But look at the completely non-rebounding factors that come into play when you calculate something as vaporous and ersatz as (aaiieee!) a "rebound margin." A huge factor in Tulsa’s sheer number of defensive rebounds (as opposed to their laudably large share of the available boards) is the fact that they never force turnovers. Ever. More than 85 percent of opponents’ possessions end in either a FG attempt or free throws. Lesson one: "Rebound margin" (shudder) penalizes defenses that are good at creating turnovers.
Then there’s the much larger issue entailed in any tallying of mere rebounds. I don’t want to freak anyone out here, but I have long been of the opinion that there is no such thing as "rebounds," per se. There are only offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds, and they are completely separate and qualitatively different animals.
