NBA legends are compared daily. “Who is the GOAT” and other All-Time player debates are non-ending discussions. These discussions invariably stray into the discussion of rings and playoff success, regardless of each player’s individual successes in their careers. Something that is seldomly done is the actual comparisons of their stats in the NBA Finals alone.
- 1. Michael Jordan 24-11 (68.6%)
- 2. Scottie Pippen 24-11 (68.6)
- 3. Tim Duncan 23-11 (67.6%)
- 4. Kevin Durant 10-5 (66.7%)
- 5. Bill Russell 45-25 (64.3%)
- 6. Oscar Robertson 7-4 (63.6%)
- 7. Kobe Bryant 23-14 (62.2%)
- 8. Stephen Curry 17-11 (60.7%)
- 9. Hakeem Olajuwon 10-7 (58.9%)
- 10. Shaquille O’Neal 17-13 (56.7%)
- 11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 29-27 (51.8%)
- 12. Dwyane Wade 15-14 (51.7%)
- 13. Larry Bird 16-15 (51.6%)
- 14. Magic Johnson 24-26 (48.0%)
- 15. Wilt Chamberlain 16-19 (45.7%)
- 16. Julius Erving 10-12 (45.4%)
- 17. Jerry West 22-33 (40.0%)
- 18. LeBron James 18-31 (36.7%)
- 19. Elgin Baylor 16-28 (36.3%)
- 20. Karl Malone 5-11 (31.3%)
Listed below will be some of the NBA’s All-Time Greats and their records/stats in the NBA Finals. Some things are made evident looking at these numbers though; while all of these players are All-Time Greats, some players underperformed in the Finals while others thrived. There are a few outliers, however, which include a few players being well past their primes in their appearances, effecting their numbers negatively.
We’ll start with an NBA legend who leads the league with 70 games played in the NBA Finals.
Minimum 15 Games*
1. Michael Jordan 24-11 (68.6%)
15 Seasons / 6 Finals Appearances / 6 Rings (6xFMVP) / 6-0 Finals Record
35 Games (24-11 W/L)
Finals Averages: 33.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 48.1 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 80.6 FT%
2. Scottie Pippen 24-11 (68.6)
17 Seasons / 6 Finals Appearances / 6 Rings / 6-0 Finals Record
35 Games (24-11 W/L)
Finals Averages: 19.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 42.5 FG%, 25.6 3P%, 74.7 FT%
3. Tim Duncan 23-11 (67.6%)
19 Seasons / 6 Finals Appearances / 5 Rings (3xFMVP) / 5-1 Finals Record
34 Games (23-11 W/L)
Finals Averages: 20.8 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.4 BPG, 48.5 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 71.6 FT%
4. Kevin Durant 10-5 (66.7%)
12 Seasons / 4 Finals Appearances / 2 Rings (2xFMVP) / 2-2 Finals Record
15 Games (10-5 W/L) — 5 Games Missed: Team Record 1-4
Finals Averages: 30.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 54.6 FG%, 44.8 3P%, 91.1 FT%
5. Bill Russell 45-25 (64.3%)
13 Seasons / 12 Finals Appearances / 11 Rings / 10-1 Finals Record
70 Games (45-25 W/L) — 2 Games Missed: Team Record 1-1
Finals Averages: 16.4 PPG, 24.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 45.6 FG%, 61.4 FT%
6. Oscar Robertson 7-4 (63.6%)
14 Seasons / 2 Finals Appearances / 1 Ring / 1-1 Finals Record
11 Games (7-4 W/L)
Finals Averages: 16.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG, 47.3 FG%, 83.7 FT%
7. Kobe Bryant 23-14 (62.2%)
20 Seasons / 7 Finals Appearances / 5 Rings (2xFMVP) / 5-2 Finals Record
37 Games (23-14 W/L) — 1 Game Missed: Team Record 0-1
Finals Averages: 25.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 41.2 FG%, 31.4 3P%, 84.8 FT%
8. Stephen Curry 17-11 (60.7%)
11 Seasons / 5 Finals Appearances / 3 Rings / 3-2 Finals Record
28 Games (17-11 W/L)
Finals Averages: 26.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 42.0 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 92.7 FT%
9. Hakeem Olajuwon 10-7 (58.9%)
18 Seasons / 3 Finals Appearances / 2 Rings (2xFMVP) / 2-1 Finals Record
17 Games (10-7 W/L)
Finals Averages: 27.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.9 SPG, 3.2 BPG, 48.8 FG%, 100.0 3P%, 74.0 FT%
10. Shaquille O’Neal 17-13 (56.7%)
19 Seasons / 6 Finals Appearances / 4 Rings (3xFMVP) / 4-2 Finals Record
30 Games (17-13 W/L)
Finals Averages: 28.8 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG, 60.2 FG%, 48.4 FT%
11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 29-27 (51.8%)
20 Seasons / 10 Finals Appearances / 6 Rings (2xFMVP) / 6-4 Finals Record
56 Games (29-27 W/L) — 1 Game Missed: Team Record 1-0
Finals Averages: 23.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.2 BPG, 52.3 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 70.0 FT%
12. Dwyane Wade 15-14 (51.7%)
16 Seasons / 5 Finals Appearances / 3 Rings (1xFMVP) / 3-2 Finals Record
29 Games (15-14 W/L)
Finals Averages: 23.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 47.6 FG%, 31.1 3P%, 74.8 FT%
13. Larry Bird 16-15 (51.6%)
13 Seasons / 5 Finals Appearances / 3 Rings (2xFMVP) / 3-2 Finals Record
31 Games (16-15 W/L)
Finals Averages: 23.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 45.8 FG%, 42.2 3P%, 87.2 FT%
14. Magic Johnson 24-26 (48.0%)
13 Seasons / 9 Finals Appearances / 5 Rings (3xFMVP) / 5-4 Finals Record
50 Games (24-26 W/L) — 1 Game Missed: Team Record 0-1
Finals Averages: 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 11.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 51.6 FG%, 23.7 3P%, 87.4 FT%
15. Wilt Chamberlain 16-19 (45.7%)
14 Seasons / 6 Finals Appearances / 2 Rings (1xFMVP) / 2-4 Finals Record
35 Games (16-19 W/L)
Finals Averages: 18.6 PPG, 24.6 RPG, 3.8 APG, 55.9 FG%, 37.5 FT%
16. Julius Erving 10-12 (45.4%)
11 Seasons / 4 Finals Appearances / 1 Ring / 1-3 Finals Record
22 Games (10-12 W/L)
Finals Averages: 25.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 2.0 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 52.6 FG%, 16.7 3P%, 76.6 FT%
17. Jerry West 22-33 (40.0%)
14 Seasons / 9 Finals Appearances / 1 Ring (1xFMVP) / 1-8 Finals Record
55 Games (22-33 W/L)
Finals Averages: 30.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.6 APG, 45.9 FG%, 82.1 FT%
18. LeBron James 18-31 (36.7%)
17 Seasons / 9 Finals Appearances / 3 Rings (3xFMVP) / 3-6 Finals Record
49 Games (18-31 W/L)
Finals Averages: 28.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 7.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 47.2 FG%, 34.3 3P%, 73.9 FT%
19. Elgin Baylor 16-28 (36.3%)
14 Seasons / 8 Finals Appearances / 0 Rings / 0-8 Finals Record
44 Games (16-28 W/L) — 5 Games Missed: Team Record 1-4
Finals Averages: 26.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 43.2 FG%, 74.9 FT%
20. Karl Malone 5-11 (31.3%)
19 Seasons / 3 Finals Appearances / 0 Rings / 0-3 Finals Record
16 Games (5-11 W/L) — 1 Game Missed: Team Record 0-1
Finals Averages: 19.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 46.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 67.6 FT%
