Scoring is easily one of the most important aspects of the game of basketball. Having an all-time great scorer on your side is one of the biggest advantages a team can have, considering the goal of every game is to outscore your opponent. Defense is important, too, but our focus will be the focal point of the list below. It is one thing to be able to be a dominant scorer in the regular season, though, and it is another to do it when the lights are the brightest and pressure is at an all-time high. There is only one place where those scenarios come true, and that is the NBA playoffs. The players who have reigned supreme in scoring in the NBA playoffs are the elite of the elite throughout NBA history and will be celebrated as such.
The fact that players have a high scoring average in the playoffs is almost meaningless if they only do it once or twice. Today, the focus of my breakdown will be the players who scored the most points but also the players who have led their teams to the playoffs at least 7 times. Players like Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell have had amazing playoff series and runs but not enough to be honored quite yet here today. These are the players who showed up on a regular basis and led their teams to the playoffs at the same rate as some of the greatest scorers ever. The players who had some of the most memorable performances in NBA playoff history.
These are the best playoff scorers in NBA history.
Honorable MentionKarl Malone – 24.7 PPG
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Karl Malone is one of the most consistent scorers in NBA history. His pairing with John Stockton and ability to finish plays is a large part of how he ended up with the 3rd-most points in NBA history. That scoring carried over to the playoffs, as well as he tallied 4,761 total points and ranks 7th all-time. Although he never landed an NBA title, Malone led the Jazz to 2 Finals and 18 playoff appearances during his time there, as well as an appearance in the playoffs with the Lakers in 2004.
In his 19 appearances in the playoffs as a player, Karl Malone averaged less than 20.0 PPG just twice in 2003 and 2004, his last 2 playoff appearances ever. Before those 2 seasons later in his career, Malone averaged 26.5 PPG, which would have moved him further up this list. His best playoff scoring series came in first-round losses in 1989 and 1995. He averaged 30.7 PPG in 1989 and 30.2 PPG in 1995, the only 2 times he ever averaged over 30.0 PPG in the playoffs in his career. In the 2 runs to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998, Malone averaged 26.0 PPG and 26.3 PPG, respectively.
Dirk Nowitzki – 25.3 PPG
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Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest international scorers in NBA history. He is also one of the best overall scorers that rank 6th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with 31,560 total points. Dirk was the first of his kind, a 7-foot unicorn who could shoot the ball from almost anywhere on the court. With his patented one-legged fadeaway and perfect touch on the ball, Nowitzki lit up the NBA for 20 years on his way to one of the greatest careers for any power forward in NBA history.
Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA playoffs 15 times in his 20 seasons with the team. With Nowitzki as the lead, Dallas made 12 straight playoff appearances from 2001 thru 2012. Over that time, Dirk averaged 25.9 PPG in 128 playoff games played. Nowitzki led the Mavericks to their only NBA championship in 2011 when he went on a tear and averaged 27.7 PPG en route to the title, which was the second-highest average of his playoff career. The highest came in just his second playoff appearance ever in 2002 with 28.4 PPG.
Dominique Wilkins – 25.4 PPG
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Dominique Wilkins made exactly 10 playoff appearances in his career, which narrowly qualifies him for our list here today. Wilkins has become one of the most underrated players in NBA history since his retirement from the game in 1999. Wilkins was a walking highlight with his high-flying, athletic ability and ability to light up the stat sheet any night that he was suited up to play. In his later years, after an injury was expected to end his career, Wilkins adapted his game and remained a game-changing scorer until his retirement.
Wilkins’ 10 playoff appearances breakdown into 8 with the Atlanta Hawks and 1 appearance with each of the Celtics and Magic in the late 90s. Wilkins was steady in the postseason, averaging over 20.0 PPG in 6 out of his 10 playoff appearances. Wilkins averaged 20.0 PPG or better in the playoffs twice in his career. He averaged 31.2 PPG in 12 games during the 1988 playoffs and 30.0 PPG in 3 games in 1993. Wilkins never got to hoist a championship above his head, but he was still one of the most impactful players of his era.
Kobe Bryant – 25.6 PPG
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Anyone who has been paying attention for the last 30 years knows about the scoring prowess of Kobe Bryant. Kobe had a chokehold on the NBA for 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers straight out of high school. Bryant helped the Lakers win 5 NBA championships in his career while claiming 2 of the 5 Finals MVP awards. While Bryant is Top 5 in total points for his career, his playoff PPG falls just outside of it.
Bryant helped the Lakers reach the playoffs 15 times in his 20 seasons in the NBA. He led the playoffs in scoring 3 times, averaging over 30.0 PPG each time. He averaged 30.0 PPG a total of 5 times in his playoff career as well. As the No. 1 option in the 2009 and 2010 championship runs, he averaged 30.2 PPG in 2009 and 29.2 PPG in 2010. He produced at a high level during the Lakers’ 3-peat in the early 2000s as well. In 46 games over those 3 title runs, Bryant averaged 24.6 PPG, including 29.4 PPG in 2001.
10. Hakeem Olajuwon – 25.9 PPG
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For most of his career, and still today, Hakeem Olajuwon is known as one of the greatest defenders of all time. What escapes fans’ minds is how great of a scorer he was as well. Olajuwon possessed the craftiest post moves and impeccable footwork that the NBA has ever seen from a man his size. He finished efficiently around the rim and grabbed offensive rebounds better than most. On top of that, he had a pretty smooth mid-range jumper that fell often.
Olajuwon played 17 seasons with the Houston Rockets in the NBA and led them to the playoffs 14 times which included 13 straight from 1987 thru 1999. Olajuwon was a consistent 20.0 PPG scorer in the postseason until the 1999 postseason. He also made an appearance with the Raptors in the playoffs, where he came off the bench. In his 2 NBA championship runs in 1994 and 1995, Hakeem led the playoffs in scoring. In 1994, he averaged 28.9 PPG, and in 1995, he averaged 33.0 PPG. No matter which way you slice it, Olajuwon is one of the greatest playoff scorers/performers ever.
9. George Gervin – 26.5 PPG
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George Gervin is one of the smoothest players to ever grace the ABA and NBA. Gervin was a master of his craft, from the perfection of his finger roll to the speed and agility that he played the game with. Gervin’s accomplishments as a scorer are abundant, as he won 4 NBA scoring titles during his career and put the Spurs on the map as an NBA franchise during the earlier days of their existence.
Gervin led the Spurs to exactly 7 playoff appearances in his NBA career. He led the playoffs in scoring 5 times in the NBA and averaged over 30.0 PPG twice. In his 7 straight appearances in the playoffs from 1977 thru 1983, Gervin averaged 28.5 PPG on 50.7% shooting from the field. Gervin led his team to the 1977 Western Conference Finals, which was the furthest he ever went in the playoffs. They fell to the Washington Bullets in 7 games, with Gervin averaging 31.0 PPG on 52.4% shooting.
8. Stephen Curry – 26.6 PPG
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Stephen Curry is easily one of the greatest playoff performers to ever hit the court. Curry’s legendary shooting from absurd range hit its peak in the NBA playoffs, especially since his breakout MVP season in 2015, which led to his first NBA championship. Curry shoots the ball at an all-time efficient volume from behind the arc but can still score other ways as well, especially when defenders try to cheat and crowd him at the 3-point line.
Curry has led the Warriors to 8 playoff appearances in his career, including 7 years in a row from 2013 thru 2019. He has never led the playoffs in scoring or averaged 30.0 PPG in a playoff run but has been consistently great in those situations his entire career. He has averaged 20.0 PPG or better every time he has stepped foot in the NBA postseason and shot the ball from three at 40.1%. For the Warriors, this has rewarded them with 4 NBA championships in 8 seasons, including another improbable run to the title in 2022 and Curry claiming Finals MVP with 31.2 PPG on 43.7% shooting from three.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Over the past 7 seasons, Giannis has emerged as one of the best players in the game. Antetokounmpo has dominated opponents, especially in the paint, where few have the strength and stamina to hang with The Greek Freak. Some would say he is unskilled in the ways he scores, but even the power game he plays requires a level of skill that few bigs in today’s game possess.
Antetokounmpo has been with the Bucks for exactly 7 playoff appearances in his career. He has averaged at least 20.0 PPG throughout the playoffs in 6 of those 7 appearances and averaged over 30.0 PPG twice. In 2021, Giannis led the Bucks to an incredible NBA championship after falling down 2-0 in the series against the Suns. He averaged 35.2 PPG in those Finals, propelling the Bucks to their first NBA title in 50 years. In 2022, Giannis averaged 31.7 PPG, which led all players in scoring for the entirety of the playoffs.
6. Elgin Baylor – 27.0 PPG
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The Top 5 playoff scorers are when we enter rarified air in postseason history. For Elgin Baylor, his career, specifically as a scorer, has gone completely forgotten. As a victim of the era bias that many new NBA fans possess, Baylor’s accomplishments go unrecognized. Well, not anymore. Baylor was the first real player to play above the rim and can be credited with the Lakers’ move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. His play on the court mirrored that of a Hollywood production, as he was must watch every time he hit the court.
Baylor played 14 seasons with the Lakers from 1959 thru 1972 and led them to the playoffs 12 times. Baylor had one of the best stretches in NBA history, leading the playoffs in scoring 4 years in a row from 1960 thru 1963. Over that time, he averaged 35.8 PPG, which includes the 1961 and 1962 seasons, where he averaged over 38.0 PPG while simultaneously serving in the military. Baylor’s 1965 playoffs actually hurt his average in the playoffs, as he played just 5 minutes before getting injured and missing the remainder of the playoffs. If that has never occurred, we may be speaking about Baylor as the all-time playoff leader in scoring.
5. LeBron James – 28.7 PPG
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LeBron James is another one of the all-time greats in the NBA playoffs. His rankings in most major statistical categories in postseason play pretty much tell the whole story. For a player who is considered to be a pass-first player, James is just mere moments away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring record. James lights it up when the lights shine on him during the NBA playoffs, and it appears he may not be done adding to his PPG total.
LeBron takes it up a few notches in the NBA playoffs, and his numbers back up that claim. He has averaged 30.0 PPG or better in 6 different playoff runs and has led his teams to a total of 10 NBA Finals. With 4 NBA championships under his belt, he is widely regarded as one of the Top 3 players to ever step on the court. James has delivered on nearly everything asked of him in the playoffs and scored when called upon.
4. Jerry West – 29.1 PPG
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Another victim of the era debate is the man who literally represents the logo of the NBA, Jerry West. As one of the best players and scorers in the 60s and 70s, West made a mark on Los Angeles way before he helped bring Kobe Bryant into the city. West could shoot, handle the ball with ease, and take his defenders to the rim if he so chooses. The only thing holding West back from holding the all-time playoff scoring record is the absence of a 3-point line during his playing days.
West played for the Lakers for 14 seasons, and in his career, he only missed the playoffs once. He led the Lakers to 9 NBA Finals appearances in his day but usually ran into dynasty franchises like the Celtics and Knicks. He led the playoffs in scoring 3 times during his career and averaged over 30.0 PPG 6 times. His career-high for a playoff run came in 1965 when he averaged 40.6 PPG over 11 games. West’s career deserves a ton more respect, and his playoff outbursts prove that to be true.
3. Kevin Durant – 29.4 PPG
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One of the most talented scorers on Earth is Kevin Durant. The prototypical scorer went out the window on the day Durant was created. At a slender 7’0’’, Durant handles the ball and moves like a guard. Durant can shoot from anywhere on the floor, but his bread-and-butter shot is from the mid-range. With his ability to rise above defenders on his shot and his high release, Durant is pretty much unstoppable in that aspect. When defenders overcrowd him and try to contest, Durant can simply just blow by them for a finish at the rim.
In his 16 seasons in the NBA, Kevin Durant has made 11 playoff appearances with 3 different teams. He has led the playoffs in scoring 5 times in his career and has been a 30.0 PPG scorer 3 times in the playoffs. In his 4 trips to the NBA Finals, Durant’s teams won 2 and lost 2 of those series. In his 2 title runs in 2017 and 2018, Durant averaged 28.5 PPG and 29.0 PPG, respectively. His career-high for a playoff run came in 2021 with the Nets when he averaged 34.3 PPG over the course of 12 games.
3. Allen Iverson – 29.7 PPG
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Allen Iverson’s career has been put under a microscope since his retirement in 2010. Iverson has been labeled inefficient and selfish, but one thing is for certain, he could score the ball however he wanted. With no fear whatsoever, Iverson could drive the lane after he left his defender in the dust and had no issues challenging the bigs in the paint as he drove to the basket. He could shoot quite well from inside the 3-point line, but from beyond, it was a different story. Whatever the case, his scoring really took flight when he entered postseason play.
Iverson made 8 playoff appearances in his career, 6 with the 76ers and 2 with the Denver Nuggets. He led the playoffs in scoring twice and averaged 30.0 PPG or better 4 times. In the only Finals appearances of his career in 2001, Iverson averaged 32.9 PPG on 38.9% from the field. He averaged 30.0 PPG or better in each of his next 3 playoff appearances to give him a 32.0 PPG scoring average in the playoffs from 2001 thru 2005.
1. Michael Jordan – 33.5 PPG
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We all knew this was coming, right? Michael Jordan is one of one when it comes to being a scorer. Don’t let the numbers fool you, Michael Jordan was a serious three-level threat, and yes that means even from 3-point land. An opponent’s best bet to stop Jordan was to hope and pray that he didn’t suit up that night, something that was as rare as him not wanting to kill the opponent in front of him.
The only times that Jordan-led teams didn’t make the playoffs is either when he retired or played for the Wizards in his older days. Jordan led the Bulls to 6 NBA championships in 6 attempts at the title by the tune of 2 three-peats. He averaged at least 30.0 PPG in 12 of his 13 playoff appearances which included a 43.7 PPG run in 1986. In his first three-peat, Jordan averaged 33.7 PPG on 49.7% shooting from the floor, in his second one, he averaged 31.4 PPG on 45.9% shooting. If those numbers aren’t playoff-scoring greatness and the ultimate recipe for success, then I don’t know what is.
Source: fadeawayworld
