This interactive visualization is derived from the Wikipedia article on NBA Career Playoff Scoring Leaders. Access the original source here. (opens in new tab)

NBA Playoff Scoring Pantheon

An in-depth exploration of the greatest scorers in NBA postseason history, detailing career and progressive playoff point leaders, team affiliations, and historical milestones.

View Leaders ๐Ÿ† Track Progress ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Dive in with Flashcard Learning!


When you are ready...
๐ŸŽฎ Play the Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge Game๐ŸŽฎ

Career Playoff Scoring Leaders

Top Scorers

This table presents the elite echelon of players who have accumulated the most points throughout their NBA playoff careers. The data reflects their scoring prowess across multiple postseason appearances, highlighting sustained excellence on the grandest stage.

NBA Career Playoff Scoring Leaders
Rank Player Position(s) Playoff team(s) played for (years)[2] Total
Points
Games
Played
Points
per Game
(Average)[3]
Field goals
Made
Three-point
field goals
Made[4]
Free throws
Made
1 LeBron James^ SF Cleveland Cavaliers (2006โ€“2010, 2015โ€“2018)
Miami Heat (2011โ€“2014)
Los Angeles Lakers (2020โ€“2021, 2023โ€“2025)
8,289 292 28.4 2,971 480 1,867
2 Michael Jordan* SG Chicago Bulls (1985โ€“1993, 1995โ€“1998) 5,987 179 33.4 2,188 148 1,463
3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*[5] C Milwaukee Bucks (1970โ€“1974)
Los Angeles Lakers (1977โ€“1989)
5,762 237 24.3 2,356 0 1,320
4 Kobe Bryant* SG Los Angeles Lakers (1997โ€“2004, 2006โ€“2012) 5,640 220 25.6 2,014 292 1,269
5 Shaquille O'Neal* C Orlando Magic (1994โ€“1996)
Los Angeles Lakers (1997โ€“2004)
Miami Heat (2005โ€“2007)
Phoenix Suns (2008)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2010)
Boston Celtics (2011)
5,250 216 24.3 2,041 0 1,217
6 Tim Duncan* PF/C San Antonio Spurs (1998โ€“1999, 2001โ€“2016) 5,172 251 20.6 1,975 5 1,213
7 Kevin Durant^ SF/PF Oklahoma City Thunder (2010โ€“2014, 2016)
Golden State Warriors (2017โ€“2019)
Brooklyn Nets (2021โ€“2022)
Phoenix Suns (2023โ€“2025)
4,985 170 29.3 1,684 366 1,251
8 Karl Malone* PF Utah Jazz (1986โ€“2003)
Los Angeles Lakers (2004)
4,761 193 24.7 1,743 6 1,171
9 Jerry West* PG/SG Los Angeles Lakers (1961โ€“1970, 1972โ€“1974) 4,457 153 29.1 1,622 n/a 1,074
10 Stephen Curry^ PG Golden State Warriors (2013โ€“2019, 2022โ€“2023, 2025) 4,147 155 26.8 1,388 650 721
11 Tony Parker* PG San Antonio Spurs (2002โ€“2018) 4,045 226 17.9 1,613 119 1,068
12 Dwyane Wade* SG Miami Heat (2004โ€“2007, 2009โ€“2014, 2016, 2018)
Chicago Bulls (2017)
3,954 177 22.3 1,450 103 951
13 Larry Bird* SF/PF Boston Celtics (1980โ€“1988, 1990โ€“1992) 3,897 164 23.8 1,458 80 901
14 James Harden^ SG/PG Oklahoma City Thunder (2010โ€“2012)
Houston Rockets (2013โ€“2020)
Brooklyn Nets (2021)
Philadelphia 76ers (2022โ€“2023)
Los Angeles Clippers (2024โ€“2025)
3,895 173 22.5 1,173 434 1,115
15 John Havlicek* SF/SG Boston Celtics (1963โ€“1969, 1972โ€“1977) 3,776 172 22.0 1,451 n/a 874
16 Hakeem Olajuwon*[6] C Houston Rockets (1985โ€“1991, 1993โ€“1999)
Toronto Raptors (2002)
3,755 145 25.9 1,504 4 743
17 Magic Johnson* PG Los Angeles Lakers (1980โ€“1991, 1996) 3,701 190 19.5 1,291 51 1,068
18 Dirk Nowitzki* PF Dallas Mavericks (2001โ€“2012, 2014โ€“2016) 3,663 145 25.3 1,220 149 1,074
19 Scottie Pippen* SF Chicago Bulls (1988โ€“1998)
Houston Rockets (1999)
Portland Trail Blazers (2000โ€“2003)
3,642 208 17.5 1,335 200 772
20 Elgin Baylor* SF Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1959โ€“1970) 3,623 134 27.0 1,388 n/a 847
21 Wilt Chamberlain* C Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1960โ€“1962, 1964)
Philadelphia 76ers (1965โ€“1968)
Los Angeles Lakers (1969โ€“1973)
3,607 160 22.5 1,425 n/a 757
22 Kevin McHale* PF Boston Celtics (1981โ€“1993) 3,182 169 18.8 1,204 8 766
23 Paul Pierce* SF/SG Boston Celtics (2002โ€“2005, 2008โ€“2013)
Brooklyn Nets (2014)
Washington Wizards (2015)
Los Angeles Clippers (2016โ€“2017)
3,180 170 18.7 1,022 276 860
24 Kawhi Leonard^ SF San Antonio Spurs (2012โ€“2017)
Toronto Raptors (2019)
Los Angeles Clippers (2020โ€“2021, 2023โ€“2025)
3,133 146 21.5 1,120 249 644
25 Dennis Johnson* PG Seattle SuperSonics (1978โ€“1980)
Phoenix Suns (1981โ€“1983)
Boston Celtics (1984โ€“1990)
3,116 180 17.3 1,167 26 756

Key: ^ Active NBA player, * Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

Progressive Playoff Scoring Leaders

Evolution of the Record

This section meticulously tracks the historical progression of the NBA's all-time playoff scoring record. It illustrates how the benchmark for total playoff points evolved season by season, showcasing the players who held the mantle of the league's top postseason scorer over time.

Playoff Scoring Leader at the End of Every Season
Season Year-by-year Leader Total Pts Career Record Holder (Active) Total Pts Single-Season Record Holder Total Pts Season
1946โ€“47 Joe Fulks*PHW 222 Joe Fulks*PHW 222 Joe Fulks*PHW 222 1946โ€“47
1947โ€“48 Joe Fulks*PHW 282 Joe Fulks*PHW 504 Joe Fulks*PHW 282 1947โ€“48
1948โ€“49 George Mikan*MNL 303 George Mikan*MNL 847 George Mikan*MNL 303 1948โ€“49
1949โ€“50 George Mikan*MNL 376 George Mikan*MNL 1,154 George Mikan*MNL 376 1949โ€“50
1950โ€“51 Arnie Risen*ROC 273 George Mikan*MNL 1,392 George Mikan*MNL 376 1950โ€“51
1951โ€“52 George Mikan*MNL 307 George Mikan*MNL 1,644 George Mikan*MNL 307 1951โ€“52
1952โ€“53 George Mikan*MNL 238 George Mikan*MNL 1,644 George Mikan*MNL 238 1952โ€“53
1953โ€“54 George Mikan*MNL 252 George Mikan*MNL 1,644 George Mikan*MNL 252 1953โ€“54
1954โ€“55 Dolph Schayes*SYR 209 George Mikan*MNL 1,680 George Mikan*MNL 252 1954โ€“55
1955โ€“56 Paul Arizin*PHW 289 George Mikan*MNL 1,680 George Mikan*MNL 289 1955โ€“56
1956โ€“57 Bob Pettit*STL 298 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,192 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,192 1956โ€“57
1957โ€“58 Cliff Hagan*STL 305 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,272 Bob Pettit*STL 1,192 1957โ€“58
1958โ€“59 Elgin Baylor*MNL 331 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,526 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,526 1958โ€“59
1959โ€“60 Bob Pettit*STL 365 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,644 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,644 1959โ€“60
1960โ€“61 Elgin Baylor*LAL 457 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,779 Elgin Baylor*LAL 457 1960โ€“61
1961โ€“62 Elgin Baylor*LAL 502 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,836 Elgin Baylor*LAL 502 1961โ€“62
1962โ€“63 Bob Cousy*BOS 424 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,018 Dolph Schayes*SYR 1,779 1962โ€“63
1963โ€“64 Wilt Chamberlain*SFW 416 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,194 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,018 1963โ€“64
1964โ€“65 Jerry West*LAL 447 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,240 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,240 1964โ€“65
1965โ€“66 Elgin Baylor*LAL 479 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,511 Elgin Baylor*LAL 479 1965โ€“66
1966โ€“67 Rick Barry*SFW 521 Elgin Baylor*LAL 2,582 Rick Barry*SFW 521 1966โ€“67
1967โ€“68 John Havlicek*BOS 493 Elgin Baylor*LAL 3,010 Elgin Baylor*LAL 521 1967โ€“68
1968โ€“69 Jerry West*LAL 556 Elgin Baylor*LAL 3,287 Elgin Baylor*LAL 556 1968โ€“69
1969โ€“70 Jerry West*LAL 562 Elgin Baylor*LAL 3,708 Jerry West*LAL 562 1969โ€“70
1970โ€“71 Earl Monroe*BAL 397 Jerry West*LAL 3,708 Jerry West*LAL 562 1970โ€“71
1971โ€“72 Walt Frazier*NYK 388 Jerry West*LAL 4,052 Jerry West*LAL 562 1971โ€“72
1972โ€“73 Jerry West*LAL 401 Jerry West*LAL 4,453 Jerry West*LAL 562 1972โ€“73
1973โ€“74 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 515 Jerry West*LAL 4,457 Jerry West*LAL 562 1973โ€“74
1974โ€“75 Rick Barry*GSW 479 Jerry West*LAL 4,457 Jerry West*LAL 562 1974โ€“75
1975โ€“76 Jo Jo White*BOS 408 John Havlicek*BOS 3,413 Jerry West*LAL 562 1975โ€“76
1976โ€“77 Julius Erving*PHI 518 John Havlicek*BOS 3,611 Jerry West*LAL 562 1976โ€“77
1977โ€“78 Elvin Hayes*WSB 457 John Havlicek*BOS 3,776 Jerry West*LAL 562 1977โ€“78
1978โ€“79 Gus WilliamsSEA 454 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 2,382 John Havlicek*BOS 3,776 1978โ€“79
1979โ€“80 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 479 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 2,861 John Havlicek*BOS 3,776 1979โ€“80
1980โ€“81 Moses Malone*HOU 562 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 2,941 Jerry West*LAL
Moses Malone*HOU
1980โ€“81
1981โ€“82 Julius Erving*PHI 461 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 3,226 Moses Malone*HOU 562 1981โ€“82
1982โ€“83 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 406 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 3,632 Julius Erving*PHI 461 1982โ€“83
1983โ€“84 Larry Bird*BOS 632 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,134 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,134 1983โ€“84
1984โ€“85 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 520 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,550 Larry Bird*BOS 632 1984โ€“85
1985โ€“86 Hakeem Olajuwon*HOU 537 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,912 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,550 1985โ€“86
1986โ€“87 Larry Bird*BOS 622 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,257 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,912 1986โ€“87
1987โ€“88 James Worthy*LAL 506 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,595 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,257 1987โ€“88
1988โ€“89 Michael Jordan*CHI 591 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,762 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,595 1988โ€“89
1989โ€“90 Michael Jordan*CHI 587 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,762 Michael Jordan*CHI 591 1989โ€“90
1990โ€“91 Michael Jordan*CHI 529 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 3,852 Michael Jordan*CHI 587 1990โ€“91
1991โ€“92 Michael Jordan*CHI 759 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 3,897 Michael Jordan*CHI 759 1991โ€“92
1992โ€“93 Michael Jordan*CHI 666 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 3,850 Michael Jordan*CHI 759 1992โ€“93
1993โ€“94 Hakeem Olajuwon*HOU 664 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,165 Michael Jordan*CHI 666 1993โ€“94
1994โ€“95 Hakeem Olajuwon*HOU 725 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,717 Michael Jordan*CHI 725 1994โ€“95
1995โ€“96 Michael Jordan*CHI 552 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,307 Michael Jordan*CHI 725 1995โ€“96
1996โ€“97 Michael Jordan*CHI 590 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 5,987 Michael Jordan*CHI 590 1996โ€“97
1997โ€“98 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,987 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 1997โ€“98
1998โ€“99 Latrell SprewellNYK 407 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,987 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 1998โ€“99
1999โ€“00 Shaquille O'Neal*LAL 707 Michael Jordan*CHI 4,203 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 1999โ€“00
2000โ€“01 Allen Iverson*PHI 723 Michael Jordan*CHI 4,341 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2000โ€“01
2001โ€“02 Shaquille O'Neal*LAL 541 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,121 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2001โ€“02
2002โ€“03 Tim Duncan*SAS 593 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,280 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2002โ€“03
2003โ€“04 Kobe Bryant*LAL 539 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2003โ€“04
2004โ€“05 Tim Duncan*SAS 542 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,121 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2004โ€“05
2005โ€“06 Dwyane Wade*MIA 654 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,280 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2005โ€“06
2006โ€“07 LeBron James^CLE 501 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2006โ€“07
2007โ€“08 Kobe Bryant*LAL 633 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2007โ€“08
2008โ€“09 Kobe Bryant*LAL 695 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2008โ€“09
2009โ€“10 Kobe Bryant*LAL 671 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2009โ€“10
2010โ€“11 Dirk Nowitzki*DAL 582 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2010โ€“11
2011โ€“12 LeBron James^MIA 697 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2011โ€“12
2012โ€“13 LeBron James^MIA 596 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2012โ€“13
2013โ€“14 Kevin Durant^OKC 563 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2013โ€“14
2014โ€“15 LeBron James^CLE 601 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2014โ€“15
2015โ€“16 Klay Thompson^GSW 582 Michael Jordan*CHI 5,640 Michael Jordan*CHI 680 2015โ€“16
2016โ€“17 LeBron James^CLE 591 LeBron James^CLE 6,163 LeBron James^CLE 6,163 2016โ€“17
2017โ€“18 LeBron James^CLE 748 LeBron James^CLE 6,911 LeBron James^CLE 6,911 2017โ€“18
2018โ€“19 Kawhi Leonard^TOR 732 LeBron James^CLE 7,491 LeBron James^CLE 7,491 2018โ€“19
2019โ€“20 Anthony Davis^LAL 582 LeBron James^CLE 7,631 LeBron James^CLE 7,631 2019โ€“20
2020โ€“21 Giannis Antetokounmpo^MIL 634 LeBron James^CLE 7,631 LeBron James^CLE 7,631 2020โ€“21
2021โ€“22 Jayson Tatum^BOS 615 LeBron James^CLE 8,023 LeBron James^CLE 8,023 2021โ€“22
2022โ€“23 Nikola Joki%C4%87^DEN 600 LeBron James^CLE 8,162 LeBron James^CLE 8,162 2022โ€“23
2023โ€“24 Luka Don%C4%8Di%C4%87^DAL 635 LeBron James^CLE 8,289 LeBron James^CLE 8,289 2023โ€“24
2024โ€“25 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander^OKC 688 LeBron James^CLE 8,289 LeBron James^CLE 8,289 2024โ€“25

Team Abbreviations

Team Designations

This table provides a key to the abbreviations used for NBA franchises, particularly in the context of the progressive scoring leaders, indicating the team associated with a player when they established a particular scoring milestone.

Team Abbreviations
BAL Baltimore Bullets GSW Golden State Warriors MNL Minneapolis Lakers PHX Phoenix Suns STL St. Louis Hawks
BOS Boston Celtics HOU Houston Rockets NYK New York Knicks ROC Rochester Royals SYR Syracuse Nationals
CHI Chicago Bulls LAL Los Angeles Lakers OKC Oklahoma City Thunder SAS San Antonio Spurs TOR Toronto Raptors
CLE Cleveland Cavaliers MIA Miami Heat PHI Philadelphia 76ers SEA Seattle SuperSonics UTA Utah Jazz
DAL Dallas Mavericks MIL Milwaukee Bucks PHW Philadelphia Warriors SFW San Francisco Warriors WSB Washington Bullets

Related Information

Further Exploration

To deepen your understanding of basketball analytics and historical performance, consider exploring these related topics:

  • Basketball statistics
  • NBA post-season records

Teacher's Corner

Edit and Print this course in the Wiki2Web Teacher Studio

Edit and Print Materials from this study in the wiki2web studio
Click here to open the "List Of Nba Career Playoff Scoring Leaders" Wiki2Web Studio curriculum kit

Use the free Wiki2web Studio to generate printable flashcards, worksheets, exams, and export your materials as a web page or an interactive game.

True or False?

Test Your Knowledge!

Gamer's Corner

Are you ready for the Wiki2Web Clarity Challenge?

Learn about list_of_nba_career_playoff_scoring_leaders while playing the wiki2web Clarity Challenge game.
Unlock the mystery image and prove your knowledge by earning trophies. This simple game is addictively fun and is a great way to learn!

Play now

References

References

  1.  Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
  2.  First adopted in the 1979รขย€ย“80 season.
  3.  Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
  4.  First adopted in the 1979รขย€ย“80 season.
A full list of references for this article are available at the List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders Wikipedia page

Feedback & Support

To report an issue with this page, or to find out ways to support the mission, please click here.

Academic Disclaimer

Important Notice Regarding Data Accuracy

This content has been generated by an AI model, drawing upon publicly available data from Wikipedia. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and adherence to the source material, the information presented here is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It may not reflect the absolute latest statistics or nuances of the subject matter.

This is not professional sports analysis or advice. The data presented should not be considered a substitute for consultation with qualified sports statisticians, historians, or analysts. Always refer to official league sources and reputable sports data providers for definitive information.

The creators of this page are not liable for any inaccuracies, omissions, or actions taken based on the information provided herein.