Robin Lopez's impact on the teams rebounding

[B-Roy]

When we first got Robin, a lot of people were concerned because his career high in rebounding was 5.9 with a TRB% of 12.9%. What a lot of people didn't notice though, was that New Orleans was a much better rebounding team when RoLo was in the game. The inference was that Lopez blocked out very well and improved the rebounding of his teammates. Now that we're 25 games into this season, Robin is averaging 8.6 boards per game with a TRB% of 15.4%. What has gone under the radar however, is how his presence impacts the rebounding numbers for his teammates. I compiled our starters rebounding and their career stats so it's easier to see his impact:

Wesley Matthews
TRB%
13-14: 6.8%
Career: 5.6%
Delta: +1.2%

Nicolas Batum
TRB%
13-14: 9.7%
Career: 8.9%
Delta: +0.8%

Damian Lillard
TRB%
13-14: 5.4%
Career: 4.9%
Delta: +0.5%

LaMarcus Aldridge
TRB%
13-14: 16.3%
Career: 13.9%
Delta: +3.4%

What's more amazing about Aldridge is his DRB%
13-14: 25.1%
Career: 17.8%
Delta: +7.3%

Note that this years numbers are also dragging the career % up, so Lopez's impact may be even greater than the numbers indicate.

And just for reference, here's NOP's Al-Farouq Aminu's rebounding statistics last year (his one year with Lopez) compared to his career average.
TRB%
12-13: 16.9%
Career: 14% (At 15.6% this year)
Delta: +2.9%

Lopez had a +3.5% on/off team rebounding differential last year and a +1.2% rebounding differential this year. Clearly the team rebounds better when he's clogging up space and boxing out his defenders. Last year, Hickson was a -0.6% with a godawful -3.1% on/off defensive rebounding differential.

We're 5th overall in team rebound rate this year at 51.9%. We were 21st last year at 49%. We have Robin to thank for a lot of that.

 

[handiman]

Good stuff, but you shorted Lillard 1%.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Good stuff, but you shorted Lillard 1%.

He didn't claim to be an accountant, but you sure are handy, man.

 

[handiman]

He didn't claim to be an accountant, but you sure are handy, man.

 

[B-Roy]

Good stuff, but you shorted Lillard 1%.

Actually, I didn't. Got the numbers wrong. Thanks.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I posted something similar a month ago, but I used rpg instead of TRB%:

All 5 Blazer starters are averaging career high rpg, some by significant margins.

Lopez:
Current = 7.6 rpg
Previous Best = 5.6 rpg
Delta = +2.0 rpg

Aldridge:
Current = 9.1 rpg
Previous Best = 9.1 rpg
Delta = 0.0 rpg

Batum:
Current = 6.4 rpg
Previous Best = 5.6 rpg
Delta = +0.8 rpg

Matthews:
Current = 5.0 rpg
Previous Best = 3.4 rpg
Delta = +1.6 rpg

Lillard:
Current = 4.8 rpg
Previous Best = 2.9 rpg
Delta = +1.9 rpg

That's a combined +6.3 rpg for our starters compared to their previous career bests. And, Lopez is the only one playing a career high in minutes. The other 4 starters are playing fewer MPG this season than last.

BNM

So, let's update those numbers:

Lopez:
Current = 8.6 rpg
Previous Best = 5.6 rpg
Delta = +3.0 rpg

Aldridge:
Current = 10.9 rpg
Previous Best = 9.1 rpg
Delta = +1.8 rpg

Batum:
Current = 6.2 rpg
Previous Best = 5.6 rpg
Delta = +0.6 rpg

Matthews:
Current = 4.2 rpg
Previous Best = 3.4 rpg
Delta = +0.8 rpg

Lillard:
Current = 3.5 rpg
Previous Best = 2.9 rpg
Delta = +0.6 rpg

So, that's a total of +6.8 rpg for our five starters, compared to their previous career best. All five starters continue to average career best rpg. The distribution has switched around a bit, with our two bigs increasing their share of the rebounds, but as a team we continue to rebound the ball very well. We are currently 5th in both team rpg (45.6) and team TRB% (51.9%). We are also the second best offensive rebounding team in the league (ORB% = 30.0).

Rebounding and 3-point shooting continue to be two of the biggest factors in the Blazers success thus far this season.

BNM

 

[LameR]

I love nerding out on analytics, thanks guys (no sarcasm).

 

[magnifier661]

I love nerding out on analytics, thanks guys (no sarcasm).

Me too

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

So, that's a total of +6.8 rpg for our five starters, compared to their previous career best. All five starters continue to average career best rpg. The distribution has switched around a bit, with our two bigs increasing their share of the rebounds, but as a team we continue to rebound the ball very well. We are currently 5th in both team rpg (45.6) and team TRB% (51.9%). We are also the second best offensive rebounding team in the league (ORB% = 30.0).

Rebounding and 3-point shooting continue to be two of the biggest factors in the Blazers success thus far this season.

BNM

But you cannot put any stock in the Blazers leading the NBA in the pre-season in rebounding!!! What are all these facts that don't support that opinion?!?!?!

 

[Mediocre Man]

Like some of said last year, Hickson had a negative impact on the teams rebounding. We actually rebounded better without him. I think some of that is probably being in the proper space defensively because no one had to constantly cover his mistakes

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I'm totally on board with the "Lopez helping rebounding" (as I was before we got him because I read a thing about him having a similar effect in New Orleans) but give Aldridge credit: I've been watching him just vacuum up the rebounds (in a way he didn't before) even with Robin on the bench. Maybe it's just the infectious Lopez spirit...

(I bet Freeland's rebounding #s have improved, and he plays only when Lopez sits.)

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Just a reminder: we have Jose Calderon to thank for all our current happiness.