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Andre Drummond joining elite company with rebounding tear

Since he turned 20 years old, Andre Drummond has arguably been the best rebounder in the league.

If the start of the 2019-20 campaign is any indication, he might be better than ever.

The 6-foot-11 big man, who has played his entire career in Detroit, is the modern-day poster boy for the 20-point, 20-rebound performance. He punctuated that dominance on Saturday in the Pistons’ 113-109 win over Detroit, amassing 25 points, 20 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and three steals — regular-season numbers not seen since Hakeem Olajuwon produced them in 1989.

The performance also marked Drummond’s third straight 20-20 game, and fourth in the first seven games of this season. His 131 total rebounds in that span are the most through the season’s first seven games since… himself in 2015-16. Dennis Rodman is the only player to snare more boards over the season’s first seven games since 1974.

130 rebounds (or more) over the first seven games

Player Team Season Rebounds
Andre Drummond Detroit Pistons 2019-20 131
Andre Drummond Detroit Pistons 2015-16 137
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers 1975-76 130
Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers 1974-75 132
Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles Lakers 1970-71 155
Jerry Lucas San Francisco Warriors 1970-71 136
Wilt Chamberlain Los Angeles Lakers 1968-69 155
Bill Russell Boston Celtics 1968-89 185

Drummond’s dominance on the glass is hardly a new revelation. The former Pistons lottery pick has led the league in total rebounds each of the last four seasons — and offensive rebounding since his second season in the league (2013-14).

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