Kevin Love (left) and Jarrett Allen are both atop the top 5 all-time Playoff rebounders for the Cavaliers.
Let’s take a look at the top five rebounding performances in the playoffs by players donning a Cavaliers uniform.
1. Kevin Love: 21 rebounds (2017 NBA Finals, Game 1)
The top spot in this list belongs to Love, who had not only the best rebounding performance in a playoff game by a Cavaliers player, but he also played a huge role in the team’s lone title win alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. During the 2017 NBA Playoffs, and more precisely in Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals, Love finished with 15 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks. Even though the Cavaliers lost that game by a 113-91 score, it remains the best rebounding effort by a Cleveland player in the postseason in league history.
T-2. Jarrett Allen: 20 rebounds (2024 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 2)
Fast forward to the 2024 NBA Playoffs and we can find another big man who’s making a name for himself in franchise history in Allen. The Cavaliers’ current starting center also reached the 20-rebound mark in a game against the Magic on April 22, 2024, when he finished with 16 points, 20 boards, three assists, three blocks and two steals in a 98-86 victory. Allen has played eight seasons for the Cavaliers and Nets throughout his career, averaging 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 568 regular-season games.
T-2. Brad Daugherty: 20 Rebounds (1993 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 5)
We’ll take a trip down memory lane for the next entry on this list, as Daugherty holds the No. 3 spot in our list thanks to a 24-point, 20-rebound performance in a 99-89 win over the New Jersey Nets. That was one of three 20-plus-rebound performances in franchise history. Daugherty played eight seasons for the Cavaliers with averages of 19.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
T-3. LeBron James – 19 Rebounds (2010, Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 6)
It’s impossible to talk about the Cavaliers and not mention LeBron James as part of their accolades or their best individual performances. He holds several franchise records, so it’s not surprising to see him crack the list of the best rebounding performances, even if that’s not necessarily his strongest area. It happened against the Celtics during the 2010 NBA Playoffs, when James finished with 27 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in a 94-85 loss to the Celtics. That would be James’ final game with the Cavs before heading to the Miami Heat.
T-3. Zydrunas Ilgauskas – 19 Rebounds (2007 Eastern Conference First Round, Game 4)
Ilgauskas is one of the best players in franchise history, and if this list were to be expanded to a Top 10, he’d appear in ninth place as well. His best rebounding performance as a Cavalier, and the fifth-best in franchise history, came during the 2006-07 season when he grabbed 19 boards and added 20 points in 40 minutes against the Washington Wizards. That game ended with a 97-90 win for Cleveland.
