NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Playoff Leaders and Records for Defensive Rebounds

Active players are listed in bold
* Indicates member of the Hall of Fame.
Defensive Rebounds since 1973-74 (1967-68 for ABA)

Table
Year Lg Player DRB Tm
2023 NBA Nikola Jokić 200 DEN
2022 NBA Al Horford 179 BOS
2021 NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo 210 MIL
2020 NBA LeBron James 198 LAL
2019 NBA Draymond Green 182 GSW
2018 NBA Draymond Green 180 GSW
2017 NBA Kevin Love 155 CLE
2016 NBA Draymond Green 190 GSW
2015 NBA LeBron James 189 CLE
2014 NBA Tim Duncan* 146 SAS
2013 NBA Tim Duncan* 160 SAS
2012 NBA Kevin Garnett* 175 BOS
2011 NBA Dirk Nowitzki* 159 DAL
2010 NBA Pau Gasol* 163 LAL
2009 NBA Dwight Howard 254 ORL
2008 NBA Kevin Garnett* 202 BOS
2007 NBA Tim Duncan* 156 SAS
2006 NBA Dirk Nowitzki* 221 DAL
2005 NBA Tim Duncan* 199 SAS
2004 NBA Ben Wallace* 233 DET
2003 NBA Tim Duncan* 273 SAS
2002 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 172 LAL
2001 NBA Dikembe Mutombo* 203 PHI
2000 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 236 LAL
1999 NBA Tim Duncan* 140 SAS
1998 NBA Karl Malone* 170 UTA
1997 NBA Karl Malone* 168 UTA
1996 NBA Dennis Rodman* 149 CHI
1995 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 183 HOU
1994 NBA Patrick Ewing* 205 NYK
1993 NBA Charles Barkley* 233 PHO
1992 NBA Karl Malone* 138 UTA
1991 NBA Magic Johnson* 131 LAL
1990 NBA Bill Laimbeer 170 DET
1989 NBA Dennis Rodman* 114 DET
    Bill Laimbeer 114 DET
    Horace Grant 114 CHI
1988 NBA Bill Laimbeer 178 DET
1987 NBA Larry Bird* 190 BOS
1986 NBA Ralph Sampson* 149 HOU
1985 NBA Robert Parish* 162 BOS
1984 NBA Larry Bird* 190 BOS
1983 NBA Moses Malone* 136 PHI
1982 NBA Caldwell Jones 137 PHI
1981 NBA Larry Bird* 189 BOS
1980 NBA Caldwell Jones 135 PHI
1979 NBA Elvin Hayes* 172 WSB
1978 NBA Marvin Webster 194 SEA
1977 NBA Bill Walton* 232 POR
1976 NBA Dave Cowens* 209 BOS
  ABA Dan Issel* 108 DNA
1975 NBA Wes Unseld* 211 WSB
  ABA George McGinnis* 191 INA
1974 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 186 MIL
  ABA Gerald Govan 197 UTS
1973 ABA Mel Daniels* 178 INA
1971 ABA Cincy Powell 171 KEN