The Mavericks last season had a defensive rebounding percentage of 75.5. That means they retrieved just a shade over three of every four missed shots by their opponent.
That was 21st in the NBA.
The Boston Celtics had a 78.5 percentage when it came to defensive rebounding.
That was No. 1 in the NBA.
Those small percentage differences might not seem like much. But the Celtics played for the Eastern Conference championship. The Mavericks missed the playoffs.
There are a lot more reasons that contributed to those developments, but the rebounding, as coach Jason Kidd has stressed, is a weakness that must be shored up.
Grant Williams was on that strong Celtics’ team last season. He wasn’t their best board man. But he was a solid rebounder per minute played and he knew how to attack any loose ball.
He’s hoping to instill some of that grit in his first season with the Mavericks.
“We have a lot of energy. Energy’s not the issue,” Williams said. “For us, it’s going to be the physicality, putting a body on a body. And even when we do put a body on a body, when a guy doesn’t get to the offensive glass, make sure we help our guys on the back end.”
He then used Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum as an example.
“When JT is fighting with Joel (Embiid) or whoever, we don’t just ask him if the ball goes over his head to get the rebound just because he’s boxing out,” Williams explained. “We have two guys going in the air and grabbing it. I don’t give a damn if you get a loose-ball foul. Just play with as much physicality and toughness (as you can).”
The Mavericks have had the want-to. But being overly physical has never been a strength. That has to change.
“We talk about defense and finishing with a rebound,” Kidd said. “But the fight has to start early, when the shot is being taken.
“We got to be physical. We can’t just arm guard and hope we’re going to use our athleticism, especially with today’s game with a lot of threes being taken. We always think about the (big men) being the rebounders, but it’s also (everybody else) that has to participate. The guards and the wings have to come back. It’s a partnership. It takes all five to rebound and we believe we have that, when you look at the group that could be starting, that we have a group that can rebound.”
Rookie Dereck Lively II is slotted in as the starter at center and his 7-1 frame certainly should help on the boards.
But the collective will of the unit is going to be what determines whether the Mavericks can fix one of their biggest faults of last season.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” said Tim Hardaway Jr. “A little bit of tenacity, a little bit of effort, a little bit of luck – being in the right spot at the right time. For the most part, helping out the bigs.”
And, as Williams said, if it takes risking a loose-ball foul, so be it.
“They’re going to get away with a little push in the back here and there,” Hardaway said. “Just try to get down there, be physical and do the best you can to help the bigs.
“You got to make it happen. The refs can only see so much. If you’re out there being aggressive, outhustling the opponent, most likely, they’re not going to call anything on you. They’re going to reward guys that are out there going hard and giving their best.”
Hardaway said better physicality has been evident in training camp. But that will have to carry over to regular season games starting Wednesday at San Antonio.
Twitter: @ESefko
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