List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders explained

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 50 times in NBA playoff history by 33 players. Only eight players have scored 50 or more points on more than one occasion: Michael Jordan (eight times), Wilt Chamberlain (four times), Allen Iverson (three times), Donovan Mitchell (three times), Jerry West (twice), Jamal Murray (twice), Damian Lillard (twice), and Jayson Tatum (twice). Rick Barry scored the last two of his three 50+ point playoff games in the American Basketball Association (ABA).

Out of those 50 times, a player has earned himself a double-double (having double digits in two statistical categories) only 18 times; points and rebounds achieved 14 times, and points and assists the remaining 4 times. This feat has been achieved by 16 different players. In order of most points scored, these include Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain (4 times), Charles Barkley, Rick Barry, Damian Lillard, Jerry West, Nikola Jokić, Eric "Sleepy" Floyd, Jayson Tatum, Bob Pettit, Billy Cunningham, Bob McAdoo, Karl Malone, Dirk Nowitzki, Jamal Murray, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Out of those 32 players, only 6 players have accomplished this feat while being born out of the United States: Dominique Wilkins (France), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Jamal Murray (Canada), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Nikola Jokić (Serbia), and Joel Embiid (Cameroon).

The only player to record a 50+ point triple-double in a playoff game is Russell Westbrook, who dropped 51 points while grabbing 10 rebounds and dealing out 13 assists. The only players to score 50 or more points in a playoff game seven are Stephen Curry, who dropped 50 points against the Sacramento Kings on April 30, 2023, and Jayson Tatum, who dropped 51 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on May 14, 2023. Only 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. On August 30, 2020, Murray scored 50 points against the Utah Jazz, joining Mitchell as the first pair of players in NBA playoff history to record multiple 50-point games in the same series. 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). Jordan has five of the ten highest-scoring playoff games in NBA history.

Key

^	Active NBA player
	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration
§	1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2024^[1]
	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		AST	Assist (basketball)

Single-game leaders

Rank	width= 5%	Points	width=15%	Player	width=15%	Team	width=7%	Date	width=15%	Opponent	width=10%	Series	width=10%	Score	width= 5%	MP	width= 5%	FGM	width= 5%	FGA	width= 5%	FG%	width= 5%	3PM	width= 5%	3PA	width= 5%	3P%	width= 5%	FTM	width= 5%	FTA	width= 5%	FT%	TRB	AST	width= 2%	Notes	width= 2%	Ref.
1	63		Chicago Bulls		Boston Celtics	1986 Eastern Conference First Round	131–135	53	22	41	53.7	0	0	0	19	21	90.5	5	6		^[2]
2	61		Los Angeles Lakers		Boston Celtics	1962 NBA Finals	126–121	48	22	46	47.8				17	19	89.5	22	1
3	57	^	Utah Jazz		Denver Nuggets	2020 Western Conference First Round	125–135	43:14	19	33	57.6	6	15	40.0	13	13	100	9	7
4	56		Philadelphia Warriors		Syracuse Nationals	1962 Eastern Division Semi-finals	121–104	48	22	48	45.8				12	22	54.5	35	1
		(2)	Chicago Bulls		Miami Heat	1992 Eastern Conference First Round	119–114	43	20	30	66.7	0	0	0	16	18	88.9	5	5
			Phoenix Suns		Golden State Warriors	1994 Western Conference First Round	140–133	41	23	31	74.2	3	4	75.0	7	9	77.8	14	4
		^	Miami Heat		Milwaukee Bucks	2023 Eastern Conference First Round	119–114	40:45	19	28	67.9	3	8	37.5	15	18	83.3	9	2		^[3]
8	55		San Francisco Warriors		Philadelphia 76ers	1967 NBA Finals	130–124	46	22	48	45.8				11	19	57.9	12	5
		(3)	Chicago Bulls		Cleveland Cavaliers	1988 Eastern Conference First Round	106–101	44	24	45	53.3	0	0	0	7	7	100	6	3
		(4)	Chicago Bulls		Phoenix Suns	1993 NBA Finals	111–105	46	21	37	56.8	0	1	0	13	18	72.2	8	4
		(5)	Chicago Bulls		Washington Bullets	1997 Eastern Conference First Round	109–104	44:13	22	35	62.9	1	2	50.0	10	10	100	7	2
			Philadelphia 76ers		New Orleans Hornets	2003 Eastern Conference First Round	98–90	46:40	21	32	65.6	3	5	60.0	10	11	90.9	4	8
		^	Portland Trail Blazers		Denver Nuggets	2021 Western Conference First Round	140–147	51:44	17	24	70.8	12	17	70.6	9	10	90.0	6	10
14	54		Boston Celtics		Atlanta Hawks	1973 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	134–109	48	24	36	66.7				6	6	100	9	6
		(6)	Chicago Bulls		New York Knicks	1993 Eastern Conference Finals	105–95	39	18	30	60.0	6	9	66.7	12	14	85.7	6	2
		(2)	Philadelphia 76ers		Toronto Raptors	2001 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	97–92	47:46	21	39	53.8	3	5	60.0	9	9	100	5	4
17	53	(2)	Philadelphia Warriors		Syracuse Nationals	1960 Eastern Division Semi-finals	132–112	47	24	42	57.1				5	16	31.3	22	2
			Los Angeles Lakers		Boston Celtics	1969 NBA Finals	120–118	46:00	21	41	51.2				11	13	84.6	3	10
		Isaiah Thomas^	Boston Celtics		Washington Wizards	2017 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	129-119	44:33	18	33	54.5	5	12	41.7	12	13	92.3	4	4
		Nikola Jokić^	Denver Nuggets		Phoenix Suns	2023 Western Conference Semi-finals	124–129	39:27	20	30	66.7	2	4	50.0	11	13	84.6	4	11
21	52	(2)	Los Angeles Lakers		Baltimore Bullets	1965 Western Division Finals	118–115		16	38	42.1				20	21	95.2	5	9
		(3)	Philadelphia 76ers		Toronto Raptors	2001 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	121–88	43:29	21	32	65.6	8	14	57.1	2	2	100	2	7
23	51		Boston Celtics		New York Knicks	1967 Eastern Division Semi-finals	118–109	43	19	30	63.3				13	17	76.5	4	1
			Golden State Warriors		Los Angeles Lakers	1987 Western Conference Semi-finals	129–121	44	18	26	69.2	2	3	66.7	13	14	92.9	3	10
			Boston Celtics		Chicago Bulls	2009 Eastern Conference First Round	127–128	58:45	18	32	56.3	9	18	50.0	6	7	85.7	5	3
		^	Oklahoma City Thunder		Houston Rockets	2017 Western Conference Quarterfinals	111–115	41:22	17	43	39.5	1	7	14.3	15	18	83.3	10	13
		^	Cleveland Cavaliers		Golden State Warriors	2018 NBA Finals	114–124	47:32	19	32	59.4	3	7	42.9	10	11	90.9	8	8
		^ (2)	Utah Jazz		Denver Nuggets	2020 Western Conference First Round	129–127	38:09	15	27	55.6	4	7	57.1	17	18	94.4	4	7
		^	Boston Celtics		Philadelphia 76ers	2023 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	112–88	41:40	17	28	60.7	6	10	60.0	11	14	78.6	13	5
30	50		Boston Celtics		Syracuse Nationals	1953 Eastern Division Semi-finals	111–105	66	10	22	45.5				30	32	93.8		2
			St. Louis Hawks		Boston Celtics	1958 NBA Finals	110–109	42	19	34	55.9				12	15	80.0	19
		(3)	Philadelphia Warriors		Boston Celtics	1960 Eastern Division Finals	128–107	46	22	42	52.4				6	14	42.9	35	2
		(4)	San Francisco Warriors		St. Louis Hawks	1964 Western Division Finals	121–97	45	22	32	68.8				6	10	60.0	15	6
			Philadelphia 76ers		Milwaukee Bucks	1970 Eastern Division Semi-finals	111–118	48	22	39	56.4				6	8	75.0	10	2
			Buffalo Braves		Washington Bullets	1975 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	108–102	45	20	32	62.5				10	14	71.4	21	1
			Atlanta Hawks		Detroit Pistons	1986 Eastern Conference First Round	137–125	33	19	28	67.9	0	0	0	12	15	80.0	5	3
		(7)	Chicago Bulls		Cleveland Cavaliers	1988 Eastern Conference First Round	104–93	44	19	35	54.3	0	0	0	12	12	100	7	2
		(8)	Chicago Bulls		Cleveland Cavaliers	1989 Eastern Conference First Round	105–108	43	14	28	50.0	0	1	0	22	27	81.5	3	4
			Utah Jazz		Seattle SuperSonics	2000 Western Conference First Round	104–93	43:16	18	32	56.3	1	1	100	13	14	92.9	12	0
			Toronto Raptors		Philadelphia 76ers	2001 Eastern Conference Semi-finals	102–78	44:44	19	29	65.5	9	13	69.2	3	3	100	6	7
			Los Angeles Lakers		Phoenix Suns	2006 Western Conference First Round	118–126	52:06	20	35	57.1	5	8	62.5	5	6	83.3	8	5
			Dallas Mavericks		Phoenix Suns	2006 Western Conference Finals	117–101	43:29	14	26	53.8	5	6	83.3	17	18	94.4	12	3
		^ (2)	Portland Trail Blazers		Oklahoma City Thunder	2019 Western Conference First Round	118–115	45:16	17	33	51.5	10	18	55.6	6	8	75.0	7	6
		^	Golden State Warriors		Los Angeles Clippers	2019 Western Conference First Round	129–110	42:03	15	26	57.7	6	14	42.9	14	15	93.3	6	5
		^	Denver Nuggets		Utah Jazz	2020 Western Conference First Round	127–129	43:09	18	31	58.1	9	15	60.0	5	5	100	11	7
		^ (2)	Denver Nuggets		Utah Jazz	2020 Western Conference First Round	119–107	43:03	17	24	70.8	9	12	75.0	7	9	77.8	5	6
		^ (2)	Boston Celtics		Brooklyn Nets	2021 Eastern Conference First Round	125–119	40:31	16	30	53.3	5	11	45.5	13	15	86.7	6	7
		^	Milwaukee Bucks		Phoenix Suns	2021 NBA Finals	105–98	42	16	25	64	1	3	33.3	17	19	89.5	14	2
			Golden State Warriors		Sacramento Kings	2023 NBA Western Conference First Round	120–100	37:41	20	38	52.6	7	18	38.9	3	5	60.0	8	6		^[4]
			Philadelphia 76ers	April 25, 2024	New York Knicks	2024 NBA Eastern Conference First Round	125–114	41	13	19	68.4	5	7	71.4	19	21	90.5	8	4		^[5]
		^ (3)	Cleveland Cavaliers		Orlando Magic	2024 Eastern Conference First Round	96–103	41:34	22	36	61.1	3	9	33.3	3	6	50.00	4	4		^[6]

See also

• List of National Basketball Association single-game scoring leaders

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2024 Hall of Fame Candidates . basketball-reference.com . November 8, 2021.
2. Web site: Donovan Mitchell's 57 points rank third in NBA single-game playoff history. nba.com. August 17, 2022. April 24, 2023.
3. Web site: BUTLER SCORES 56, HEAT STUN BUCKS 119-114 FOR 3-1 LEAD. April 24, 2023. April 24, 2023. Reynolds. Tim. nba.com.
4. Web site: Stephen Curry's 50 sets Game 7 record as Warriors eliminate Kings. espn.com. April 30, 2023. May 1, 2023.
5. Web site: Joel Embiid scores 50 to get 76ers first win of series vs. Knicks. espn.com. April 25, 2024. April 25, 2024.
6. Web site: Donovan Mitchell with 50 Points vs. Orlando Magic. nba.com. May 3, 2024.