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Rebounding is one of the most important items a team has to cover to find success in the NBA. On defense, the opposing team's possession of the basketball does not end until a defensive rebound is made, while an offensive team can benefit hugely from having second chances at the rim thanks to offensive rebounds. In the 2020-21 NBA season, we are seeing some tremendous players crashing the 'boards' and helping their teams with their efficient rebounding.
Top 5 rebounders in the 2020-21 NBA season
While big men are almost destined to dominate the glass, that is not always the case, as some big men might have other duties to fulfill on defense. Anthony Davis, for example, is having his worst rebounding season since his rookie year but is leading the NBA in Defensive Rating and might be the strongest candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Davis has drifted from pounding the glass on defense to rim protection and even guarding guards on several possessions. That's how valuable he is on defense. This has happened to some other big men and is a reason why rebounding is not dominated purely by power forwards or centers.
In this report, we take a look at the five-best rebounders in today's NBA regardless of the position they play in.
#5 Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
Luka Doncic is an impressive player overall. Apart from his terrific scoring, his vision to find open teammates and produce almost every pass, Doncic is also an underrated rebounder in today's NBA.
At a height of 6' 7'', the Slovenian power forward ranks inside the Top 20 in rebounds per game in the NBA 2020-21 season and is the only guard to do so.
Last year, Doncic did something similar, and ranked 17th in the NBA in rebounds per game (9.4), ahead of players like Anthony Davis or Steven Adams.
Though his RPG is now 8.6, Doncic remains a top rebounder in the league and is active on the boards. He is arguably the best rebounding guard in today's league, with Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons also in contention.
#4 Clint Capela (Atlanta Hawks)
Clint Capela is a versatile big man who is also an underrated candidate for the 2020-21 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Capela has become a tremendous rebounder in the last four years (12.4 rebounds per game in that stretch) and is currently leading the NBA in rebounds per game at 14.2 per night.
Capela protects the rim with efficiency at 6' 10'' and is also able to clean the glass with 9.5 defensive rebounds per night. However, he is also a huge presence on the offensive boards (4.7 per game) and is leading the NBA 2020-21 season in Offensive Rebound Percentage (17.3%).
#3 Dwight Howard (Philadelphia 76ers)
Dwight Howard remains one of the best rebounders in today's NBA, even at age 35 and in his 17th NBA campaign. Howard has the most rebounds in his career among active players (13,885) and his career average of rebounds per game (12.2) ranks 15th in the history of the league.
Howard is still an athletic big man with great defensive skills and high IQ to rebound the basketball. He is averaging 7.8 rebounds for Doc Rivers' 76ers (the current first seed of the East) as a back-up center to Joel Embiid. Howard is averaging just 16 minutes a night and still has a high number of rebounds per match.
In his 17th NBA season, Howard's current Total Rebound Percentage is the highest of any other year (though the sample is small and he does not qualify to be a league-leader).
#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year and he is an extraordinary athletic player on both sides of the floor. Beyond his dominant offense in the paint, Giannis is also a terrific rebounder for a versatile defender who is not always close to the rim.
Though he is able to defend everyone on the opposing team, Antetokounmpo still finds the energy to give his team double-digit rebounds per game.
Over the last four years, he has become a tremendous rebounder and his energy is where it all starts, and his 6' 11'' height, of course.
Giannis has averaged 11.9 rebounds in his last four campaigns and had a career-high 13.6 last season (second-best in the NBA). This season, he is at 11.1 and has a Total Rebounds Percentage of 17.7 (17th in the league).
#1 Andre Drummond (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Andre Drummond has had some historical years recently in terms of rebounding. Drummond has led the NBA four times in rebounds per game and has done so in the last three seasons with at least 15 rebounds per game.
He is the first player to lead the league in three consecutive years with at least 15 rebounds per game since Dennis Rodman in the 1990s.
Drummond is second in the 2020-21 NBA season in rebounds per game with an average of 13.8, but is leading the league with his Total Rebound Percentage (26.1%).
His career average of 13.8 rebounds per game ranks seventh in NBA history.
Also read: 3 Bold predictions for Boston Celtics ahead of NBA trade deadline
