Every season, 30 teams from the Western and Eastern conferences in the NBA battle for a place in the Playoffs to make a run at the Championship. However, only 16 teams make it through at the end of the regular season.
Throughout the league’s history, countless players have consistently led their teams into the playoffs and etched their legacy in the playoffs. Let’s explore which of those players have made the most Postseason appearances in NBA history.
NBA Players with Most Playoff Games – All Time
1. LeBron James – 292 Games*
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, LA Lakers
One of the greatest players of all time, LeBron James, is in his league as a leading appearance maker (292) in the Playoffs. The four-time Championship winner’s maiden Playoff appearance came with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2005-06 season. Since then, James has been part of 18 Playoff campaigns and is the leading scorer in the NBA.
| Games Played | Total Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 292 | 8289 | 184-108 |
2. Derek Fisher – 259 Games
Teams: LA Lakers, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder
In the second, we have another Los Angeles Lakers legend, Derek Fisher with a staggering 259 playoff games. He spent 18 seasons in the NBA, mostly with the Lakers and helped them lift five NBA titles. The Guard arrived as a rookie in the 1996-97 season after the Lakers picked him in the 1996 NBA Draft.
| Games Played | Total Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 259 | 2146 | 161-98 |
3. Tim Duncan – 251 Games
Teams: San Antonio Spurs
Timothy Theodore Duncan prominently known as Tim Duncan played for the San Antonio Spurs from 1997 to 2016. Out of his total 19 seasons at Spurs, the power forward played in the NBA Playoffs 18 times. 1998 Rookie of the Year and two-time MVP, he made 251 appearances and managed to clinch five Championship rings.
| Games Played | Total Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 251 | 5172 | 157-94 |
4. Robert Horry – 244 Games
Teams: Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs
The seven-time NBA champion, Robert Horry has played 244 matches in his road to the NBA finals. Nicknamed “Big Shot Rob,” with performances he took the Rockets (2 titles), the LA Lakers (3 titles), and the Spurs (2 titles) to glory. Horry is one of the four players claiming the NBA Championship with three teams.
| Games Played | Total Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 244 | 1939 | 155-89 |
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 237 Games
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the greatest player ever to play the sport — one of those names who changed the NBA forever. With 237 playoff matches under his belt in his career, Abdul-Jabbar’s greatness and legacy go beyond the basketball court. The Hall of Famer played for two decades in the NBA, representing the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers.
While breaking records and writing history books, amassing Rookie of the Year, six championships, 6 MVPs and 2 NBA Finals MVP awards. He became the NBA’s leading scorer of all time and was included in 15 All-NBA teams.
| Games Played | Total Points | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 237 | 5762 | 154-83 |
Active NBA Players With the Most Playoff Games
Here’s the list of Active players in the NBA with the most Playoff games in the postseason.
| Rank | Player | Age | Playoff Games | Current Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBron James | 40 | 292 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2 | Al Horford | 38 | 194 | Boston Celtics |
| 3 | James Harden | 35 | 173 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 4 | Kevin Durant | 36 | 170 | Phoenix Suns |
| 5 | Danny Green | 37 | 169 | Free Agent* |
| 6 | Draymond Green | 35 | 167 | Golden State Warriors |
| 7 | Klay Thompson | 35 | 158 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 8 | Stephen Curry | 37 | 155 | Golden State Warriors |
| 9 | Chris Paul | 40 | 149 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 10 | Kawhi Leonard | 33 | 146 | Los Angeles Clippers |
A Journalism and Media Studies graduate and a passionate sports writer, he turned his love for sports into a fulfilling career. His admiration for the Golden State Warriors grew, inspired by Stephen Curry’s exceptional shooting.
