Francis probably cares more about stats. I remember a few years back he was criticized to linger behind fighting for rebounds instead of starting fast break as a guard and letting front court teammates to handle the rebounds.
I don't have stats for this, but Battier is the best player I've ever seen at tipping a rebound right to a teammate on the perimeter. Not randomly tipping it, but knowing where a guard is and tipping it directly to them.
Could that also be because JVG had put a system where everybody has to be at a specific place at any time during the offense/defense? I think it would be harder for him to do that with Adelman's everyone-run-around-like-crazy-chickens offense.
A lot of past and present good defensive players are good rebounders. Ron Artest Dennis Rodman Ben Wallace Kobe Also Steve being a point guard has to chase guys like Nash and other quick guys way away from the basket. I played the game it is really no excuse for real low rebound numbers. His lack of athletic ability hurts, his desire is their.
Wierd thought, and I don't know, but I do know that JVG's defense didn't have anyone in specific positions. I think that Battier just has that good of a feel for the game.
Shane is excellent at positioning and blocking out, but the fact that he is so far away from the hoop most of the time hurts his numbers. His role has mostly always been to take the best perimeter player of the other team and make their life hell, and that usually means rebounds will suffer. Overall, I think Shane is a good rebounder even if his numbers don't really show it. However, Steve is still a better rebounder. Blocking out and positioning is great, and will usually lead to rebounds. But in the upper levels of basketball (NCAA & NBA) athleticism, strength, and flat out desire go a very long way. Francis has all of those things and that has made him one of the best rebounding PG's in NBA history. People sometimes take the whole blocking out aspect a little too far. Yes, it is important. But in the NBA athleticism and the willingness to go into the paint and get hit is just as important. And there is nothing wrong with guards going in the paint to grab boards. It is a GREAT way to get the fast break started even faster. That's what helps make Jason Kidd so great on the break. When he gets the board himself and goes, he gets an extra step on the defense.
