NBA: Offensive Rebounding – Don’t Call It A Comeback

In the pace-and-space, small-ball NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder have shown that offensive rebounding still plays huge dividends.

We watch and listen to “talking head” shows that feature former athletes for the entertainment value, but not so much for the analysis; because, after all, we all know the go-to spot for in-depth NBA breakdown is right here, exclusively at Hoops Habit, amirite?

However, there are those rare moments when something constructive can be taken from those shows.   One of the truer sentiments shared on many broadcasts and former players alike is that the NBA is a copycat league.  This phenomenon has proven to be true over the past 30 years.

Just in this decade, we’ve seen how the success of the mid-2000s “seven-seconds-or-less” Phoenix Suns influenced the style of play of today’s game.

This trend has gone so far as to have pundits questioning any coach’s sanity who does not feature a stretch big of any capacity in their starting and/or closing lineup.

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There was also a time – specifically, the late 1990s to early 2000s – when teams encouraged the opponent to “settle” for the corner 3.

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In what seem like an asinine concept today, teams would rather double-team a star player and prevent him from taking a contested mid-range jumper at the expense of an open attempt from beyond the arc.

When proven mathematically how effective the corner 3 is, though, the era’s most forward-thinking franchise, the San Antonio Spurs, would begin to spam that area of floor en route to winning three more championships after the breakup of their famed twin towers.

Fast forward to present day, the top priority of most NBA defenses is to limit opponent 3-point attempts; in particular, attempts from the corner.

The Spurs were also one of the first NBA teams to proactively punt offensive rebounds, in an effort to temper the opposition’s opportunities in transition.

With so many teams taking the up-tempo, small-ball approach as mentioned earlier, San Antonio foresaw the importance of getting back on D in a timely manner and making the opponent face a set defense every time down.

This trend has reached a crescendo this year, with seemingly every single team adopting the said strategy.  In fact, this season, the average of offensive rebounds grabbed by an NBA team totaled just 854, per Basketball-Reference.  In comparison, the average was 916 in 2005-06, and 1035 in 1995-96.

This postseason, however, the value of the offensive rebound has suddenly resurrected in value.

It is a generally accepted fact that the game slows down significantly during playoff play. And the slower tempo, in conjunction with the increased leeway on physical play, has allowed teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder to demolish their opponents inside by controlling the offensive glass.

Both teams have done it by playing big without comprising the integrity of their spacing on offense.

With the likes of Kevin Love, Channing Frye and Serge Ibaka playing big minutes for both teams, it gives the Cavs and the Thunder the ability to infuse old school grit with new school pace.  It certainly does not hurt either that both squads house a legion of generational freaks like LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, who can dominate the boards while playing out on the perimeter.

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Thus far in the playoffs, Cleveland is averaging 11.8 offensive rebounds a game, and likewise, OKC is grabbing 12.5, while the league average in the postseason sits at just 10.6.

Considering that both teams are clicking on all cylinders at just the right time, I guess Pat Riley’s aging adage of “no rebounds, no rings” remains timeless, even in today’s small-ball-crazed NBA.