All season long, since Riley returned to coaching, I've been looking for the signs of a Riley team to start showing up on this team. I think I finally may have found it: the Heat are the 2nd best rebounding team in the league, a title usually reserved for Detroit or San Antonio. On the flip side, they've achieved this feat despite their 2 leading rebounders, Shaq & Haslem, averaging their worse rebounding numbers in their careers.:speechless: The Heat are the 2nd best in the NBA at outrebounding opponents and 2nd best in total rebounds. Usually this is a title that Detroit fights for every year who suprisingly enough are #14 (I had to double check twice to make sure). They're also 6th in opponent total rebounds limiting their opponents chances on both ends of the floor. Riley's rebounding schemes have really addressed an issue that I thought plagued us last season and that was defensive rebounding. I can't remember how many times a team like the Pistons or Pacers killed us because they got second chances in the final minutes of a game (Rasheed Wallace 04-05 ECF the last I remember). His schemes tend to put more of an emphasis on team rebounding rather than relying on the front court to do all the rebounding. I think this has also allowed Shaq to get out on the break more and to get position in the post before defenders can get back and deny him position on the block. In all, I really found it hard to believe that Shaq + Haslem's rebounding numbers are down and we're a better rebounding team. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/heat/content/...notes_0228.html<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI — Only four players in the Heat's regular rotation — guards Dwyane Wade and Jason Williams, forward James Posey and center Alonzo Mourning — are averaging more rebounds this season than they did last season. And somehow Miami ranks second in the league in rebounding at 43.29 per game, just slightly off last season's average of 43.3 per game. "I guess it's a team rebounding thing," said forward Udonis Haslem, who averages 7.6 rebounds per game this season, down from last season's average of 9.1 and down from his career average of 7.7. "All of our numbers are down. I was kind of disappointed about my numbers being down rebounding-wise, but when I found out we were second in the league I figured it's not that I'm not chasing the ball as hard or making the effort, it's just overall team we're a better rebounding team." One reason the Heat's rebounding numbers are good is because opponents are shooting 43.6 percent, which provides Miami a lot of rebounding opportunities. No one's rebounding numbers are down a significant amount, save for forward Antoine Walker, who averages 5.4 rebounds per game this season after averaging 9.0 last season and 8.7 for his career. Still, center Shaquille O'Neal is down (9.3 this season; 10.4 last season; 12.0 career), as is guard Gary Payton (2.9 this season; 3.1 last season; 4.1 career). Among the players who have improved their numbers, only Wade (6.0 this season; 5.2 last season; 4.7 career) has made a noticeable jump. Williams (2.5 this season; 1.7 last season; 2.5 career), Posey (5.0 this season; 4.4 last season; 4.9 career) and Mourning (5.8 this season; 5.4 last season) are up slightly. Still, as a team the Heat is hitting the boards, and that's what matters. "One thing I'm not worried about is our rebounding," coach Pat Riley said. </div>
