Jalen Brunson opened Game 1 of the NBA Finals with another 30-point performance, adding one more big playoff game to his resume. That total also pushed him to 30 career playoff games with at least 30 points, tying Luka Doncic for the second-most among point guards in NBA history.
Scoring 30 points in a regular-season game is already difficult, but doing it in the playoffs as a point guard is different. You are not only expected to score. You also have to run the offense, handle the ball under pressure, create shots for yourself and others, and make smart decisions when every game feels heavier.
This ranking looks at the ten point guards with the most 30-point playoff games in NBA history. Brunson’s latest performance puts him in elite company, right next to Doncic and behind only Stephen Curry.
10. Isiah Thomas – 20 Games
Isiah Thomas is at No. 10 with 20 playoff games where he scored at least 30 points. That number is strong because scoring wasn’t his only job. He was the Pistons’ main playmaker, the player who controlled the pace, and the guard who had the ball in the biggest moments.
In 111 playoff games, Thomas averaged 20.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 8.9 assists. That shows how complete he was. He could score when the team needed it, but he also created chances for everyone else.
His era also makes the number more impressive. The game wasn’t as open for guards as it is today. There weren’t five-out lineups, huge spacing, or so many three-point shots. Most of his scoring came from drives, midrange shots, fast breaks, and free throws. In the playoffs, he shot 44.1% from the field, 34.6% from three, and 76.9% from the line.
Thomas had some very good scoring runs in the playoffs. In 1984, he averaged 21.4 points and 11.0 assists. In 1987, he put up 24.1 points and 8.7 assists. In 1988, when the Pistons reached the Finals, he averaged 21.9 points and 8.7 assists. In 1990, he won Finals MVP while leading the Pistons to another championship.
His career awards also support his place here. Thomas was a 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA player, two-time NBA champion, 1990 Finals MVP, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member. He also led the league in assists in 1984-85.
Thomas doesn’t have a number close to the elite scorers, but that isn’t the full story. He reached 20 playoff 30-point games while also averaging almost nine assists. That is why he belongs on this list. He was a smaller guard, but he controlled games with scoring, passing, and pressure.
9. Jamal Murray – 22 Games
Jamal Murray’s regular-season resume doesn’t fully show how dangerous he has been in the playoffs. He has 22 playoff games with at least 30 points, even though he has only one All-Star selection and one All-NBA selection.
Murray has played 85 playoff games and averaged 23.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. His shooting numbers are also very good: 45.9% from the field, 39.2% from three, and 90.3% from the free throw line. For a guard who takes many difficult shots, that is strong.
Most of his 30-point games come from tough shot-making. Murray works very well in the pick-and-roll with Nikola Jokic, but he doesn’t need every shot created for him. He can make pull-up threes, midrange jumpers, floaters, and shots against switches. That is why his playoff scoring often looks better than his regular-season profile.
The 2023 title run is the best example. Murray averaged 26.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 20 playoff games. Against the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, he was even better. He averaged 32.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 52.7% from the field and 40.5% from three. The Nuggets swept that series, and Murray played like a star.
In the Finals against the Heat, he averaged 21.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 10.0 assists. Jokic was the clear Finals MVP, but Murray was still very important. He was the second star of that Nuggets championship team.
Injuries are probably the main reason he isn’t higher. He missed the 2021 and 2022 playoffs because of his ACL injury, and those were important years for him. With better health, his 30-point playoff total would probably be much higher.
8. Kyrie Irving – 22 Games
For Kyrie Irving, 22 playoff games with 30 or more points almost feels low because of how skilled he is as a scorer. But the context matters. Irving has often played next to another superstar, so he didn’t always have to carry the full offense by himself.
In 96 playoff games, Irving has averaged 23.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists with 45.8% from the field, 39.2% from three, and 89.5% from the free throw line. His playoff true shooting is around 56.5%, which is good for a guard taking so many hard isolation shots.
His best playoff scoring run came with the Cavaliers. In the 2016 championship season, Irving averaged 25.2 points while shooting 47.5% from the field and 44.0% from three. In the Finals, he averaged 27.1 points per game and hit the famous Game 7 three over Curry. That shot is one of the biggest moments in NBA history.
Irving is a nine-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA player, 2012 Rookie of the Year, 2014 All-Star Game MVP, and 2016 NBA champion. The main issue has been playoff volume. Irving has dealt with injuries, missed games, and some difficult team situations after leaving the Cavaliers. That stopped his number from growing more.
Still, 22 playoff 30-point games is a serious total for a player who was often the second option. Irving is one of the most skilled postseason guards ever.
7. Damian Lillard – 23 Games
Damian Lillard reached 23 playoff games with at least 30 points, and most of them came with heavy defensive attention. During his Trail Blazers years, defenses were usually built around stopping him first.
Lillard has played 68 playoff games and averaged 25.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. He shot 41.2% from the field, 36.9% from three, and 88.7% from the line. The field-goal percentage isn’t high, but his shot diet was very difficult. He took deep threes, pull-ups against traps, and many late-clock shots.
His 2019 run showed his scoring burden very clearly. Lillard averaged 26.9 points and 6.6 assists in 16 games and led the Trail Blazers to the Western Conference Finals. In Game 5 against the Thunder, he scored 50 points and hit the series-winning shot from near half-court. That wasn’t just a highlight. It was a 50-point closeout game.
He also had one of the best guard scoring games ever in 2021 against the Nuggets. Lillard scored 55 points, made 12 threes, and added 10 assists. The Trail Blazers lost, but the performance still showed how dangerous he was in the playoffs.
The missing part of his playoff career is team success. He hasn’t reached the Finals and has only made one Conference Finals run. That limited his total number of playoff games. But when we talk about scoring responsibility, Lillard deserves a lot of respect. He had to create almost everything, and 23 playoff 30-point games came from that big workload.
6. Oscar Robertson – 23 Games
Oscar Robertson’s total needs some era context. He had 23 playoff games with at least 30 points, but there were fewer playoff rounds and fewer games available when he played. Robertson played 86 playoff games and averaged 22.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 8.9 assists. He shot 46.0% from the field and 85.5% from the free throw line.
His early playoff years with the Kings had huge numbers. In 1962, he averaged 28.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 11.0 assists. In 1963, he averaged 31.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists. In 1964, he averaged 29.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists. Those numbers are great in any era.
Robertson wasn’t just a scorer. He was also one of the best passers ever. That makes his 23 playoff 30-point games more impressive. A player who almost averages nine assists in the playoffs and still scores 30 that many times is very rare.
His career resume is huge. Robertson was a Hall of Famer, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA player, 1964 MVP, 1961 Rookie of the Year, six-time assists champion, 1971 NBA champion, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member.
His best team success came with the Bucks, when he won the 1971 championship next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. By then, his scoring role was smaller, so his 30-point game total didn’t grow as much.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 29 Games
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already up to 29 playoff games with at least 30 points. He is still in his prime, so this number can grow fast. Right now, he is only one game behind Doncic and Brunson.
Shai has played 61 playoff games and averaged 26.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists. His shooting line is efficient for a high-usage guard: 48.1% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 86.3% from the free throw line.
His game isn’t based on taking a lot of threes. He scores by getting into the paint, stopping at his spots, drawing fouls, and making short pull-ups or midrange jumpers. That style makes him very steady in playoff games.
His 2025 playoff run was the big jump. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 688 points in that postseason, the most ever by a point guard in one playoff run. He averaged 29.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks in 23 games. The Thunder won the title, and he won Finals MVP.
The way he scores looks simple, but it is very hard to stop. He gets defenders on his hip, slows the game down, and forces them to foul or give him the jumper. He doesn’t need 12 made threes to reach 30 points.
The 2026 playoffs ended sourly for the Thunder at the Conference Finals, but that doesn’t change the bigger point. Gilgeous-Alexander is already one of the best playoff scoring point guards ever. With more deep runs, he can keep climbing this list.
4. Russell Westbrook – 29 Games
Russell Westbrook’s 29 playoff games with at least 30 points came in a different way than most players here. His efficiency wasn’t great, but his pressure, speed, and volume were huge.
Westbrook played 135 playoff games and averaged 22.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists. He shot 40.8% from the field, 30.1% from three, and 82.8% from the line. Those numbers show the weakness in his scoring. He missed a lot, especially from outside. But he still reached 30 points many times because he attacked constantly.
His best playoff scoring years came with the Thunder. In 2016, Westbrook averaged 26.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists in 18 playoff games. In 2017, after Kevin Durant left, he averaged 37.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 10.8 assists in five games against the Rockets. He shot too much at times and made mistakes, but the workload was enormous.
His career awards are big. Westbrook is a nine-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA player, 2017 MVP, two-time scoring champion, three-time assists champion, two-time All-Star Game MVP, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member.
The problem is that his scoring style didn’t age as well as others. When some of the speed went down and the jumper still wasn’t reliable, his playoff value changed. That is why the efficiency numbers matter.
Even with those flaws, 29 playoff 30-point games is a big total. Westbrook was chaotic, but he was also a serious postseason scoring force for a long time.
3. Jalen Brunson – 30 Games
Jalen Brunson is the big story on this list right now. He has reached 30 playoff games with at least 30 points, which is amazing for a player who started as a second-round pick and began his playoff career as a bench guard with the Mavericks.
Brunson has played 82 playoff games and averaged 25.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists. His shooting numbers are solid: 46.0% from the field, 36.0% from three, and 82.4% from the free throw line. Those numbers are strong because he takes many difficult shots.
His game is built around self-created scoring. He uses midrange shots, post-ups against guards, pull-up threes, and late-clock attempts. He isn’t big for a lead guard, and he doesn’t play above the rim. But his footwork, strength, and balance make him very hard to guard.
His rise really started when he became the Knicks’ first option. In the 2024 playoffs, Brunson had one of the best scoring runs by a small guard, including several 40-point games. In 2024-25, he averaged 29.4 points and 7.0 assists in 18 playoff games. In 2025-26, he’s entered the Finals as the Knicks’ main scorer and opened Game 1 with 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter.
The total is the real story. Thirty playoff 30-point games ties him with Doncic and puts him ahead of Westbrook and Gilgeous-Alexander for now. Brunson’s playoff scoring isn’t just a hot stretch anymore. It is a real historical resume.
2. Luka Doncic – 30 Games
Luka Doncic’s 30 playoff games with at least 30 points are even crazier because of the rate. He reached that number in only 55 playoff games. That means he has scored 30 or more in more than half of his playoff games.
Doncic’s career playoff averages are 30.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists. He shoots 46.2% from the field, 35.2% from three, and 73.6% from the free-throw line. The free-throw percentage isn’t perfect, but the overall production is still incredible because of how much offense he creates.
He was an elite playoff scorer from the beginning. In 2020, he averaged 31.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists against the Clippers. In 2021, again against the Clippers, he averaged 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 10.3 assists. In 2022, he led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals while averaging 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in 15 games.
His awards already look like a Hall of Fame path. Doncic is a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA player, two-time scoring champion, 2019 Rookie of the Year, and 2024 Western Conference Finals MVP.
What makes Doncic different is the total control he has over the offense. He isn’t only scoring. He is also deciding where the shots come from. He posts up smaller guards, hunts switches, walks into step-back threes, and reads help defenders before they arrive.
The only reason he isn’t No. 1 is total playoff volume. Curry has played many more long playoff runs. But by rate, Doncic is one of the best ever. Thirty 30-point games in only 55 playoff games is an unbelievable ratio.
1. Stephen Curry – 60 Games
At the top, Stephen Curry is far ahead of everyone else. He has 60 playoff games with at least 30 points. Doncic and Brunson have 30 each, so Curry has double their total.
Curry has played 155 playoff games and averaged 26.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. His shooting line is 45.3% from the field, 39.7% from three, and 89.2% from the free-throw line. His playoff true shooting is around 60.8%, which is elite for a guard taking so many deep and difficult threes.
His 30-point games also came with winning. Curry is a four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP, 2022 Finals MVP, 2022 Western Conference Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA player, two-time scoring champion, and NBA 75th Anniversary Team member.
There are many examples of his playoff scoring. In 2015, he led the Warriors to the title and averaged 28.3 points and 6.4 assists in the Finals. In 2019, he averaged 30.5 points in the playoffs. In 2022, he averaged 27.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists during the title run, then scored 31.2 points per game in the Finals against the Celtics.
Curry’s scoring is different because he doesn’t need the ball all the time. He can create pressure before he even touches it. Defenders chase him around screens, big men step higher than usual, and help defenders lose their position. That creates space for Curry and also for his teammates.
The efficiency is what separates him from most high-volume playoff guards. Westbrook had volume. Lillard had range. Irving had skill. Doncic has the amazing scoring rate. Brunson has the big rise. Curry has the full mix of volume, shooting, efficiency, and championships.
That is why 60 is such a crazy number. Curry isn’t only first on this list. He is far ahead of the field.
