After three games Robin Lopez is only averaging 4.3 rebounds per game. Not that impressive, right? Not so fast... Lopez might not be grabbing all the boards, but the rest of the team is rebounding like crazy, especially the guards and wings. After three games, the most notable changes are: Nic Batum - 10 rebounds per game Wes Matthews - 7.3 rebounds per game Damian Lillard - 5 rebounds per game Compared to last season with Hickson: Nic Batum - 5.6 Wes Matthews - 2.8 Damian Lillard - 3.1 rebounds per game Obviously it's still very early in the season (only three games), but these are some very positive developments. Hopefully this trend continues.
Stats showed the Hornets to be a much better rebounding team last year when Lopez was on the floor, despite him averaging a measly 5 rebounds per game. It's no coincidence, Lopez boxes out the other teams best rebounder and his teammates reap the benefits.
Nice post Nate! Yeah I really don't give a fuck who is rebounding, as long as our team is. The individual achievements shouldn't be looked at with Lopez. Watching him play the last two games, he is hustling, boxing out, tipping and setting some mean picks. I am so happy we have a true center man!
He is basically the Garbage man. Does all the dirty work and doesn't get any praise. I think he is the type of guy who is okay with that.
I liked what he brought last night, it might have been the best game I have ever seen the man play here or the suns. I especially liked to see Batum playing the playmaker and getting some good out of Lopez. The Blazers were playing some basketball during that stretch and it pleased the hell out of me to see it.
I think just about anyone is better on offense than Joel, haha. That's not a knock on Joel, but outside of wide open dunks the guy was invisible on offense.
3 games in I don't think there are any "effects" because we haven't seen enough to know what an average team performance looks like. Let's just tap the brakes and wait a few more weeks and then we can talk about this kind of stuff.
Yes it's early, but these are some significant events. Matthews with a career high 12 boards against Denver? Batum with a triple double in the third game of the season? Obviously we will have to see how things continue down the road, but there is definitely a difference in how the team is rebounding, no?
Uhhh ... it's encouraging, but no, I wouldn't call any of this a trend ... yet. EDIT: We got outrebounded by the Suns. Do we not count that?
To me, who gets the rebounds isn't as important as getting rebounds. That's why i'm not upset if LaMarcus averages 8-9 boards a game, if the team is winning games/rebound totals. Similar to how people complain he's not an "inside" player.
The last two games I was traveling and unable to watch, but I scoured the stats and watched every highlight I could get my hands on. In the spurs game there was one highlight where Duncan actually scored but Lopez was really playing tight defense and bodying up Duncan like I haven't seen in years. Yes Duncan scored, but I was so pleased to see solid D. It kept everyone else from having to over-rotate leaving guys side open. It's early, his stats aren't special, but my eyes tell my that D will be greatly improved this year. Rebounding too I hope, but Defense from a true center defender is really important towards allowing the rest of the team to shore up their defensive weaknesses. My best guess is that 20 games from now, once this team starts to gel, we will become a better than average defensive team, and anything around average is a gigantic improvement from recent years. Lopez will be the key. So I personally will forgive 6 point games or 4 rebound nights, as long as it makes the team function better.
I think I remember that play, Further. I believe it was in the 1st quarter. I remember saying the same thing: Hey, he didn't look too bad there!
You tap on the bakes if you want, but anyone can draw whatever conclusions they want and talk all they want. After all what is this place for?
to crack jokes at HCP's wife that no one would ever, in a billion years actually say to her, about her to around her?
