Hakeem Olajuwon graces this top five list twice with big back-to-back rebounding postseasons.
The Houston Rockets have featured some of the best rebounders in league history on their roster at times, so it’s not surprising to see that they have had some epic performances in the rebounding department throughout their history. Here, we show you the five top individual rebounding performances in the postseason for players donning the Rockets jersey.
Dwight Howard, 26 rebounds (2015 Western Conference First Round, Game 3)
Howard is tied for first place in this list, as he’s one of three players who grabbed the impressive tally of 26 rebounds in a postseason game while playing for the Rockets. He did it on April 24, 2015, in the first round of the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. During a 130-128 victory, Howard finished with 13 points (5-10 FG, 3-5 FT), 26 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Arguably, the most impressive stat of that 26-rebound haul is that Howard grabbed double-digit boards both on the defensive and offensive glass, with 15 and 11, respectively.
Moses Malone, 26 rebounds (1977 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 2)
Malone also grabbed 26 rebounds in a postseason game as a member of the Rockets, though his achievement came during the semifinals of the 1977 playoffs, back when the Rockets were still playing in the Eastern Conference. In a 124-118 overtime win over the Washington Bullets in Game 2 of the series, Malone finished with 31 points (13-24 FG, 5-7 FT), 26 rebounds and three steals. He grabbed 15 of those boards on offense.
Hakeem Olajuwon, 26 rebounds (1988 Western Conference First Round, Game 2)
Olajuwon is the last member of this exclusive three-player club with 26 rebounds in a postseason game for the Rockets. Olajuwon, one of the best big men to ever play in the NBA, achieved this feat against the Dallas Mavericks in his second appearance of the 1988 NBA playoffs. He finished that 119-108 win over Dallas with an impressive stat line of 41 points (15-27 FG, 11-14 FT), 26 rebounds, two assists, three steals and four blocks. The rebound split was divided in 19 defensive boards and seven on the offensive glass.
Moses Malone, 25 rebounds (1977 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3)
Malone makes his second appearance in this list with another impressive performance during the Rockets’ deep playoff run of the 1976-77 season. This time, he grabbed 25 rebounds in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, and his contributions were pivotal in leading Houston to a 118-94 win over the Sixers. Malone’s final stat line in that 24-point blowout win was 30 points (11-17 FG, 8-16 FT), 25 rebounds, a steal and a block. He grabbed 14 boards on defense and 11 on offense, showing his elite ability to make a difference on the glass on both ends of the court.
Hakeem Olajuwon, 25 rebounds (1987 Western Conference Semifinals, Game 6)
Olajuwon grabbed 25 rebounds in one of his best individual performances in the playoffs, as he also notched 49 points (19-33 FG, 11-13 FT), six blocks, two assists and two steals across 53 minutes. However, his efforts were not enough to lead Houston to a victory, and they ultimately lost by a 128-125 score in double overtime against the Seattle SuperSonics. That was the second of three playoff games in which Olajuwon grabbed at least 20 rebounds. That double-overtime loss eliminated the Rockets from the 1987 NBA Playoffs.
