Rebounding Paradigms and Statistical Paradoxes

As the Celtics’ 22-point lead whittled away Tuesday night in Cleveland, you were probably wondering two things.  One, when did Sideshow Bob become Moses Malone?  And two, when’s the last time the Celtics lost a lead like that.

Let’s start with Anderson Varejao, who had one of the best individual games against Boston in the last decade. Approaching that lethal moment on the career curve when youth and athleticism crosses with experience, Varejao is having the best year of his career.  And the league’s leader in offensive rebounding had an ideal matchup on Tuesday.

The result, Varejao posted just the 2^nd 20/20 game against the New Big Three Celtics.  (Dwight Howard had the other in March of 2009 in a game notable in that it turned out to be Kevin Garnett’s final appearance of the title defense season.)

 CELTICS OPPONENT REBOUNDS – NEW BIG 3 ERA

24 – LOVE VS. MINNESOTA – JANUARY 3, 2011

21 – HOWARD @ ORLANDO –MARCH 25, 2009**

20 – HOWARD @ ORLANDO – DECEMBER 25, 2009

20 – VAREJAO @ CLEVELAND – JANUARY 31, 2012**

19 – NOWITZKI @ DALLAS – MARCH 20, 2008

19 – JEFFERSON @ UTAH – FEBRUARY 28, 2011

** 20/20 Game

  

20 REBOUND GAMES VS. BOSTON – SINCE 2001

28 – WALLACE @ DETROIT – MARCH 24, 2002

24 – LOVE VS. MINNESOTA – JANUARY 3, 2011

23 – NOWITZKI @ DALLAS – FEBRUARY 21, 2002

21 – CAMBY @ NEW YORK – DECEMBER 11, 2001

21 – WALLACE @ DETROIT – MARCH 15, 2003

21 – HOWARD @ ORLANDO –MARCH 25, 2009

20 – OLOWOKANDI @ L.A. CLIPPERS – DECEMBER 29, 2001

20 - O’NEAL @ LA LAKERS – MARCH 21, 2003

20 – Ke THOMAS VS. PHILADELPHIA – APRIL 10, 2003

20 – MARION @ PHOENIX – FEBRUARY 27, 2005

20 – HOWARD @ ORLANDO – DECEMBER 25, 2009

20 – VAREJAO @ CLEVELAND – JANUARY 31, 2012

But lest you think the Celtics can’t make rebounding history.  They may, tonight.  Kevin Garnett is nine defensive rebounds shy of 10,000 for his career.  He’ll become just the third man in league history to reach that milestone. Karl Malone, Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett.  That’s it.

MOST DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS – NBA HISTORY

1.	KARL MALONE	11406
2.	ROBERT PARISH	10117
3.	KEVIN GARNETT	9991
4.	HAKEEM OLAJUWON	9714

And because it’s 2:15am, and you’ve read this far, you could call these “nuggets” or “bullet” points, but they don’t pertain to either of those franchises.




*   The Celtics have now won 121 straight games when leading by 19+.  If Tuesday night’s scare seemed oddly familiar, it’s because the last time it happened, it was in the same building.  On November 11, 2006, the Lebron James’ 25 second-half points led Cavs back from 25 down to beat the Celtics 94-93. The Celtics leading scorer that night? Kendrick Perkins. Or, after Monday night, the artist now known around the NBA as “Kia Optima.”

·      *   The Celtics have now won nine straight when scoring at least 89 points.  In fact, the Celtics are 9-0 when scoring between 89-100 points.  The two times they’ve broken 100? Both losses, at New York and Miami to open the season.

·       *  How bizarre was the historic 27-point comeback in Orlando last week? In the other nine wins, the Celtics largest comeback?  Five points.

·       *  Ramon Sessions had the first double-digit assist game against the Celtics this year.  And the first since Chris Paul had 15 last March 19^th in New Orleans. It ended a 33-game regular season streak of no one getting 10 assists against the Celtics, and oddly enough, he ended that streak off the bench.

And I leave you with the strangest statistical note of the day….The Celtics and the Cavaliers were the last two teams in the NBA this year without a win against a .500 team.  The Celtics got three last week, home and home with Orlando anad against the Pacers.  So the Cavs entered the night as the only team without one.  But by losing…wait for it…they got it.  The loss pushed the Celtics up to .500 at 10-10, meaning Sunday win for the Cavs in Boston, is now considered a win against a .500 team.

Deriving joy from bizarre statistical paradoxes like that is likely why I get so little sleep, and almost definitely why I’m no longer married.