2. The team’s lack of rebounding
Much has been said about Wendell Carter Jr.‘s consistency this season, and I think it’s a valid point. He has definitely played good basketball and don’t take this slide as an indicment of his play, it’s just an observation. Part of becoming a better player is acknowledging your shortcomings and working towards being better.
The dirty truth about the young WCJ is that he is not an elite rebounder. His Total Rebound Percentage stands at 17.2 percent, which is significantly less than elite rebounders like Andre Drummond (28.1%), Clint Capela (23.1%), Joel Embiid (22.9%), Hassan Whiteside (22.5%), and on.
WCJ just barely cracks the top 20 in a 30 team league according to Basketball Reference, and 18 of the 19 ahead of him are all qualified for the center position (Giannis being the ungodly exception). So, Wendell ranks in the bottom half of the league’s centers in rebounding and it truly is the one job this Bulls team needs him to excel in.
In the end, though, rebounding is a true team effort. It doesn’t all rest on one man’s shoulders, though some certainly shoulder more of the load. So let’s take a look, first, at Wendell’s most frequent running mate, Markkanen.
Lauri’s Total Rebound Percentage? 11.9. Oof.
The Bulls as a team sit at 21st in the NBA in offensive rebound percentage and 24th in defensive rebound percentage according to NBA.com. Good enough for second to last in overall rebound percentage as a team. Only the Washington Wizards are worse.
The solution here is pretty simple to me: players need to get smarter and better at defensive rotations. If you watch the games with Stacey King, you’ll see almost every defensive lapse he puts on replay highlights a lack of defensive rotation by Bulls players.
The opposing teams are forcing Wendell to come out to help on the drive or forcing a double. The opposing player we are leaving to do that is either A. getting wide open dunks at the rim or wide open shots or B. being left standing under the basket unattended to grab offensive rebounds. LaVine and Markkanen are the biggest transgressors, but everyone is at fault.
When our center leaves to help on the basketball, someone has to drop to protect the basket. It’s something I’ve spent time coaching fourth graders through high school students on in my time as a basketball coach.
The two most important things on defense have nothing to do with your man. The team’s first priority on defense is the basketball, then the hoop. Our focus on the hoop has been absolutely awful for an NBA team this year.