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NBA 2020-21: Top 5 rebounders in the league right now

Dwight Howard #39 of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Dwight Howard #39 of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rebounding is one of the most important items a team has to cover to find success in the NBA. On defense, the opposing team's possession of the basketball does not end until a defensive rebound is made, while an offensive team can benefit hugely from having second chances at the rim thanks to offensive rebounds. In the 2020-21 NBA season, we are seeing some tremendous players crashing the 'boards' and helping their teams with their efficient rebounding.

Top 5 rebounders in the 2020-21 NBA season

While big men are almost destined to dominate the glass, that is not always the case, as some big men might have other duties to fulfill on defense. Anthony Davis, for example, is having his worst rebounding season since his rookie year but is leading the NBA in Defensive Rating and might be the strongest candidate for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Davis has drifted from pounding the glass on defense to rim protection and even guarding guards on several possessions. That's how valuable he is on defense. This has happened to some other big men and is a reason why rebounding is not dominated purely by power forwards or centers.

In this report, we take a look at the five-best rebounders in today's NBA regardless of the position they play in.


#5 Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic is an impressive player overall. Apart from his terrific scoring, his vision to find open teammates and produce almost every pass, Doncic is also an underrated rebounder in today's NBA.

At a height of 6' 7'', the Slovenian power forward ranks inside the Top 20 in rebounds per game in the NBA 2020-21 season and is the only guard to do so.

Last year, Doncic did something similar, and ranked 17th in the NBA in rebounds per game (9.4), ahead of players like Anthony Davis or Steven Adams.

Though his RPG is now 8.6, Doncic remains a top rebounder in the league and is active on the boards. He is arguably the best rebounding guard in today's league, with Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons also in contention.


#4 Clint Capela (Atlanta Hawks)

LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends a pass intended for Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers defends a pass intended for Clint Capela #15 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena on February 01, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Clint Capela is a versatile big man who is also an underrated candidate for the 2020-21 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Capela has become a tremendous rebounder in the last four years (12.4 rebounds per game in that stretch) and is currently leading the NBA in rebounds per game at 14.2 per night.

Capela protects the rim with efficiency at 6' 10'' and is also able to clean the glass with 9.5 defensive rebounds per night. However, he is also a huge presence on the offensive boards (4.7 per game) and is leading the NBA 2020-21 season in Offensive Rebound Percentage (17.3%).

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