List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders

This article provides two lists:

LeBron James has scored the most points in NBA playoff history.

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 2025 NBA playoffs.

^	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, 2023–2025)	8,289	292	28.4	2,971	480	1,867
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 (2023–2024)	4,985	170	29.3	1,684	366	1,251
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	Stephen Curry^	PG	Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023, 2025)	4,147	155	26.8	1,388	650	721
11	Tony Parker*	PG	San Antonio Spurs (2002–2018)	4,045	226	17.9	1,613	119	1,068
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	James Harden^	SG/PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012) Houston Rockets (2013–2020) Brooklyn Nets (2021) Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023) Los Angeles Clippers (2024–2025)	3,895	173	22.5	1,173	434	1,115
15	John Havlicek*	SF/SG	Boston Celtics (1963–1969, 1972–1977)	3,776	172	22.0	1,451	n/a	874
16	Hakeem Olajuwon*[6]	C	Houston Rockets (1985–1991, 1993–1999) Toronto Raptors (2002)	3,755	145	25.9	1,504	4	743
17	Magic Johnson*	PG	Los Angeles Lakers (1980–1991, 1996)	3,701	190	19.5	1,291	51	1,068
18	Dirk Nowitzki*	PF	Dallas Mavericks (2001–2012, 2014–2016)	3,663	145	25.3	1,220	149	1,074
19	Scottie Pippen*	SF	Chicago Bulls (1988–1998) Houston Rockets (1999) Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2003)	3,642	208	17.5	1,335	200	772
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	Kawhi Leonard^	SF	San Antonio Spurs (2012–2017) Toronto Raptors (2019) Los Angeles Clippers (2020–2021, 2023–2025)	3,133	146	21.5	1,120	249	644
25	Dennis Johnson*	PG	Seattle SuperSonics (1978–1980) Phoenix Suns (1981–1983) Boston Celtics (1984–1990)	3,116	180	17.3	1,167	26	756
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 2025 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 2018–25	6,163	LeBron James^ 000CLE 2016–18 000LAL 2018–25	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
2023–24	Luka Dončić^000DAL	635		8,162		8,162			2023–24
2024–25	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander^000OKC	688		8,289		8,289			2024–25
Season	Year-by-year leader	Pts	Active player leader	Pts	Career record	Pts	Single-season record	Pts	Season

See also

• Basketball statistics
• NBA post-season records