List of National Basketball Association single-game playoff scoring leaders
This is a complete listing of National Basketball Association players who have scored 50 or more points in a playoff game.
This feat has only been accomplished 42 times in NBA playoff history by 27 players. Only six players have scored 50 or more points on more than one occasion: Michael Jordan (eight times), Wilt Chamberlain (four times), Allen Iverson (three times), Jerry West (twice), Donovan Mitchell (twice), and Jamal Murray (twice). Rick Barry scored the last 2 of his 3 50+ point playoff games in the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Out of those 42 times, 15 times the player earned themselves a Double-double, which is having double digits in 2 statistical categories. It has been points and rebounds 13 times, and points and assists the other two. This feat has been done by 12 different players, and only Wilt Chamberlain has done it more than once. Those players (in order of most points scored) are Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain (4 times), Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Jerry West, Eric "Sleepy" Floyd, Bob Pettit, Billy Cunningham, Bob McAdoo, Karl Malone, Dirk Nowitzki, and Jamal Murray.
Only one player has dropped 50+ while grabbing double-digit boards and dishing double-digit dimes, or in other words, earned a 50+ point Triple-double in a playoff game, and that player is Russell Westbrook, who dropped 51 while grabbing 10 rebounds and dealing out 13 assists.
Out of the 27, only 3 players to accomplish this feat were born out of the United States. Those players are Dominique Wilkins (France), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), and Jamal Murray (Canada).
Only four players have scored 50 or more points more than once in the same series: Michael Jordan (vs Cleveland, 1988), Allen Iverson (vs Toronto, 2001), Donovan Mitchell (vs Denver, 2020), and Jamal Murray (vs Utah, 2020).
Only once in NBA playoff history have two players scored 50 or more points in the same game. Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets scored 51 and 50 points respectively on August 23, 2020.
With Jamal Murray’s 50 on August 30, 2020, he and Donovan Mitchell become the first pair of players to have multiple 50 point games in the same playoff series.
Jordan has 5 of the 10 highest scoring playoff games in history.
Key
^ | Active NBA player | |||||
* | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | |||||
Player's team lost the game | ||||||
Double-Double | ||||||
Triple-double | ||||||
Stat either not recorded or couldn’t be found | ||||||
MP | Minutes played | FGM | Field goals made | FGA | Field goal attempts | |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3PM | 3-point field goals made | 3PA | 3-point field goal attempts | |
3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FTM | Free throws made | FTA | Free throw attempts | |
FT% | Free throw percentage | TRB | Rebound (basketball) | AST | Assist (basketball) |
List
Notes
- Double overtime. Jordan scored 17 points in the first quarter, 6 points in the second quarter, 13 points in the third quarter, 18 points in the fourth quarter, 5 points in the first overtime and 4 points in the second overtime.
- NBA Finals single-game record. Most points in a playoff regulation game. 25 field goal attempts in the first half, tying the record. Baylor scored 18 points in the first quarter, 15 points in the second quarter, 13 points in the third quarter and 15 points in the fourth quarter.
- Set playoff records for field goal attempts in a game (48) and in a half (25).
- Miami took an 18 point lead before Jordan scored his first points. Jordan scored 54 points in the final three quarters, setting a playoff record for most points in three quarters; he scored 2 points in the first quarter, 17 points in the second quarter, 19 points in the third quarter and 18 points in the fourth quarter.
- Barkley's first quarter line: 11–11 fg, 3–3 3pt, 2–2 ft. 15 field goals made in the first half. Barkley scored his team's first 12 points. Barkley scored 27 points in the first quarter and 11 points in the second quarter.
- Tied playoff single-game record for field goal attempts (48). 24 field goal attempts in each half.
- Tied playoff single-game record for field goals made. 25 field goal attempts in the first half, tying the playoff record. 14 field goals made in the first half. Jordan scored 12 points in the first quarter, 16 points in the second quarter, 15 points in the third quarter and 12 points in the fourth quarter. The second of consecutive 50+ point games in the playoffs by Jordan; becoming the only player in playoff history to do so.
- 14 field goals made in the first half, tying the NBA Finals record. Jordan scored 11 points in the first quarter, 22 points in the second quarter, 10 points in the third quarter and 12 points in the fourth quarter.
- Tied playoff single-game record for field goals made. 14 field goals made in the first half.
- Jordan scored 17 points in the first quarter, 10 points in the second quarter, 18 points in the third quarter and 9 points in the fourth quarter.
- Set playoff single-game record for field goals made.
- West made two free throws with four seconds remaining in the game to secure the win.
- 32 points in the second half. Missed his first free throw in the game, then made 20 in a row. West scored four points in the game's final 23 seconds to secure a come-from-behind win. 14 free throws made in a half, a playoff record at the time.
- 39 points in the second half, and 29 points in the fourth quarter, both playoff records. Also set a playoff record with 12 (all consecutive) field goals made in the fourth quarter. 15 field goals made in the second half.
- Triple overtime. Tied playoff single-game record for three-point field goals made. Set playoff single-game record for three-point field goal attempts.
- Both Mitchell and Denver's Jamal Murray scored at least 50 points during the game, the first time in NBA playoff history that two players in the same game did so.
- Quadruple overtime. Set playoff single-game record for free throws made. Free throw attempts were also a playoff record at the time.
- Pettit scored 11 straight points, 19 of his team's last 21 points, and 19 points total in the fourth quarter.
- McAdoo scored 15 points in the third quarter and another 15 points in the fourth quarter.
- 13 field goals made in the first half. The first of back-to-back games of 50+ points; Jordan is the only player in history to record consecutive 50 point games in the playoffs. Jordan scored 9 points in the first quarter. Jordan outscored the entire opposing team 20–19 in the second quarter.
- Overtime. Jordan scored 19 points in the first half, 29 points in the second half (including 19 points in the third quarter and 10 points in the fourth quarter) and 2 points in overtime. 16 free throw attempts in the first half, a playoff record at the time.
- Oldest player (36 years, 273 days) to score 50 points in a playoff game.
- Carter tied the playoff single-game record for three-point field goals made. He set the playoff record with eight three-point field goals made in the first half. Carter scored 15 points in the first quarter and 19 points in the second quarter.
- Scored 12 out of the Lakers' 13 in overtime. 38 before OT.
- Both Murray and Utah's Donovan Mitchell scored at least 50 points during the game, the first time in NBA playoff history that two players in the same game did so.