Dennis Rodman holds three of the top five spots for leaders in rebounds for a single playoff game for Chicago.
The Bulls have seen some historical individual performances during the playoffs in their franchise’s history. In addition to Michael Jordan’s scoring prowess, they also had other players rack up rebounds in bunches. Here are their top five leaders in rebounds for a single playoff game.
Tom Boerwinkle, 24 Rebounds (1975 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 3)
Boerwinkle contributed 24 rebounds and 13 points to help the Bulls win Game 3 of their 1975 Western Conference Semifinals series against the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. The Bulls went on to win the series in six games. They then lost to the Golden State Warriors in seven games during the Western Conference Finals.
Dennis Rodman, 21 Rebounds (1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 5)
The Bulls had the Hornets on the brink of elimination heading into Game 5 of their 1998 Eastern Conference Semifinals series. Rodman helped them close the door with a win in Game 5, producing 21 rebounds over 43 minutes. No other player on the Bulls had more than eight rebounds in the game.
Dennis Rodman, 21 Rebounds (1996 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 1)
The Bulls had a matchup against the Magic in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. They beat the Magic by 38 points in Game 1, with Rodman hauling in 21 rebounds along the way. The Bulls made quick work of the Magic in the series, dispatching them in four games.
Horace Grant, 20 Rebounds (1989 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 2)
The 1989 Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and Pistons saw plenty of good defense and rebounding. None of the games surpassed a combined score of 200 points. The Pistons scored 100 points in Game 2, but Grant still brought in 20 rebounds to go along with his 16 points. The Bulls would go on to lose the series in six games.
Joakim Noah, 20 Rebounds (2010 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 4)
The Cavaliers scored 121 points in their Game 4 win over the Bulls, but Noah still managed to record 20 rebounds in the defeat. No other member of the Bulls had more than seven rebounds in the game. In addition to his contributions on the boards, Noah scored 21 points. The Bulls eventually lost the series in five games.
Charles Oakley, 20 Rebounds (1988 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5)
After the Bulls won the first two games of this series, the Cavaliers won the next two to force a decisive Game 5. The Bulls went on to win Game 5, with Jordan and Scottie Pippen combining to score 63 points. Oakley controlled things on the glass, finishing with 20 rebounds.
Clifford Ray, 20 Rebounds (1972 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 3)
The Lakers swept the Bulls in the 1972 Western Conference Semifinals. The closest battle was Game 3, which the Bulls lost by seven points. Ray was one of three members of the Bulls to record a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 20 rebounds over 37 minutes.
Dennis Rodman, 20 Rebounds (1996 NBA Finals, Game 2)
The Bulls took a 2-0 series lead over the SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals by holding Seattle to 88 points in Game 2. Rodman had 20 rebounds for the Bulls across 42 minutes. The only other player to reach double-digit rebounds in the game was Shawn Kemp, who finished with 13 boards.
