This article provides two lists:

A list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff points scored.
A progressive list of scoring leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]

Scoring leaders

This article provides a list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff points scored.

Statistics accurate as of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
LeBron James has scored the most points in NBA playoff history.
^ Active NBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
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 (2006–2010, 2015–2018)
Miami Heat (2011–2014)
Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021, 2023) 		8,023 282 28.5 2,872 460 1,819
2 Michael Jordan* SG Chicago Bulls (1985–1993, 1995–1998) 5,987 179 33.4 2,188 148 1,463
3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*[5] C Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974)
Los Angeles Lakers (1977–1989) 		5,762 237 24.3 2,356 0 1,320
4 Kobe Bryant* SG Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004, 2006–2012) 5,640 220 25.6 2,014 292 1,269
5 Shaquille O'Neal* C Orlando Magic (1994–1996)
Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004)
Miami Heat (2005–2007)
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 (1998–1999, 2001–2016) 5,172 251 20.6 1,975 5 1,213
7 Kevin Durant^ SF/PF Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2014, 2016)
Golden State Warriors (2017–2019)
Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
Phoenix Suns (2023) 		4,878 166 29.4 1,647 361 1,223
8 Karl Malone* PF Utah Jazz (1986–2003)
Los Angeles Lakers (2004) 		4,761 193 24.7 1,743 6 1,171
9 Jerry West* PG/SG Los Angeles Lakers (1961–1970, 1972–1974) 4,457 153 29.1 1,622 n/a 1,074
10 Tony Parker* PG San Antonio Spurs (2002–2018) 4,045 226 17.9 1,613 119 1,068
11 Stephen Curry^ PG Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023) 3,966 147 27.0 1,326 618 696
12 Dwyane Wade* SG Miami Heat (2004–2007, 2009–2014, 2016, 2018)
Chicago Bulls (2017) 		3,954 177 22.3 1,450 103 951
13 Larry Bird* SF/PF Boston Celtics (1980–1988, 1990–1992) 3,897 164 23.8 1,458 80 901
14 John Havlicek* SF/SG Boston Celtics (1963–1969, 1972–1977) 3,776 172 22.0 1,451 n/a 874
15 Hakeem Olajuwon*[6] C Houston Rockets (1985–1991, 1993–1999)
Toronto Raptors (2002) 		3,755 145 25.9 1,504 4 743
16 Magic Johnson* PG Los Angeles Lakers (1980–1991, 1996) 3,701 190 19.5 1,291 51 1,068
17 Dirk Nowitzki* PF Dallas Mavericks (2001–2012, 2014–2016) 3,663 145 25.3 1,220 149 1,074
18 Scottie Pippen* SF Chicago Bulls (1988–1998)
Houston Rockets (1999)
Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2003) 		3,642 208 17.5 1,335 200 772
19 James Harden^ SG Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012)
Houston Rockets (2013–2020)
Brooklyn Nets (2021)
Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023) 		3,637 160 22.7 1,089 400 1,059
20 Elgin Baylor* SF Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (1959–1970) 3,623 134 27.0 1,388 n/a 847
21 Wilt Chamberlain* C Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1960–1962, 1964)
Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968)
Los Angeles Lakers (1969–1973) 		3,607 160 22.5 1,425 n/a 757
22 Kevin McHale* PF Boston Celtics (1981–1993) 3,182 169 18.8 1,204 8 766
23 Paul Pierce* SF/SG Boston Celtics (2002–2005, 2008–2013)
Brooklyn Nets (2014)
Washington Wizards (2015)
Los Angeles Clippers (2016–2017) 		3,180 170 18.7 1,022 276 860
24 Dennis Johnson* PG Seattle SuperSonics (1978–1980)
Phoenix Suns (1981–1983)
Boston Celtics (1984–1990) 		3,116 180 17.3 1,167 26 756
25 Julius Erving* SF Philadelphia 76ers (1977–1987) 3,088 141 21.9 1,187 7 707
Rank Player Position(s) Playoff team(s) played for (years)[7] Total
points 		Games
played 		Points
per game
average[8] 		Field goals
made 		Three-point
field goals
made[9] 		Free throws
made

Progressive list of playoff scoring leaders

This is a progressive list of scoring leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]

Statistics accurate as of the 2023 NBA playoffs.[10]
^ Active NBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Team abbreviations Team(s) listed indicates the team(s) the player was on when the player established the record.
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
Playoff scoring leader at the end of every season
Season Year-by-year leader Pts Active player leader Pts Career record Pts Single-season record Pts Season
1946–47 Joe Fulks*000PHW 222 Joe Fulks*000PHW 222 Joe Fulks*000PHW 222 Joe Fulks*000PHW 222 1946–47
1947–48 282 504 504 282 1947–48
1948–49 George Mikan*000MNL 303 George Mikan*000MNL 303 1948–49
1949–50 376 George Mikan*000MNL 679 George Mikan*000MNL 679 376 1949–50
1950–51 Arnie Risen*000ROC 273 847 847 1950–51
1951–52 George Mikan*000MNL 307 1,154 1,154 1951–52
1952–53 238 1,392 1,392 1952–53
1953–54 252 1,644 1,644 1953–54
1954–55 Dolph Schayes*000SYR 209 Jim Pollard*000MNL 977 1954–55
1955–56 Paul Arizin*000PHW 289 George Mikan*000MNL 1,680 1,680 1955–56
1956–57 Bob Pettit*000STL 298 Dolph Schayes*000SYR 1,192 1956–57
1957–58 Cliff Hagan*000STL 305 1,272 1957–58
1958–59 Elgin Baylor*000MNL 331 1,526 1958–59
1959–60 Bob Pettit*000STL 365 1,614 1959–60
1960–61 Elgin Baylor*000LAL 457 1,779 Dolph Schayes*000SYR 1,779 Elgin Baylor*000LAL 457 1960–61
1961–62 502 1,836 1,836 502 1961–62
1962–63 424 Bob Cousy*000BOS 2,018 Bob Cousy*000BOS 2,018 1962–63
1963–64 Wilt Chamberlain*000SFW 416 Bob Pettit*000STL 2,194 Bob Pettit*000STL 2,194 1963–64
1964–65 Jerry West*000LAL 447 2,240 2,240 1964–65
1965–66 479 Elgin Baylor*000LAL 2,511 Elgin Baylor*000LAL 2,511 1965–66
1966–67 Rick Barry*000SFW 521 2,582 2,582 Rick Barry*000SFW 521 1966–67
1967–68 John Havlicek*000BOS 493 3,010 3,010 1967–68
1968–69 Jerry West*000LAL 556 3,287 3,287 Jerry West*000LAL 556 1968–69
1969–70 562 Jerry West*000LAL 3,708 Jerry West*000LAL 3,708 562 1969–70
1970–71 Earl Monroe*000BAL 397 3,708 3,708 1970–71
1971–72 Walt Frazier*000NYK 388 4,052 4,052 1971–72
1972–73 Jerry West*000LAL 401 4,453 4,453 1972–73
1973–74 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000LAL 515 4,457 4,457 1973–74
1974–75 Rick Barry*000GSW 479 John Havlicek*000BOS 3,413 1974–75
1975–76 Jo Jo White*000BOS 408 3,611 1975–76
1976–77 Julius Erving*000PHI 518 3,776 1976–77
1977–78 Elvin Hayes*000WSB 457 1977–78
1978–79 Gus Williams000SEA 454 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000LAL 2,382 1978–79
1979–80 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000LAL 479 2,861 1979–80
1980–81 Moses Malone*000HOU 562 2,941 Jerry West*000LAL
Moses Malone*000HOU		 1980–81
1981–82 Julius Erving*000PHI 461 3,226 1981–82
1982–83 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000LAL 406 3,632 1982–83
1983–84 Larry Bird*000BOS 632 4,134 Larry Bird*000BOS 632 1983–84
1984–85 520 4,550 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*000LAL 4,550 1984–85
1985–86 Hakeem Olajuwon*000HOU 537 4,912 4,912 1985–86
1986–87 Larry Bird*000BOS 622 5,257 5,257 1986–87
1987–88 James Worthy*000LAL 506 5,595 5,595 1987–88
1988–89 Michael Jordan*000CHI 591 5,762 5,762 1988–89
1989–90 587 Larry Bird*000BOS 3,681 1989–90
1990–91 529 3,852 1990–91
1991–92 759 3,897 Michael Jordan*000CHI 759 1991–92
1992–93 666 Michael Jordan*000CHI 3,850 1992–93
1993–94 Hakeem Olajuwon*000HOU 664 James Worthy*000LAL 3,022 1993–94
1994–95 725 Michael Jordan*000CHI 4,165 1994–95
1995–96 Michael Jordan*000CHI 552 4,717 1995–96
1996–97 590 5,307 1996–97
1997–98 680 5,987 Michael Jordan*000CHI 5,987 1997–98
1998–99 Latrell Sprewell000NYK 407 Karl Malone*000UTA 3,931 1998–99
1999–00 Shaquille O'Neal*000LAL 707 4,203 1999–00
2000–01 Allen Iverson*000PHI 723 4,341 2000–01
2001–02 Shaquille O'Neal*000LAL 541 Michael Jordan*000CHI 5,987 2001–02
2002–03 Tim Duncan*000SAS 593 2002–03
2003–04 Kobe Bryant*000LAL 539 Karl Malone*000LAL 4,761 2003–04
2004–05 Tim Duncan*000SAS 542 Shaquille O'Neal*
000MIA 2004–07
000PHX 2007–09
000CLE 2009–10		 4,546 2004–05
2005–06 Dwyane Wade*000MIA 654 4,970 2005–06
2006–07 LeBron James^000CLE 501 5,045 2006–07
2007–08 Kobe Bryant*000LAL 633 5,121 2007–08
2008–09 695 2008–09
2009–10 671 5,248 2009–10
2010–11 Dirk Nowitzki*000DAL 582 Kobe Bryant*000LAL 5,280 2010–11
2011–12 LeBron James^000MIA 697 5,640 2011–12
2012–13 596 2012–13
2013–14 Kevin Durant^000OKC 563 2013–14
2014–15 LeBron James^000CLE 601 2014–15
2015–16 Klay Thompson^000GSW 582 2015–16
2016–17 LeBron James^000CLE 591 LeBron James^
000CLE 2016–18
000LAL 2018–23		 6,163 LeBron James^
000CLE 2016–18
000LAL 2018–23		 6,163 2016–17
2017–18 748 6,911 6,911 2017–18
2018–19 Kawhi Leonard^000TOR 732 2018–19
2019–20 Anthony Davis^000LAL 582 7,491 7,491 2019–20
2020–21 Giannis Antetokounmpo^000MIL 634 7,631 7,631 2020–21
2021–22 Jayson Tatum^000BOS 615 2021–22
2022–23 Nikola Jokić^000DEN 600 8,023 8,023 2022–23
Season Year-by-year leader Pts Active player leader Pts Career record Pts Single-season record Pts Season


See also

References

  1. ^ a b "NBA Progressive Playoff Leaders and Records for Points". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  2. ^ American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.
  3. ^ Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
  4. ^ First adopted in the 1979–80 season.
  5. ^ Previously known as Lew Alcindor prior to an official name change on May 1, 1971.
  6. ^ Previously written as Akeem Olajuwon prior to an official spelling change on March 9, 1991.
  7. ^ American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.
  8. ^ Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
  9. ^ First adopted in the 1979–80 season.
  10. ^ "2023 NBA Playoffs Leaders". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 16 April 2023.

External links

National Basketball Association statistical leaders
Categories