Top 5 seasons when Michael Jordan had the most blocks of his career

Michael Jordan in his third season in the NBA
Michael Jordan in his third season in the NBA

Considered by many to be the “Greatest of All Time,” Michael Jordan is one of a kind. But his talents, for someone known for so many memorable and jaw-dropping plays on offense, are diverse.

An All-Star in 14 of his 15 seasons, Jordan was a force at either end of the court. He led the NBA in scoring 10 times and was also named to the All-Defensive first team nine times and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1987-88, his fourth season in the league.

Michael Jordan, the No. 4 pick in the 1984 draft, was a strong and quick defender, boosting his scoring by forcing turnovers. He totaled 2,514 steals (2.3 per game) and 893 blocks (0.8 per game).

Let’s look at Michael Jordan’s top five seasons in blocks.

No. 5: 1984-85, 69 blocks

Jordan looked like a seasoned NBA player in his rookie season. Right off the bat, he contributed 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and was named Rookie of the Year. He started all 82 games. On defense, he helped with rim protection, recording 69 blocks in the regular season.

The Chicago Bulls fell 3-1 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs (their first appearance after the franchise missed the postseason six of the previous seven years), but Jordan's play ignited fans and showed immense promise.

No. 4: 1991-92, 75 blocks

In the 1991-92 season, the Bulls were the NBA's defending champions. Jordan led the league in scoring, averaging 30.1 ppg and played lockdown defense, securing 182 steals and 75 blocks, in 80 games. Jordan was named the Most Valuable Player for the second straight year, and the Bulls won their second of three consecutive seasons.

After securing home-court advantage and finishing first in the Eastern Conference, Chicago went on another title run. They defeated the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers to reach the NBA Finals, where they defended the NBA title in a six-game series against the Portland Trail Blazers.

No. 3: 1990-91, 83 blocks

Jordan and the Bulls finished atop the Eastern Conference and went on to win the first of six NBA championships in 1990-91. Jordan led the league in scoring for the fifth consecutive season, displaying sheer dominance. He averaged 31.5 points, 6 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game without missing a single game.

Aggressives on both ends of the floor, Jordan was named MVP for the second time in his career. He registered 83 blocks. In the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls finally got past their rivals, the Detroit Pistons, with a 4-0 sweep. In the NBA Finals, the Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1, claiming their first NBA championship.

No. 2: 1986-87, 125 blocks

In his third NBA season, Michael Jordan was almost unstoppable. He scored 40 points or more in 37 games in the regular season, and he totaled 125 blocks, including a career-best six blocks against the Seattle SuperSonics.

In the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls battled hard but could not match the experience of the Boston Celtics. Larry Bird led his team to a 3-0 victory in the first round. Michael Jordan averaged 35.7 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in the series.

No. 1: 1987-88, 131 blocks

The 1987-88 season was arguably Jordan’s best as he bagged multiple honors. He was MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star Game MVP and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion. The league’s scoring leader with an average of 35 ppg, Jordan was also resourceful on the defensive end. He logged 259 steals and 131 blocks, both career bests.

The Detroit Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas, put an end to Chicago's campaign in the Eastern Conference semifinals after the Bulls topped the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2 in a five-game series.

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Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein