The 25 Greatest Playoff Performers in NBA History

The NBA Playoffs have been an environment in which the game’s best have defined their legacies. The major reason why we remember guys like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Bill Russell has nothing to do with their regular season numbers; we revere them because on the biggest stage possible, these guys played huge games that delivered their teams championships. When it mattered most, they were ready.

Figuring out the best 25 of all-time requires looking at both the rings and also the individual stats to understand how each player contributed to the team’s success in all rounds of the playoffs. Guys like Karl Malone and John Stockton certainly put up tremendous numbers, but their inability to get a ring irreparably damages their case. Ditto for Allen Iverson. A relative lack of experience hurt others (Chris Paul, Kevin Durant), although those players are certainly on their way to joining the ranks of the best ever. With all those factors considered, here are the 25 Greatest Playoff Performers in NBA History.

RELATED: The Worst NBA Playoff Performances by Great Players

Team(s): Spurs
Stats: 123 G, 18.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 23.0 PER
Playoff accolades: 2x NBA Champion (in two Finals appearances)
Playoff highlights

"The Admiral" single-handedly carried a number of Spurs teams to the playoffs, dominating during the regular season but falling short of their championship goal every single year. It certainly was no fault of Robinson's, who prior to Tim Duncan's arrival in 1997 averaged 24 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game in the playoffs.

Once Duncan came on the scene, Robinson's role diminished slightly as the team blossomed into a perennial title contender. That's not to say he ceased to take on a starring role, though; in Game 3 of the 1999 Finals, Robinson posted a vintage performance with 25 points and 10 rebounds. For the series, he counteracted his reduced scoring (16.6 points) with 11.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.0 blocks per game. Somehow, we think he'd take trading a few points for two championship rings every single time.

Team(s): Pacers
Stats: 144 G, 20.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 19.5 PER
Playoff accolades: One NBA Finals Appearance
Playoff highlights

Even though he never won a ring, Miller still is an all-time great in the playoffs. His performances in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks are the stuff of legend, especially his famous eight points in 8.9 seconds in 1995. Of course, that came on the heels of his 25-point fourth quarter in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, which combined with his blossoming feud with Spike Lee thrust Miller into the national consciousness. He had several more monstrously clutch performances, including a game-winning three over Jordan's 1998 championship-winning Bulls squad and buzzer-beaters to push the 2002 No. 1 seeded Nets to the brink in a deciding first round Game 5.

Team(s): Timberwolves, Celtics
Stats: 131 G, 19.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 21.3 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in two Finals appearances)
Playoff highlights

Saddled with an inferior supporting cast for years in Minnesota, Kevin Garnett still managed to drag his team to the playoffs year in and year out. Their run to the 2004 Western Conference Finals saw KG play some of the best basketball of his career, averaging 24.3 points, 14.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game as the Wolves ultimately succumbed to injuries and fell in six games to the Lakers. After being acquired by the Celtics in 2007, Garnett's defensive focus intensified as he helped guide the Celtics to the Finals against the rival Lakers. In the deciding Game 6, he made several key plays and ended up with a vintage 26 point, 14 rebound, four assist, three steal performance as he finally won the first title of his storied career.

Team(s): Celtics
Stats: 169 G, 18.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 19.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 3x NBA Champion (in five Finals appearances)
Playoff highlights

Of players with at least 65 games of playoff experience, only one person (Shaquille O'Neal) has a higher lifetime shooting percentage in the playoffs than Kevin McHale. While he did not get the press of teammate Larry Bird, McHale was the team's go-to scorer in the post and (when he came off the bench) was one of the best sixth men the game has ever seen. His clothesline of Kurt Rambis in the 1984 Finals helped turn the series and spur the Celtics to a title, and he averaged 20-plus points during the playoffs six times during his career. Like Scottie Pippen with the Bulls, there is no way the Celtics of the 1980s would have won without the invaluable contributions of their No. 2 options.

Team(s): Mavs
Stats: 128 G, 25.9 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 24.7 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in two Finals appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Prior to 2011, Dirk's playoff legacy was tied dually to the Mavericks' collapse in the 2006 Finals and their subsequent first round loss at the hands of the No. 8 seeded Warriors the following season. However, now that he has a ring, we can take a bit more of a long view and appreciate how good Dirk has been in the playoffs throughout his career. His PER ranks ninth all-time, as does his 25.9 points per game average. His .893 free throw percentage trails only Steve Nash for the best in playoff history, and Dirk has accomplished this figure while averaging over five more attempts per game than his former teammate. Throw in a title and Finals MVP award in 2011, and you quickly realize that Dirk is one of the best playoff performers we've ever seen.

Team(s): 76ers
Stats: 141 G, 21.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 20.0 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in four Finals appearances), 2x ABA Champion, 2x ABA Playoffs MVP
Playoff highlights

Dr. J was often at his best during the playoffs, putting up numbers that place him among the all-time greats. It took him several tries to win a championship, though, as his Sixers could not find a way to best both the Celtics and Lakers in the same season. Like with many star players, Erving's lack of a bona fide star to help ease the scoring burden was a chief cause of the Sixers' struggles. After acquiring reigning MVP Moses Malone prior to the 1982-83 season, there was no stopping this juggernaut squad, as Erving poured in 18.4 points and grabbed 7.6 rebounds per game as his team stormed through the playoffs with a 12-1 record en route to a title.

Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 143 G, 21.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 18.3 PER
Playoff accolades: 3x NBA Champion (in seven Finals appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

It's a safe bet that if your nickname is "Big Game James," you're probably making this list. The understated Worthy may not have had the pedigree of Kareem or the flash of Magic, but he was just as essential a part of the "Showtime" Lakers of the mid-1980s. His 23.7 points per game against the Celtics in the 1985 Finals helped the Lakers avenge their loss the previous season, and his 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in Game 7 of the 1988 Finals versus Detroit brought another title to L.A. and cemented Worthy's legendary status.

Team(s): 76ers, Suns, Rockets
Stats: 123 G, 23.0 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 24.2 PER
Playoff accolades: One NBA Finals Appearance
Playoff highlights

The only blemish on Sir Charles' playoff resume is the fact that he didn't win a title, which we admit is definitely a big strike against him. However, his performances in his 123 playoff games were those of someone who certainly deserved to be a champion, and indeed holds the 11th-best PER in NBA Playoff history. After escaping the Celtics, Pistons and Bulls, Chuck headed West to Phoenix. Barkley made his first Finals appearance in 1993, where he did his best to bring his Suns a title. After putting up 44 points and 24 rebounds in Game 7 to beat Seattle in the Western Conference Finals, he averaged 27-13-6 (including a triple-double in Game 4) against Chicago, but ultimately fell short in what would prove to be his only shot at a title.

Team(s): Bulls, Rockets, Trailblazers
Stats: 208 G, 17.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 18.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 6x NBA Champion (in six Finals appearances)
Playoff highlights

MJ may get the glory (and all the Finals MVP awards, too), but the simple reality is that the Bulls' dynasty of the 1990s does not happen without Scottie Pippen. An incredibly versatile player who was one of the league's most tenacious defenders, Pippen was also a very talented second option on offense who could fill up the stat sheet on the very rare nights Jordan did not have it going. Pippen also owns the career record for total playoff steals with 395, and no active player is even close (Kobe Bryant is next with 310). He'll always be remembered as perhaps the greatest second banana in the history of the league, and one who made it possible for Jordan to grab the title of GOAT.

Team(s): Pistons
Stats: 111 G, 20.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 8.9 APG, 19.8 PER
Playoff accolades: 2x NBA Champion (in three appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Thomas carried his Pistons teams to back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, but those might not have even been his best performances in the playoffs. Game 6 of the 1988 Finals was probably his finest moment, as Isiah shook off a badly sprained ankle and put in a record 25 points in the third quarter as he tried to inspire his team to a title. While the Pistons ultimately came up short, Thomas' grit helped lay the foundation for their titles the next two seasons. Even when he wasn't hurt, he was productive; Zeke is in the top 10 all-time in both assists and steals per game in the playoffs, while also managing to score over 20 a night.

Team(s): Warriors, 76ers, Lakers
Stats: 160 G, 22.5 PPG, 24.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 22.7 PER
Playoff accolades: 2x NBA Champion (in seven Finals appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Wilt always caught a lot of flak for his lack of playoff chops, given the vast discrepancy between his career points per game average compared with his playoff total (30.1 vs. 22.5). However, the fact of the matter is that Chamberlain was forced to carry a lot of teams that did not surround him with the talent necessary to topple the Celtics. He did himself no favors with his selfish and unbecoming behavior off the floor, but after the opening tip Wilt was a critical asset for his team.

Once he got the help and took a reduced role, the championships started rolling in; Wilt averaged just 17.7 points per game in 1967 and 19.4 in 1972, the two years he won a ring. In 1972, he played part of Game 4 and all of Game 5 with a broken hand, registering 24 points, 29 rebounds, eight assists and eight blocks in the championship-clinching Game 5 to snag his first and only Finals MVP award.

Team(s): Hawks
Stats: 88 G, 25.5 PPG, 14.8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 22.6 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in four Finals apperances)
Playoff highlights

Pettit was perhaps the greatest victim of the Celtics' dynasty in the late 1950s and 1960s, performing at a Hall of Fame level every season but falling short all but one time. In the playoffs, though, there were few better offensive players than Pettit; his average points, assists and free throw attempts per game are nearly identical to Shaq, and his 14.8 rebounds per game average has been bested only by Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. In 1958, Pettit carried his team to a title in six games over Boston as the Hawks' star poured in a then-record 50 points in the deciding game.

Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 60 G, 23.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, 28.5 PER
Playoff accolades: 5x NBA Champion (in five appearances)
Playoff highlights

No. 99 was one of the best players in the history of the NBA for a long time. He was an evolutionary big man whose 6'10" frame dwarfed most of his competition down on the blocks. While he only appeared in 41 playoff games, Mikan's 28.5 PER is just 0.1 behind Michael Jordan for the best mark in playoff history. He averaged 31.3 points in the 1950 NBA Playoffs, leading the Lakers to the inaugural NBA championship.

The following year, he played the Western Division Finals on a broken leg that was held in place by a dinner plate. While the Lakers may have lost the series, Mikan forever earned our respect with that crazy tough performance.

Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 153 G, 29.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.3 APG, 23.1 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in nine appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

By the time he finally won his first championship in 1972, West was already one of the most decorated players in NBA history. He had even become the only man to be named MVP of the Finals in a losing effort, grabbing the honor in 1969 when he averaged 37.9 points per game (including 42 in Game 7) in a loss against the Celtics. His lifetime 29.1 points per game average in the playoff ranks him third all-time just behind Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson, but West did it while taking at least three fewer shots per game and making nine Finals appearances.

Team(s): Cavs, Heat
Stats: 124 G, 28.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 6.8 APG, 27.1 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in three Finals appearances), 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

While he has finally put to rest all the talk about him being a choke artist, LeBron James probably still doesn't get the credit he deserves for his incredible playoff performances. He has scored more playoff points than anyone in history before their 29th birthday, and is also sixth in rebounding and fourth in assists. He has had some individual performances (the 48 in Detroit in 2007 and 2012's Game 6 dismantling of the Celtics in Boston come immediately to mind) that have even managed to exceed the ludicrously high expectations placed on him. Given his youth, talent, and the incredible wealth of star players who want to play with him, there's no reason to doubt that all the playoff record books will need to be rewritten by the time LeBron is done playing.

Team(s): Rockets, 76ers, Bullets, Hawks
Stats: 94 G, 22.1 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 21.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 1x NBA Champion (in two Finals appearances, 1x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

The first thing everyone thinks of when they hear "Moses Malone" and "playoffs" is his famous "fo fo fo" prediction from 1982-83 of how many games the Sixers would need to get to the NBA Finals. His prediction almost came true (they did it in "fo five fo"), and Moses led the way as the 76ers swept the Lakers in the Finals and the burly center took home the MVP award. Moses was an absolute monster on the boards, particularly on the offensive end; for his playoff career, he averaged 5.6 offensive rebounds per game, pulling down an average of 15.8 per night during his one championship season in Philadelphia.

Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 220 G, 25.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 22.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 5x NBA Champion (in seven Finals appearances), 2x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

With five rings, Kobe is one of the most decorated superstar players in NBA playoff history. He has played in more playoff games (220) than anyone other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and at just 17 games shy of Kareem's mark could very well pass him within the next year. Kobe has been his typical productive self in those games, and is currently just 347 total points shy of Michael Jordan's all-time record for scoring in the playoffs. At his typical scoring rate, he would pass MJ within just 14 more playoff games. Whether Kobe becomes the all-time most prolific playoff performer will ultimately be up to him and how many years he wants to play after rehabbing his Achilles' injury this offseason.

Team(s): Magic, Lakers, Heat
Stats: 216 G, 24.3 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 26.1 PER
Playoff accolades: 4x NBA Champion (in six Finals appearances), 3x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Among all players to appear in at least 65 playoff games, Shaq sports the highest shooting percentage of all-time. He also grabbed the most rebounds of anyone not named Russell or Chamberlain and attempted over 500 more free throws than the next closest player. More importantly than the stats, though, Shaq was the indisputable centerpiece of the Lakers' three-peat from 2000 to 2002 (sorry Kobe fans, but it's true). In those three Finals combined, Shaq averaged 35.9 points and 15.2 rebounds per game while commanding double-teams all night long. It didn't matter, though, because when he was motivated there was no more dominant post presence than the Big Diesel.

Team(s): Celtics
Stats: 164 G, 23.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 6.5 APG, 21.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 3x NBA Champion (in five Finals appearances), 2x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Bird's most famous playoff moment is his steal of Isiah Thomas' inbounds pass against Detroit in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, and it really highlighted everything he brought to the table come playoff time. His incredible focus and ability to see the play before it happened allowed him to make seemingly impossible plays, and he was also an extraordinarily gifted passer who was always willing to share with his teammates with the game on the line.

That's not to say he was shy about shooting the ball, though; his famous duels with the Lakers, Sixers, and Dominique Wilkins in Game 7 of the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals showed just how deadly he could be when he got going.

Team(s): Spurs
Stats: 200 G, 22.1 PPG, 12 RPG, 3.3 APG, 25.1 PER
Playoff accolades: 4x NBA Champion (in four Finals appearances), 3x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

We don't care if he can be boring to watch; Tim Duncan is one of the best ever to play the game, period. He's a guy who not only has gotten it done in the regular season, but also elevates his game in the playoffs. His PER (25.1 vs. 24.7), points (22.1 vs. 20.2), rebounds (12 vs. 11.2), and blocks (2.5 vs. 2.2) are all better in the playoffs, he has never had a regular season winning percentage worse than .610, and has only failed to get out of the first round just three times in his 16 seasons. Tack on three Finals MVP awards and four rings, and you've got one of the best of all-time.

Team(s): Rockets, Raptors
Stats: 145 G, 25.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 25.7 PER
Playoff accolades: 2x NBA Champion (in three Finals appearances), 2x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Olajuwon is in the conversation for greatest centers in basketball history, and in the playoffs he was at his absolute best. He sports the fifth-highest playoff PER in NBA history, and he is in the top 10 ever in total points, rebounds, steals and blocks as well. He helped guide the Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995, becoming the only player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season in 1994. Olajuwon was an absolute force in both Finals appearances, posting combined averages of 29.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Not bad for a guy who didn't pick up a basketball until age 15.

Team(s): Bucks, Lakers
Stats: 237 G, 24.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 23.0 PER
Playoff accolades: 6x NBA Champion (in 10 Finals appearances, 2x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

Of his many amazing playoff accomplishments, Kareem's most amazing one might be the fact that he won his two Finals MVP awards 14 years apart (1971 and 1985), a seemingly impossible feat. It spoke to Kareem's ability to provide the consistent, smooth post presence his teams needed to contend year after year, and (perhaps most importantly) his ability to stay healthy on the court. Over the course of his 20 year career, Kareem played in an NBA record 237 playoff games, with his teams missing the playoffs just twice during that time-frame. That basically means that Kareem played just shy of three extra full seasons, all at a higher intensity than regular season games. Insane.

Team(s): Lakers
Stats: 190 G, 19.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 12.3 APG, 23.0 PER
Playoff accolades: 5x NBA Champion (in nine Finals appearances), 3x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

There will probably never be another Magic Johnson. He was unstoppable with the ball in the open floor, directing a Lakers' offensive attack that could hardly be contained on even their worst days. Magic's Finals heroics ranged from playing center (and recording 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists to win the title and MVP) against the 76ers in 1980 to his game-winning "junior, junior, junior" skyhook against the Celtics in 1987. Of his 12 seasons in the NBA (we're not counting his depressing comeback in 1995-96), he was in the Finals 75 percent of those years. Obviously, he was doing something right.

Team(s): Celtics
Stats: 165 G, 16.2 PPG, 24.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, 19.4 PER
Playoff accolades: 11x NBA Champion (in 11 Finals appearances)
Playoff highlights

Eleven rings in 11 tries really speaks for itself. There is no greater winner in the history of basketball sports than Russell, whose Celtics teams dominated for the better part of a decade and a half. The big man was in the middle of it all, swatting shots and grabbing rebounds on defense as well as finishing on the other end. Russell had perhaps no finer effort in the playoffs than Game 7 of the 1962 Finals, where he set a single-game record with 40 rebounds to go along with 30 points as the Celtics won the title in overtime against the Lakers. Nobody will ever catch Russell when it comes to proficiency on the glass; his 4,104 career playoff rebounds are over 1,700 more than the next-closest active player (Tim Duncan).

Team(s): Bulls
Stats: 179 G, 33.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, 28.6 PER
Playoff accolades: 6x NBA Champion (in six Finals appearances), 6x Finals MVP
Playoff highlights

When you think about MJ's superlative playoff resume, it's funny to reflect on all the guys he has made famous purely by victimizing them on the court. From Craig Ehlo in 1988 to Byron Russell in the 1998 Finals, Jordan had a knack for leaving a trail of hapless defenders in his wake as he stampeded his way to playoff immortality. His 33.4 points per game are by far the most in history, approached only by Allen Iverson's 29.7 and Jerry West's 29.1, and his 28.6 PER also makes him the most efficient player in the history of the playoffs. And oh yeah, those six rings and six Finals MVP awards in six tries and no Game 7s don't hurt his case as the best ever, either.