List of NBA career playoff turnovers leaders explained

This article provides two lists:

A list of National Basketball Association (NBA) players by total career playoff turnovers recorded.

A progressive list of turnover leaders showing how the record has increased through the years.^[1]

Career playoff turnover leaders

This is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff turnovers recorded.^[2]

Statistics accurate as of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

^	Active NBA player
	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame	-	†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration^[3]
§	1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2024^[4] -->

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Playoff team(s) played for (years)^[5]	Total turnovers	Games played	Turnovers per game average^[6]
1	^	SF	Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–2010, 2015–2018) Miami Heat (2011–2014) Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021, 2023–2024)	1,034	287	0
2		PG	Los Angeles Lakers (1980–1991, 1996)	696	190	3.66
3		C	Orlando Magic (1994–1996) Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004) Miami Heat (2005–2007) Phoenix Suns (2008) Cleveland Cavaliers (2010) Boston Celtics (2011)	649	216	3.00
4		SG	Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004, 2006–2012)	647	220	2.94
5		PF/C	San Antonio Spurs (1998–1999, 2001–2016)	633	251	2.52
6		SF	Chicago Bulls (1988–1998) Houston Rockets (1999) Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2003)	602	208	2.89
7		PG	San Antonio Spurs (2002–2018)	594	226	2.63
8		SG	Miami Heat (2004–2007, 2009–2014, 2016, 2018) Chicago Bulls (2017)	583	177	3.29
9	^	SG/PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012), Houston Rockets (2013–2020) Brooklyn Nets (2021) Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023) Los Angeles Clippers (2024)	569	166
10	^	SF/PF	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2014, 2016) Golden State Warriors (2017–2019) Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022) Phoenix Suns (2023–2024)	550	170
		PF	Utah Jazz (1986–2003) Los Angeles Lakers (2004)		193
12		SG	Chicago Bulls (1985–1993, 1995–1998)	546	179	3.05
13		PG	Utah Jazz (1985–2003)	517	182	2.84
14		SF/PF	Boston Celtics (1980–1988, 1990–1992)	506	164	3.09
15	^	PG	Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023)	489	147
16		SG	San Antonio Spurs (2003–2008, 2010–2018)	481	218	2.21
17		PG	Seattle SuperSonics (1978–1980) Phoenix Suns (1981–1983) Boston Celtics (1984–1990)	480	180	2.67
18		SF	Boston Celtics (2002–2005, 2008–2013) Brooklyn Nets (2014) Washington Wizards (2015) Los Angeles Clippers (2016–2017)	476	170	2.80
19	^	PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2014, 2016–2019) Houston Rockets (2020) Washington Wizards (2021) Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2024)	471	122
20		PG	Phoenix Suns (1997–2001) New Jersey Nets (2002–2007) Dallas Mavericks (2008–2012) New York Knicks (2013)	450	158
21	^[7]	C	Milwaukee Bucks (1970–1974)^[8] Los Angeles Lakers (1977) Los Angeles Lakers (1978–1989)	447	169	2.64
22	^[9]	C	Houston Rockets (1985–1991, 1993–1999) Toronto Raptors (2002)	424	145	2.92
23	^	PF	Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023)	411	157
24		SG	Portland Trail Blazers (1984–1994) Houston Rockets (1995–1998)	397	145	2.74
25		SF	Philadelphia 76ers (1977) Philadelphia 76ers (1978–1987)	396	122	3.25
Rank	Player	Position(s)	Playoff team(s) played for (years)	Total turnovers	Games played	Turnovers per game average

Progressive list of playoff turnover leaders

This is a progressive list of turnover leaders showing how the record increased through the years.

Statistics accurate as of the 2024 NBA playoffs.^[10]

^	Active NBA player
	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration^[11]	-	§	1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2024^[12] -->

+Team listed is the one player was on when he established the record.

BOS	Boston Celtics	HOU		NJN	New Jersey Nets	PHO	Phoenix Suns
CHI		IND		NYK		TOR	Toronto Raptors
CLE		LAL	Los Angeles Lakers	OKC		UTA	Utah Jazz
DET		MIA	Miami Heat	ORL		SEA	Seattle SuperSonics
GSW		MIN	Minnesota Timberwolves	PHI	Philadelphia 76ers	WAS

NBA Progressive Leaders and Records for Turnovers for Every Season

Season	Year-by-year leader	TOV	Active player leader	TOV	Career record	TOV	Single-season record	TOV	Season
1977–78	Marvin WebsterSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	74	Marvin WebsterSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	74	Marvin WebsterSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	74	Marvin WebsterSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=6	74	1977–78
1978–79	Walter Davis PHO	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	66	John JohnsonSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	117	John JohnsonSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	117		1978–79
1979–80	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	65		align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	173		align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	173		1979–80
1980–81	Larry Bird BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	62	Julius Erving PHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	184	Julius Erving PHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	184		1980–81
1981–82	Julius Erving PHI Andrew ToneyPHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	67	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	251	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	251	1981–82
1982–83	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	64	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	290	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	290	1982–83
1983–84	Larry Bird BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	87	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	311	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	311	Larry Bird BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=22	87	1983–84
1984–85	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	76	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	348	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	348	1984–85
1985–86	Ralph Sampson HOU	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	71	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	387	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	387	1985–86
1986–87	Larry Bird BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	71	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	435	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	435	1986–87
1987–88	Isiah Thomas DET	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	85	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	518	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	518	1987–88
1988–89	Michael Jordan CHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	68	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	571	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	571	1988–89
1989–90	Isiah Thomas DET	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	72	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	607	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	607	1989–90
1990–91	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	77	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	684	align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=5	684	1990–91
1991–92	Michael Jordan CHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	81	Larry Bird BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	506	1991–92
1992–93	Kevin JohnsonPHO	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	84	Michael Jordan CHI Isiah Thomas*DET	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	369	1992–93
1993–94	Hakeem Olajuwon HOU Patrick Ewing NYK	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	83	Isiah Thomas DET	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	369	1993–94
1994–95	Shaquille O'Neal ORL Penny HardawayORL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	73	Michael Jordan CHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	410	1994–95
1995–96	Shawn KempSEA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	80	Magic Johnson LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	696	align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=20	696	1995–96
1996–97	Alonzo Mourning MIA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	70	Michael Jordan CHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	501	1996–97
1997–98	Karl Malone UTA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	60	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	546	1997–98
1998–99	Latrell SprewellNYK	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	58	Scottie Pippen CHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	536	1998–99
1999–00	Shaquille O'Neal LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	56	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	573	1999–00
2000–01	Allen Iverson PHI	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	63	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	585	2000–01
2001–02	Jason Kidd NJN	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	67	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	595	2001–02
2002–03	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	79	602	2002–03
2003–04	Kevin Garnett MIN	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	75	2003–04
2004–05	Richard HamiltonDET	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	78	Shaquille O'Neal MIA 2005–07 PHO 2008–09 CLE 2009–10 BOS 2010–11	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	517	2004–05
2005–06	Dwyane Wade MIA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	90	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	602	Dwyane Wade MIA	90	2005–06
2006–07	Deron WilliamsUTA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	68	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	616	2006–07
2007–08	Paul Pierce BOS	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	82	625	2007–08
2008–09	Dwight Howard†ORL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	67	2008–09
2009–10	Kobe Bryant LAL	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	79	649	2009–10
2010–11	Russell Westbrook^OKC	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	78	2010–11
2011–12	LeBron James^MIA	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	81	Kobe Bryant LAL	647	2011–12
2012–13	Paul George^IND	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	75	2012–13
2013–14	Russell Westbrook^OKC	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	83	2013–14
2014–15	Stephen Curry^GSW LeBron James^CLE	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	82	2014–15
2015–16	Russell Westbrook^OKC	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	78	LeBron James^ CLE 2016–18 LAL 2018–24	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	700	LeBron James^ CLE 2016–18 LAL 2018–24	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	700	2015–16
2016–17	LeBron James^CLE	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	72	772	772	2016–17
2017–18	align=center style="border-right: solid blue"	94	866	866	LeBron James^CLE	align=center style="border-right: solid blue" rowspan=4	94	2017–18
2018–19	Draymond Green^GSW	83	2018–19
2019–20	LeBron James^LAL	84	950	950	2019–20
2020–21	Devin Booker^PHO	81	975	975	2020–21
2021–22	Jayson Tatum^BOS	100	Jayson Tatum^BOS	100	2021–22
2022–23	Nikola Jokić^DEN	70	1,015	1,015	2022–23
2023–24	Luka Dončić^DAL	90	1,034	1,034	2022–23
Season	Year-by-year leader	TOV	Active player leader	TOV	Career record	TOV	Single-season record	TOV	Season

See also

• Basketball statistics
• NBA post-season records

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com enumeration of NBA career playoff leaders in turnovers

Notes and References

1. Web site: NBA Progressive Playoff Leaders and Records for Turnovers . Sports-Reference LLC . Basketball-Reference.com . 10 April 2015.
2. The National Basketball Association did not record turnover statistics until the 1977–78 season.
3. A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
4. Web site: 2024 Hall of Fame Candidates . basketball-reference.com . 2019-04-12.
5. [American Basketball Association]
6. Average is rounded to the nearest tenth and its calculation does not include games played in seasons before turnovers were officially recorded.
7. Known as Lew Alcindor prior to May 1, 1971.
8. [turnover (basketball)|Turnovers]
9. Previously written as Akeem Olajuwon prior to official spelling change March 9, 1991.
10. Web site: 2024 NBA Playoffs Leaders . Basketball-Reference.com . 25 April 2024.
11. A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
12. Web site: 2024 Hall of Fame Candidates . basketball-reference.com . 2019-04-12.