Rebounding and protecting the rim may present a problem this year unless some sort of deal is made.
I thought I would compare the rebounding stats of this current team roster with a Celtic team, in the recent pre-big3 era, that had the most playoff success. Turns out it was the 2001-2002 team which made it to the Eastern Conference finals.
I realize that it is realistically impossible to compare teams from different eras, but thought maybe it could provide some insight into the current roster. I listed the players from both eras and their rebounding stats... (Sorry, I didn't include minutes played or make adjustments that might qualify these stats.)
2013-20014 Total Rebounds 2001-2202 Total Rebounds
Jared Sullinger 601 Antoine Walker 714
Brandon Bass 470 Paul Pierce 566
Evan Turner 408 Tony Battie 481
Jeff Green 380 Vitaly Potapenko 347
Kelly Olynyk 365 Eric Williams 221
Tyler Zeller 282 Kenny Anderson 275
Avery Bradley 226 Erick Strickland 213
Gerald Wallace 212 Joe Johnson 139
Marcus Thornton 198 Walter McCarty 128
Rajon Rondo 164 Rodney Rogers 107
Vitor Faverani 128 Tony Delk 79
Phil Pressey 105 Mark Blount 85
Joel Anthony 31 Milt Palacio 50
Keith Bogans 3 Kedrick Brown 50
Marcus Smart Joseph Forte 6
James Young Randy Brown 0
(Kris Humphries 409)
A few things surprised me about these stats.
1. That Jared Sallinger is our leading rebounder. (And, I've been dissing him because he doesn't match up well with taller centers...maybe he has more value than I thought.)
2. The low rebound total for Zeller. He had a better rebounding number in the previous year. Likely because his minutes were down.
3. Kris Humphries rebounding numbers....Why Danny let him go? I may need a shrink to figure that one out.
4. Comparing the players themselves from a different era. The 2001-2002 teams seems a lot tougher and agile than the current crew. Brandon Bass compares favorably in the muscle department and it's hard to move Sully out of the way. But, it still seems the old team had more finesse and determination when it comes to rebounding.
5. I am surprised how few rebounds Potapenko and Rogers had. Maybe it was the minutes they played? I didn't check that out. Still, they were tough players. I am not sure any of the big men on the current roster have their toughness?
My feeling is that even though the 2001-2002 team didn't have a rim protector or a sensational rebounder, they still managed to be successful. Could this roster, as it is put together, be successful without a legitimate center? Judging from the past it could be. But, I think each player has to toughen up and focus because their isn't anyone who is going to come to their rescue on the boards and/or when players go to the rim.