almost exactly the same as they did last year (45.5% to 45.7%), so I don't see those numbers really influencing the rebounding numbers, albeit maybe decreasing the offensive rebounding #'s a minor amount.

We're a taller team than we were last year with Brewer @ 6'7" taking Fisher's (6'2") minutes and Korver @ 6'8" taking Giri's (6'5") minutes. Our guards and wingmen are at least as tall if not taller than many NBA teams with AK, Korver, Brewer, Miles and even Deron at or above the league height average for their positions. Our frontcourt players are a little small (Millsap, Boozer by an inch or two) but they are the same players that nearly average double figures in rebs every game anyway.

I'm stumped - is it just our intensity this year? Nagging injuries? Is Memo the biggest part of the rebounding problem?

Or does it really matter now that we've won 85% of our games over the last 20 games?

[xstockholmsyndromex]

I think its due to one huge naggin injury, that keeps plauging our big men, Vaginitis! Boozer and Memo have both suffered from this horrfic illness on numerous occassions. They just need to nut up and start hitting the boards, and for goodness sakes, BOX OUT!

[The Sheik]

Memo and Harprings rebound is significantly down, while AKs is just a little better then last yrs. Last yr Boozer and Memo combined for nearly 20 rpg and now they are at 17. Until recently Millsap averaged more rebounds then Memo, in fact he is only .5 a rebound behind him now. Boozer shooting more jumpers and there is no one going to the O glass, Memo is "spreading out the floor" and AK and Brewer dont really spend a lot of time down there. I also agree with stockholm, we do have some pussies in our frontcourt.

[gonnadunkonU]

As far as total team rebounds go, we're down from last year, but we're 5th in the league in the margin we outrebound other teams and we're 2nd in the league in rebounds given up to the other team.

Here are the stats:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/stats/byteam?cat1=Total&cat2=diff&conference=NBA&year=season_2007

[kebutah]

The decline is apparent in comparing to last year's numbers. Last year we were outrebounding by 5.5 per game and this year by only 2.1 per game. Offensive rebounds is down from 2.7 to .8 while defensive rebounds is down from 2.9 to 2.1. Looks like we are not spending as much time close to the basket.

[carrottop12]

The Jazz are shooting a better percentage this year which definitely plays a role, but I do miss the nights when we would out rebound a team by 15+.

But mostly I think it has to do with the fact that the Jazz get a lot of easy baskets and give up a lot of easy baskets.

[erudite23]

Don't let all that other crap fool you, the best indicator of quality rebounding is reb margin. Last year we were way out ahead of the pack at 5.5, this year we're "only" at 2.1.....which is still good for 5th in the league.

I agree its been down, and that its rather puzzling, but its nothing to be alarmed about. Memo has been the main problem, with that bad foot and then the shoulder issues. But he has gotten that under control. Korver certainly hasn't helped. He does a lot of good for the team, but he is alergic to glass.

While I would like to see us dominating like we used to, I'll take the tradeoff of still being top 5, but being a much better shooting team.

[jazzfan1971]

I wonder if we're not playing a little more zone this year, and we seem to give up a TON of offensive rebounds when we play zone.

[Monkeyfeng06]

i thought we were no.1 rebounding team last year?!

[Duiz]

i thought we were no.1 rebounding team last year?!

We were the no. 1 team because of having the best combination of defensive and offensive rebounds that gave us by the way, the highest differential in the league. Utah is ranked 7th in the league with +2.05 right behind the 6th ranked New Orleans with +2.08 rebounds.

The better we shoot the ball makes a huge difference. We are ranked 2nd on Opponent rebounds per game. It is a terrible mistake to pretend that Chicago is a better rebounding team just because they get more rebounds. Their whooping 41% in FG increases the chances for rebounds.

In our case, proudly I must say that we are second in Opponent Rebounds per game right behind of Boston with holding opponents to 38 RPG. Why because we have the hundrenth in difference for the best Field Goal percentage.

But then you say, why are our personal rebounds per game so low? Well the opponent FG % is .457 which is terrible and ranks us 21st on the league. With efficient shooting comes less balls coming out of the rim and opportunities for rebounds.

[Duiz]

Don't let all that other crap fool you, the best indicator of quality rebounding is reb margin. Last year we were way out ahead of the pack at 5.5, this year we're "only" at 2.1.....which is still good for 5th in the league.

You beat me to it!

That the top rebounding teams are all crunched between+2.0 RPG and +3.0 RPG in differential this year. I think last year we were like +5.76 RPG in differential, and the closest team to us was by lie +2.0 RPG difference between the differentials.

IF you ask me, I think last year we had a wet dream year in Rebounding dominance.

[erudite23]

Not only that, but pace is a big factor, and while we have one of the top 8 or so fastest paced teams....much of that is due to our incredible rate of fouls, easily the highest in the league. This leads to a lot of possessions that don't yield rebounds because they are on the FT line, where the %s are much higher, and where half the misses are dead ball misses.

[Pai Gow]

Yep, we're taking a lot of quick shots so there is nobody there to rebound anyways..