Read on Twitter
I don’t think this is “wrong," but I’ve been watching a lot of Zion tape to update the Rookie Scale/prospect rankings, and the Pelicans are still (by far) the best defensive rebounding team in the NBA even with his troubles.
Zion's defensive positioning is a way bigger issue. https://twitter.com/OlehKosel/status/1350181056587177985
Zion's defensive positioning is a way bigger issue. https://twitter.com/OlehKosel/status/1350181056587177985
The Pelicans are grabbing 83.7 percent of defensive rebounds so far this year. The Lakers are in second at 80.9 percent.
The difference between Pellies at No. 1 and the No. 2 Lakers is equivalent to the Lakers and the Pistons, who are the 19th-best defensive rebounding team.
The difference between Pellies at No. 1 and the No. 2 Lakers is equivalent to the Lakers and the Pistons, who are the 19th-best defensive rebounding team.
Now, I think Steven Adams has more to do with that than Zion. Adams is another guy who gets shit for “not grabbing rebounds,” but Adams’ teams have rebounded considerably better defensively with him on the floor every single year of his career. That’s no different this year.
But Adams' and Zion’s ability to clear out space in the lane is a huge part of why guys like Josh Hart and Ingram (and to a lesser extent this year than in the past, Lonzo) can fly in and aggressively attack the glass from the perimeter.
