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Best NBA Playoff Players of All-Time: Winning When It Counts

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Brian Bahr /Allsport

Who are the best NBA playoff players of all-time?

There's no bigger stage in basketball than the NBA finals. Each year thirty teams head into the season with championship aspirations, but only one team emerges victorious. Over its 75+ year history, the playoffs are where the NBA's best have made their mark.

Related: 2023 NBA MVP Race: Who Are The Favorites?

Simply put, legacies are built in the playoffs. What players are ultimately immortalized for is what they do when the games matter the most. Here are our picks for the 20 best NBA playoff players of all-time.

Honorable Mention: Robert Horry

Playoff Stats: 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists 

20. Stephen Curry

Playoff Stats: 26.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists

19. Willis Reed

Playoff Stats: 17.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists

18. Kevin Durant

Playoff Stats: 29.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists

17. Wilt Chamberlain

Playoff Stats: 22.5 points, 24.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists

16. Allen Iverson

Playoff Stats: 29.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists

15. Dirk Nowitzki

Playoff Stats: 25.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists

14. Elgin Baylor

Playoff Stats: 27.0 points, 12.9 rebounds

13. Kawhi Leonard

Playoff Stats: 21.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists

12. Hakeem Olajuwon

Playoff Stats: 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists

11. Giannis Antetukounmpo

Playoff Stats: 26.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists

10. Larry Bird

Playoff Stats: 23.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists

9. Jerry West

Playoff Stats: 29.1 points, 5.6 rebounds

8. Shaquille O’Neal

Playoff Stats: 24.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists

7. Kobe Bryant

Playoff Stats: 25.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists

6. Magic Johnson

Playoff Stats: 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 12.3 assists

5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Playoff Stats: 24.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists

4. Tim Duncan

Playoff Stats: 20.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists

3. Bill Russell

Playoff Stats: 16.2 points, 24.9 rebounds

2. LeBron James

Playoff Stats: 28.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists

1. Michael Jordan

Playoff Stats: 33.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists

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