BOSTON -- Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens has a simple philosophy on why Jared Sullinger is a quality rebounder: "When that ball hits his hands, it sticks."

During Friday's 111-78 thrashing of the visiting Washington Wizards, Sullinger produced his third 15-rebound effort of the season -- this in only 24 minute of floor time. And no sequence better hammered home Stevens' point than with about three minutes to play in the first quarter when Sullinger paid homage his hairsake by making an Odell Beckham Jr.-like one-handed snag of a Jonas Jerebko miss.

Jousting with Jared Dudley for position inside the circle beneath the basket, Sullinger managed to lunge backwards as Jerebko's errant 3-pointer shot off the iron and Sullinger managed to pull it in one-handed before Bradley Beal could swoop in from behind. An alert Sullinger, catching Dudley spinning, tried to go back up with the ball on the opposite side of the rim but missed the layup that would have only made the play more spectacular.

Through 16 games this season, Sullinger has grabbed 20.7 percent of all available rebounds during his time on the floor, according to the league's data. That's a mark that ranked sixth in the NBA among all players averaging more than 10 minutes per game and having appeared in more than 10 games this season. The only players with better marks entering Saturday's action were Andre Drummond (25.5), Enes Kanter (22.2), DeAndre Jordan (21.4), Dwight Howard (21.3), and Hassan Whiteside (21.1). Sullinger was tied with Tristan Thompson.

By the same criteria, Sullinger ranked 10th in the league in defensive rebound percentage while grabbing 28.2 percent of available caroms while on the floor and ninth in offensive rebound percentage (13.8 percent; tied with Rudy Gobert).

What's noteworthy about these numbers isn't just that Sullinger lurks among the league leaders in rebounding, but just how many more rebounds he's grabbing this season. Just check out Sullinger's career rebounding rates in the chart:

A 16-game sample -- nearly 20 percent of the season -- is large enough to suggest that Sullinger's uptick on the defensive glass is no fluke. He's getting his hands on more balls and, as Stevens suggested, they are sticking.

Stevens believes the increase can be traced to Sullinger being in better position and giving himself more opportunities to corral available boards.

"I think, positionally, he’s probably better defensively and that’s probably put him in a position to better rebound. Instead of being a little behind a play, or a little above a roller, maybe he’s below a roller rand able to keep him off, or maybe he’s helping early and getting back so that he can block out appropriately so they can’t get his hands on it," said Stevens. "As you get more aware, you get more experience, those things slow down for you about where you should be, and once you’re where you should be, talent takes over. And he’s in good defensive position often."

The other obvious part of the jump is health. Sullinger put himself on the NBA map in the latter stages of Boston's Big Three era in large part because of his rebounding talents (even while having to share boards with teammate Kevin Garnett during his rookie season). But Sullinger has endured back and foot issues over his first three seasons in the league, likely hindering his ability to chase rebounds.

After a summer dedicated to improving his shape and conditioning, Sullinger seems a bit more spry, a little bit more slippery in maneuvering for position around the basket. His body shape hasn't been altered drastically, something that some of his critics continue to harp on, but Sullinger definitely has more energy while chasing rebounds, especially on the offensive glass with second- and third-chance efforts.

"I’m moving a lot better. That’s it," said Sullinger. "I’m moving a lot better. I feel better. The game is even slower. I saw the game at a slow pace before, but it’s even slower to be able to move the way I am."

Sullinger credits his time with Max Anderson, a player development coordinator at John Lucas Enterprises where Sullinger spent much of his offseason working out.

"Working out with Max down at the lab in John Lucas Enterprises, we did a lot of work," said Sullinger. "It was a lot of fun. I was always strong, it’s just being able to feel the same day in and day out. There were a lot of times where I went through a drought where I was extremely tired, didn’t feel myself. Now, after that hard work in the summertime, every night I feel the same way, I’m moving the same way, and I’m able to do the same things."

Sullinger is averaging 11 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season. He's posted five double-doubles and had another handful of near misses. Once pegged in the preseason as the fifth big in Boston's four-man frontcourt, he's emerged as maybe Boston's most reliable player this season and cemented a starting role after coming off the bench over the first three games of the year.

These undersized Celtics are not an exceptional rebounding team (they rank middle of the NBA pack in total rebound percentage this year) and have often been hurt by giving up second-chance opportunities. No player on Boston's roster is even close to Sullinger's rebound rates as David Lee is second on the team with a total rebound rate of just 14.4 percent.

It's clear the Celtics need Sullinger to continue to grab everything he can get his mitts on.