Wes Unlsed is the lone player for Washington who holds all top 5 spots for most rebounds in a playoff game.
The Washington Wizards have had some incredible performances in the rebounding department throughout their 65-year history in the NBA. Today, we’re highlighting the top five individual rebounding performances in the postseason for players donning a Wizards uniform.
Wes Unseld, 34 rebounds (1970 Eastern Division Semifinals, Game 3)
After going down 0-2 versus the New York Knicks in the 1970 Eastern semifinals, Unseld dropped 23 points (9-17 FG, 5-6 FT), 34 rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes to help Washington claim their first victory of the series, 127-113, in Game 3. Unseld accounted for more than half of the Bullets’ total boards in the contest (63) while single-handedly out-rebounding the entire Knicks roster (30). However, New York would go on to take the series in seven games. Across those seven outings, Unseld averaged 10.4 points, 23.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Wes Unseld, 31 rebounds (1970 Eastern Division Semifinals, Game 1)
Three days earlier in the semifinals opener, ‘The Wide U’ did all he could to get Washington/Baltimore started with a 1-0 series lead, but his team fell just short in a 120-117 double-overtime loss to the Knicks. Unseld tallied a game-high 31 rebounds with 14 points (6-15 FG, 2-3 FT) and a team-high five assists in 51 minutes of action. He once again racked up more than half of the Bullets’ 61 boards by himself, but New York’s trio of double-doubles from Walt Frazier, Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere were too much to handle.
Wes Unseld, 27 rebounds (1969 Eastern Division Semifinals, Game 2)
A year before the Bullets were ousted by the Knicks in seven games, the 1969 Eastern semis was much more one-sided. In Washington’s 107-91 loss in Game 2, Unseld compiled a game-high 27 rebounds with 18 points (7-14 FG, 4-5 FT) and two dimes over 43 minutes. New York went on to sweep the series in four games despite a 22-year-old Unseld averaging 18.8 ppg, 18.5 rpg and 1.3 apg in 41.3 mpg for the top-seeded Bullets.
Wes Unseld, 26 rebounds (1971 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3)
Two years later, the Bullets and Knicks faced off in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, this time in the 1971 conference finals. With his squad down 0-2 heading into Game 3, Unseld delivered a near triple-double to lead Baltimore to a huge 114-88 victory, finishing with 18 points (8-9 FG, 2-3 FT), 26 rebounds and nine assists across 45 minutes. In the decisive Game 7 at Madison Square Garden, Unseld posted 17 points (7-15 FG, 3-4 FT), 20 boards and two dimes to help the Bullets earn a 93-91 win and advance to the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals. Unfortunately for Baltimore, they were swept by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Finals.
Wes Unseld, 25 rebounds (1975 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 4)
During the 1975 East finals, Unseld and the Bullets squared off against the top-seeded Boston Celtics with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. With Baltimore up 2-1 in the series, ‘The Oak Tree’ recorded a game-high 25 rebounds to go along with 16 points (5-11 FG, 6-9 FT) and seven assists in a 119-108 win, giving his team a commanding 3-1 lead. The Bullets took down the Celtics in six games to reach their second finals appearance in five years, but the Golden State Warriors would eventually be crowned champions after a 4-0 sweep. Unseld finished as the leader in total rebounds throughout the ‘75 playoffs with 276 in 17 contests.
