Michael Jordan, Artis Gilmore and other Bulls legends are proof that defense wins championships.

The Chicago Bulls have made 36 playoff appearances in club history and brought home six championships under the leadership of the legendary Michael Jordan.

Here are the franchise leaders in total blocks.

1. Artis Gilmore1,029 Blocks

Gilmore played in both the ABA and NBA. He started his tenure with the Bulls in the 1976-77 season and averaged 18.6 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. Gilmore appeared in 82 games five times in his first six seasons with the Bulls. Gilmore averaged 2.1 blocks in 482 career games with the Bulls.

2. michael jordanBlock 828

The Bulls selected Jordan with the third overall pick in the 1984 Draft; It was a move that would take their team to new heights. He won the Rookie of the Year Award, made 12 All-Star teams and was named league MVP five times with the franchise.

He also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in the 1987-88 season. Jordan wasn’t just an excellent scorer. He led the league in steals three times and had two seasons in which he averaged at least 1.5 blocks. He averaged 0.9 blocks during his career with the Bulls.

3. Joakim NoahBlock 803

Noah could have dominated the game with his defense and rebounding. He won the 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year Award and finished fourth in MVP voting that season. He averaged a career-high 2.1 blocks per game the previous season.

With his all-out style of play, Noah often dealt with injuries. He played in 70 or more games just three times during his nine seasons with the team. He played in only 29 matches in his last season with the team. His rookie season was the only season in which he failed to average at least 1.0 blocks per game. Noah averaged 1.4 blocks in 572 career games with the Bulls.

4. Scottie PippenBlock 774

Pippen and Jordan formed one of the most successful duos in league history. Pippen was named first or second All-Team Defensive eight times with the Bulls. He was selected mainly for his ability to steal the ball. Pippen averaged at least 2.0 steals in a season five times with the Bulls.

Like Jordan, he won six championships during his tenure with the team. Although he never won the MVP award, he managed to finish in the top 10 of the award voting five times. In 856 career games with the Bulls, Pippen averaged 0.9 blocks.

5. Tac GibsonBlock 695

The Bulls selected Gibson with the 26th pick in the 2009 draft. He started his career averaging at least 1.3 blocks in five consecutive seasons. In 562 games with the Bulls, Gibson averaged 1.2 blocks. Gibson currently plays in the NBA and has played for seven different teams.