Rebounding Key to Celtics Win over Spurs

Teams that rebound well always have a better chance to win games. On defense, you limit your opponent to 1 shot per possession, while on offense, you can overcome poor shooting by crashing the boards and getting 2nd chances. Having coached some great rebounding teams in the past, I've come to really appreciate the value of good rebounding.

The Celtics went on the road to play the Spurs tonight and after going down 22 points in the first half, they climbed back into the game and would eventually win. Here are 2 sequences in the second half showing the Celtics coming up with some big offensive rebounds to secure the win,



In the first sequence, it's just the positioning of Kendrick Perkins that allows him to beat 5 guys to the ball (though he was helped by a slight shove to Duncan's back),


In this screenshot, Rajon Rando just outhustles Tony Parker to the ball after Garnett's shot. It's debatable whether it would've made any difference if Tony had physically made contact and blocked him out as you usually teach. In the audio, you can hear Sean Elliott talking with the play-by-play man that securing the defensive rebound would be critical for the Spurs,


Summary:

When teams are so evenly matched, its those intangibles like rebounding, turnovers, free throws that make the difference. You can have a terrible shooting day, but if you rebound well you can stay in games that you really shouldn't be in. Basketball is a funny game that way, but that's the way it is.

For more great rebounding drill ideas, take a look at the late Skip Prosser's DVD on competitive rebounding drills. Coach Prosser was the head coach for Wake Forest before he passed away earlier this year. Head over the X's and O's of Basketball Forum to talk about your favorite rebounding drills.