0 out of 10
BETH A. KEIZER / Associated Press
Legends are made in the playoffs. Looking back through NBA history, some of the greatest players cemented a Hall of Fame legacy with their performances in the postseason.
And we highlight the best of that group.
While the order is subjective, the list considers playoff games, total points, scoring average and team performance.
For example, Karl Malone and Elgin Baylor both run top-20 in playoff points for careers. But without an NBA title, it’s fair to consider them productive and not necessarily the best.
In addition, it is undeniable that Allen Iverson is one of the greatest scorers who has ever played in the club. However, his Philadelphia 76ers reached the Eastern Conference Finals (and NBA Finals) only once. Pure individual talent is also not a factor.
The best scorers put up massive numbers en propelled her team to the NBA Finals and at least one championship.
1 out of 10
Craig Mitchelldyer / Associated Press
Maybe you feel it’s too early to pick up Stephen Curry. That’s an honest opinion, especially if you’ve hoping to see Malone, Baylor, Dirk Nowitzki, John Havlicek, Dwyane Wade, Hakeem Olajuwon or another memorable player.
Note, however, that Curry is already 27th in the playoff score with 2,968 points in just 112 appearances. Among players with at least 50 playoff games, his 26.5 points per game ranks eighth. And the Golden Point Warriors star point guard has three NBA titles.
Along with his 40.1 percentage of three points, Curry has 47 postseason games with three-plus triples. The next closest are Klay Thompson (25), Ray Allen (21) and James Harden (14).
His combination of reach and efficiency has changed the sport.
2 out of 10
Lennox McLendon / Associated Press
When the Indiana State product retired in 1992, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West had more points than Larry Bird.
The longtime Boston Celtics star averaged 23.8 points per game over 164 career playoff appearances. Bird led the Celtics to five NBA Finals, winning three rings and a few MVP awards for Finals. He finished 12th all-time with 3,897 points in the mail season.
Bird peaked in the 1984 playoffs, averaging 27.4 points (with 14.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists) in a Finals victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
3 out of 10
David J. Phillip / Associated Press
The reliability of Tim Duncan is a primary reason the San Antonio Spurs built a dynasty of two decades.
After winning the NBA Finals in the 1998-99 strike-short campaign, the Spurs earned three more titles in the 2000s. Marked by three NBA Finals MVP honors, Duncan averaged 22-plus points in each of those four championships.
Overall, the Big Fundamental ended his career with the sixth-most points (5,172) in history after the season.
He was rarely glamorous. But the Spurs drive Duncan’s gradual elite production to five overall championships.
4 out of 10
Ben Margot / Associated Press
Despite the uniform he wore, Kevin Durant has always been a nightmare to defend in the offseason.
As a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, he averaged 28.8 points in six postseason trips. Then during three playoff rounds with the Golden State Warriors, which included two rings and two MVPs for Finals, his efficiency increased greatly. Durant improved to 29.6 points per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the floor.
Still just 31, Durant has placed the sixth most games (33) of 35-plus points already in NBA playoff history.
5 out of 10
Uncredited / Associated Press
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar apparently stayed around forever and kept scoring at an incredible level for almost his entire career.
The six-time NBA champion scored 24.3 points per game in 237 playoff games. And removing the last three of his postseason trips, which is a ridiculous thought exercise since they came at ages 39, 40 and 41, he averaged 27.3 points in 180 appearances.
His skyhook devastated teams for two decades.
Kareem retires as the NBA’s all-time leading playoff scorer (5,762) and is still third behind LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
6 out of 10
MARK J. TERRILL / Associated Press
The career statistics for Shaquille O’Neal are impressive, but his 1995-2003 production, in particular, was remarkable.
While a total of 133 playoff appearances for the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers were in that stretch, Shaq scored 28.3 points per game. He lifted the Magic to one NBA Finals and held three championships alongside Kobe Bryant with the Lakers.
That nine-year stretch alone would be good enough, yet he averaged 18-plus points in four other long postseason races and won a fourth ring at the Miami Heat.
O’Neal runs the time no. 5 with 5,250 playoff points for career.
7 out of 10
Jae C. Hong / Associated Press
In his 20-year career, Kobe Bryant fits in 220 playoff games–the seventh-most in NBA history. And if you include everyone who appeared in even a single postseason, the Los Angeles Lakers legend runs 13th in points per game at 25.6.
Many scored as hard enough. Maintaining that extraordinary level is what made Kobe one of the greatest players ever.
A winner of five NBA titles and two Finals MVPs, Bryant is fourth all-time with 5,640 playoff points. Only LeBron James (10) and Michael Jordan (eight) have scored 450-plus points in more postseasons than Kobe’s seven.
8 out of 10
AEM / Associated Press
Just two players have averaged 40-plus points in a single postseason. Michael Jordan did so in 1986, but Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics eliminated the Chicago Bulls with a three-game first-round sweep.
The other is Jerry West, who averaged 40.6 points per game during his 11 appearances in the 1965 playoffs. Incidentally, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to Bill Russell and the Celtics. But the point remains: West had legendary score upside.
The Hall of Fame guard averaged 29.1 points in his 153 appearances, won a title in 1972 and earned the rare distinction of Final MVP in the 1969 series that the Lakers lost.
Jordan (38) and LeBron James (27) are the only players with more playoff games of 40 points than West and his 20.
9 out of 10
Tony Dejak / Associated Press
No matter what his future with the Los Angeles Lakers has, LeBron James has already established himself as a top-two playoff performer.
He led the 2006-07 Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals. From 2011-18, he reached four straight NBA Finals with both the Miami Heat and the Cavaliers. In 13 playoff trips in his career, he averaged 23.7 points and an average of 30 points six times each year.
Criticize the 3-6 NBA Finals record if you will, but there is simply no argument about LeBron’s overall and sustained excellence.
10 out of 10
John Swart / Associated Press
Michael Jordan won six titles with the Chicago Bulls. He earned NBA Finals MVP in all six series, and he averaged no less than 30.7 points during one of those runs to a championship.
He was just unstoppable.
When he retired in 1998, MJ held the NBA record for career playoffs with 5,987. LeBron has since surpassed the overall mark, but Jordan, who made 179 appearances, still ranks no. 1 for playoff average at 33.4 points per game.
And that record can never be broken.
All stats, unless otherwise noted, thanks to Basketball Reference or Stathead.
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