The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers will remain an elite rebounding team in 2018-19

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 14: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers grabs a rebound against Goran Dragic #7 of the Miami Heat during Game One of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoff at Wells Fargo Center on April 14, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Simmons;Goran Dragic
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 14: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers grabs a rebound against Goran Dragic #7 of the Miami Heat during Game One of the first round of the 2018 NBA Playoff at Wells Fargo Center on April 14, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ben Simmons;Goran Dragic /
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The Philadelphia 76ers were the best rebounding team in the NBA last season.

The Philadelphia 76ers exceeded expectations last season. They won 52 games, riding a 16-game win streak into the playoffs and claiming the No. 3 seed. As is the case with most top-notch teams, there were multiple factors behind their success.

The Sixers were an elite defensive team, anchored by Joel Embiid‘s rim protection and Robert Covington‘s versatility. They were also an elite offense down the stretch, with Ben Simmons at the helm of Brett Brown’s up-tempo attack.

Something that doesn’t get mentioned enough, though, is the Sixers’ rebounding prowess — an area they dominated throughout last season.

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Averaging 47.6 rebounds per game, the Sixers led the NBA in that category. With plenty of size spread throughout the rotation, the Sixers were able to crash the boards better than any team in the league.

That all starts, of course, with Embiid. Standing 7-foot-2, 250 pounds (he probably weighs more than his listed weight), the big fella is a walking box-out. He has plenty of size to throw around, allowing him to seal even the best rebounders out of the paint.

Embiid ranked in the 89th percentile among bigs on the defensive glass last season, according to Cleaning The Glass. His offensive rebounding numbers didn’t rank as highly, but the Sixers complimented him with two other forces on the offensive glass: Dario Saric and Ben Simmons.

At his position, Simmons ranked in the 100th percentile on the offensive glass (and 98th percentile on the defensive glass). Saric’s numbers aren’t elite, but his effort and energy allows him to scrap his way to second-chance points on occasion.

Saric’s unique value is highlighted by this statistic from BBall Index:

The Sixers were the No. 3 team in terms of offensive rebounding percentage last season.

On both sides of the ball, Philadelphia has several players who crash the glass at a high level. Five current players (Embiid, Simmons, Saric, Covington and Wilson Chandler) averaged over five rebounds per game last season.

Simmons averaged over eight and should continue to improve as his role morphs and grows. Embiid led the team with 11 per game, a number that’s bound to increase with more minutes next season.

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As the Sixers look to continue their rise to Eastern Conference contention, expect rebounding to play a major role in their success. It’s the one area where they hold a clear advantage over Boston and Toronto, who figure to patrol the top of the East.