For 3 seasons, Willis Reed was the single-season rebounds per game leader for the Knicks.
The Knicks are one of the most high-profile franchises in the NBA with a number of hoops legends playing for them at Madison Square Garden. Take a look at some of best rebounding seasons in team history.
Walt Bellamy – 1966, 16.0 RPG
The franchise’s all-time leader in rebounds per game had his best season in that facet in 1966, when he pulled down 16.0 boards per game over 72 appearances with the Knicks. The Knicks made a big move to acquire Bellamy in November of that season and it proved to be a shrewd trade right away. It was the start of four productive seasons with the club. Bellamy’s 15.6 rebounds per game, including the brief run with the Bullets, landed him fifth in the league in that category, behind the likes of legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.
Harry Gallatin – 1954, 15.2 RPG
Gallatin ranks third all-time in rebounds per game in franchise history (12.1), and he has his 1954 campaign to thank for helping bolster that figure. Nicknamed “The Horse”, Gallatin pulled down a league-leading 15.2 rebounds per game that season as part of an eight-year run of averaging double-digit rebounds. Gallatin had three separate games with at least 30 rebounds that season, an unbelievable accomplishment.
Willis Reed – 1965, 14.7 RPG
Reed ranks second in franchise history in total rebounds, and of course, had some prolific seasons on the glass to earn that spot. His best single-season rebounding effort came in 1965 when he was pulling down 14.7 boards per game. That total ranked fifth in the NBA and helped lead him to Rookie of the Year honors.
Willis Reed – 1967, 14.6 RPG
Reed pulled down double-digit rebounds per game in each of his first seven seasons, including the 1967 campaign when he averaged over 14 boards a night. This was one of his best all-around seasons as he also poured in 20.8 points per game. As a result, he was named an All-Star and made Second Team All-NBA.
Willis Reed – 1969, 14.5 RPG
Reed’s 1969 season was a true breakthrough as it was his first campaign to garner MVP consideration. The ‘Captain’ averaged 21.1 points per game and 14.5 boards to finish second in MVP voting behind Wes Unseld, who had a legendary year as the most recent MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Reed and the Knicks would make it to the Eastern Division Finals before bowing out to the Celtics. That run helped set the table for the next season when the Knicks broke through to win the tile while Reed won MVP.
