Jordan’s Unbreakable Playoff Scoring Record: A Look at the Greatest Performances in NBA History

As we all know, the NBA playoffs are a different beast than the regular season. It’s the stage where superstars shine the brightest, and the intensity and physicality of the games are taken to a whole new level. With tougher defenses and more strategic matchups, it’s much harder to put up great performances as the playoffs progress. Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, set a historic record in 1992 by scoring 759 points in a single postseason. But just how difficult is it to break this record? Let’s take a look at some of the greatest players in NBA history—LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O'Neal—and see how they stack up.

Jordan’s Legendary 1992 Playoffs The 1992 Chicago Bulls were undoubtedly the most dominant team in the league. With a 67-15 record in the regular season, they had already won two consecutive championships. In the playoffs, the Bulls steamrolled through opponents, defeating the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trail Blazers on their way to another championship. Jordan was at his peak during this run, averaging an incredible 34.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2 steals per game. He played in 22 games and scored 759 total points, setting a record that still stands today.

Kobe Bryant’s 2009 Playoffs Let’s compare that to Kobe Bryant in 2009, which was arguably his peak year. Kobe led the Lakers to a championship, playing in 23 games and averaging 30.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. His all-around performance was extraordinary, but he finished with 695 total points in the postseason—well short of Jordan’s record.

Stephen Curry’s 2019 Playoffs Stephen Curry, who has won four championships and has been a mainstay in the NBA Finals, had his best playoff performance in 2019. That year, he played in 22 games, averaging 28.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. Despite his outstanding individual performance, he only scored 620 points in the postseason, and the Warriors ultimately fell short of winning the title that year.

LeBron James’ 2018 Playoffs LeBron James is one of the NBA’s biggest stars and a player who thrives on the big stage. In 2018, LeBron had an unbelievable playoff run. Despite being on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that wasn’t stacked with talent, LeBron carried the squad to the NBA Finals. He averaged 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists per game, playing 22 games and scoring 748 points, placing him second on the all-time list behind Jordan.

Kevin Durant’s 2018 Playoffs Kevin Durant, a two-time Finals MVP, also had an incredible playoff run in 2018. Durant averaged 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game that year. However, because the Golden State Warriors won so easily, Durant only played in 21 games, finishing with 608 total points.

Shaquille O’Neal’s 2000 Playoffs Shaquille O’Neal, one of the most dominant centers to ever play the game, was unstoppable during his prime. In 2000, Shaq was a force on both ends of the floor, averaging 30.7 points, 15.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game in the playoffs. He finished with 707 total points, helping the Lakers secure the title.

Breaking Jordan’s Record: Nearly Impossible Looking at these all-time greats, it’s clear that breaking Jordan’s single-season playoff scoring record of 759 points is no easy task. To even have a shot, a player’s team needs to reach the Finals, and the player must average at least 32 points per game throughout the playoffs. Additionally, they need to play in a significant number of games, which typically doesn’t happen if the team is too dominant. Close playoff series usually extend the number of games, but that also makes reaching the Finals much more challenging.

Jordan’s 759-point postseason performance is a record that remains incredibly tough to break, and it underscores his greatness during that era of NBA basketball.