In a historic game on October 28, 1973, Elmore Smith, the towering center for the Lakers, put on a defensive clinic against the Trail Blazers at the Forum. With a staggering 17 blocks, Smith made his mark in the record books for the most blocks in a single NBA game. Known as “The Rejector,” the 7-footer played the entire 48 minutes and also contributed 12 points and 16 rebounds, securing a triple-double in the process.
Smith’s incredible performance in 1973 still stands as the highest number of blocks in a game since the NBA began fully recording blocks that season. During a span from October 26 to November 4, Smith managed to tally 14 or more blocks in three different games, showcasing his dominance in the paint. Following Smith’s record-setting game, only three other players have managed to reach the 14-block milestone in a single game: Shaquille O’Neal, Manute Bol, and Mark Eaton.
Fast forward to the year 2000, where the most blocks recorded in a single game by an individual player is 12. This feat has been accomplished by three different players: Keon Clark, JaVale McGee, and Hassan Whiteside. Furthermore, six players, including Whiteside himself, have achieved a remarkable 11 blocks in a game since the turn of the century, highlighting the continued importance of rim protection in the modern NBA.
Looking beyond the regular season, the intensity of the Playoffs brings out the best in defensive stalwarts. Eleven players have managed to notch nine blocks in a single Playoff game, with notable names such as Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1977, Alonzo Mourning in 2000, Tim Duncan in 2007, and Dwight Howard in 2009 and 2010. Howard’s exceptional nine-block performance in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in 2009 holds the record for the most blocks in a Finals game, a mark that still stands as we enter the 2024-25 season.
