Ed Davis’ reputation for rugged play under the backboards has earned him the nickname “Phys Ed” with the NBA Portland Trail Blazers.

 The 240-pound southpaw has developed into an elite rebounder —and short-range scorer — coming off the bench.

“It’s not pretty,” he said of his ready-to-rumble style. “But someone has to set the hard screens, hit the offensive boards, do the dirty work.”

Davis and the Portland Trail Blazers may be headed to the NBA playoffs, which start Saturday, April 16. The first round matchups won’t be finalized until after games are completed late Wednesday, April 13, after the Free Press deadline.

Playoff games will be televised on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBATV.

Reached at his home in the suburban Portland area of Forest Heights, Ore., the 26-year-old Davis flashed his sense of humor.

Davis’ job description is to collect rebounds, not headlines. Asked about rarely being interviewed after games, he said, “That’s okay. I’m usually real hungry after games and just want to get out of there.”

On a more serious note, he added, “I don’t care about fame or anything. I just want to do my job.”

Questioned about life in Portland, he said, “I love everything about it — except the rain.”

Statistically, the son of Virginia Union University graduates Terry Davis, a former VUU Panthers player, and Angela Jones, a former VUU cheerleader, is enjoying a bang-up season.

 Entering this week, Davis was averaging 6.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and shooting 61.2 percent from the field in just 20.8 minutes per game.

 A candidate for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award, Davis is second in team rebounding to Mason Plumlee’s average of 7.7 rebounds. Brutally efficient, he is ninth in the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes.

Also, his shot accuracy would be third in the NBA if he had enough attempts.

 He’s all about high percentage. Most tries are within arm’s length of the rack.

Wearing No. 17 for “Rip City,” Portland’s nickname, Davis isn’t shy about mixing it up in elbow alley in the paint.

“Phys Ed” says he gains advantage by “making contact.”

“You can’t expect to out-jump or out-quick others,” he said. “You need to make contact and get better position.”

 Davis sparkled at Hanover High School and Benedictine College Preparatory before signing with the University of North Carolina.

As a freshman in 2009, he helped UNC to the NCAA title. Following an injury-plagued sophomore season, he opted for the NBA draft and was the 13th overall pick by Toronto.

Davis played three seasons in Toronto and one each with the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers before signing a three-year, $20 million contract with Portland.

He is a second generation NBA power forward.

His father Terry, also a lefty, played in the NBA from 1989 to 2001 with Miami, Dallas, Washington and Denver.

A two-time CIAA Player of the Year at VUU, Terry Davis averaged nearly a double-double with Miami in the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons.

Terry Davis has always pushed his talented to son to reach for the stars.

“He used to text me all the time,” Ed said of his dad. “He’d say ‘You’ll never get better laying in bed. You don’t want to get up today? Well, someone else is getting better.’ So every day I got up and made sure to grind.”

Terry resides in Chesterfield and follows his son long distance on the opposite coast.

“Ed’s games start so late, like 11 o’clock. I’m usually in bed,” said Terry.

Terry Davis said he is a smidgen taller than his son, even though he was officially listed at 6-foot-9 and Ed at 6-foot-10.

Their upbringings were much different.

Terry went to rural Halifax High School near South Boston before his participation in the AAU turned hoops into a year-round gig. There were few opportunities beyond the high school team.

“I remember playing on dirt courts with a bicycle rim for a goal,” he said. “Kids today have everything laid right in front of them.”

In terms of athletic makeup, Terry Davis says Ed has “this freakish 7-foot wing span. He could always go way over the rim, naturally. I had to work at it.”

At the 2009 pre-draft combine, Ed was measured at 6-foot-9½ with no shoes, a 7-foot wingspan, a 9-foot standing reach and 36-inch vertical leap.

But those numbers say nothing about another prerequisite for success, called “want to.”

When it comes to going toe-to-toe with the big men, few “want” the ball more than Davis. That’s why he is “Phys Ed.”