When discussing the NBA’s elite teams, one factor that often gets overlooked is rebounding. The Milwaukee Bucks were staunch on defense and efficient on offense last season, but also led the NBA in rebounding. They happened to have the league’s best record.
Teams who control the glass often control the pace of games. It limits the opposition to one shot while generating second-chance points for the good guys. If a team can’t rebound, it can mitigate the usefulness of good defense and stifle good offense.
Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers were quite successful in that department.