Tristan Thompson reveals secret to his rebounding success

Rebounding is mostly a function of tenacity, but the best rebounders in the game also factor in an element of science.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson leads all remaining postseason players with 4.9 offensive rebounds per game, and that is no accident. Not only does Thompson boast a tireless motor, but he also studies tape to anticipate where misses will fall.

"If a guy is shooting a shot in the corner 70 percent of the missed shots usually come off that other side and 30 percent hits off the front rim," Thompson told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com at practice Wednesday.

"So just playing the percentages and kind of studying your teammates' shots throughout the course of the game."

Thompson used teammates Channing Frye and J.R. Smith as examples of how he changes his approach to rebounding depending on the situation.

"For instance, a guy like Channing, if he misses a shot, he has a lot of arc on his shot so if he misses it's probably going to be close. J.R., his shot is not as much arc as Channing so if he misses it might be a little more long rebound. Just understanding your teammates.

"I'm hoping they make every shot. If not, I tell them, 'Don't worry, there's a good chance I will be able to get that offensive rebound.'"

Thompson's rebounding prowess will come in handy against Cleveland's next opponent. The Washington Wizards hold the fourth-worst defensive rebounding percentage in the playoffs, while the Boston Celtics rank dead last.