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UNC in the NBA: Ed Davis’ double-double leads the way for Brooklyn Nets

By Blake Cockrum

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Ed Davis #17 of the Brooklyn Nets catches a rebound during the second quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center on January 25, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 25: Ed Davis #17 of the Brooklyn Nets catches a rebound during the second quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center on January 25, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Former Tar Heel guides Nets with season-highs in points and rebounds

Brooklyn Nets reserve power forward Ed Davis is widely considered to be one of the best rebounders in the NBA. And it’s not just fans that feel that way.

It’s coaches, general managers and even his peers; particularly those that he plays with, and the ones he left behind in Portland when the Trailblazers let him walk at the end of last season. Not only that, but there’s a fair amount of statistical data to back up the popular sentiment.

Davis averages better than eight-and-a-half rebounds per game despite playing just a hair over 18 minutes a night. That’s a very favorable number when compared to Andre Drummond, whose 14.9 rebounds per game lead the league. It’s especially favorable when looking at the numbers extrapolated out over 36 minutes.

Davis averages 16.9 rebounds per 36 minutes, whereas Drummond averages 16.2 rebounds over the same time frame. And both players average an outstanding 5.7 offensive boards per 36 minutes. Using the same metrics, Dallas Mavericks center DeAndre Jordan averages 16.1 and 3.8, and Philadelphia 76ers All-Star big man Joel Embiid averages 14.3 and 2.6.

On Friday night, though, Davis didn’t need 36 minutes to get his 16 rebounds. He needed just 28. And a remarkable nine of his 16 boards came on the offensive end of the court. To go along with his game-high 16 rebounds, Davis scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 5-of-11 from the free throw line. Granted, the struggles that he’s had from the charity stripe all season persisted on Friday against the Knicks, but it was a great game for the former Tar Heel, nonetheless.

Davis is with his fifth team in nine seasons, and averaging 5.9 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. He’s shooting an outstanding 62.4 percent from the floor, the best shooting percentage of his career. His 8.7 rebounds are a career-best, too, despite playing his fourth-fewest minutes per game since entering the league in 2010.

Another former Tar Heel and Brooklyn Net, Theo Pinson, also had a big game against the Knicks on Friday night. The rookie wing out of North Carolina scored a team-high 19 points on 5-of-11 shooting and 3-of-5 from three-point range. He also drained all six of his free throw attempts, while adding eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 26 minutes of play.

Brooklyn beat New York 109-99, and improved to 27-23 on the season. The Nets are now just four games back of the Celtics, and 8.5 games behind the first-place Raptors.

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