List of NBA career playoff minutes leaders

This article provides two lists:

A list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff minutes played.
A progressive list of playoffs minutes played leaders showing how the record increased through the years.[1]

Minutes played leaders

This section provides a list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff minutes played.

Statistics accurate as of the 2024 NBA playoffs.
LeBron James has played the most minutes in NBA playoff history.
^ Active NBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Rank Player Position(s) Playoff team(s) played for (years)[2] Total minutes Games played Minutes per game
average[3]
1 LeBron James^ SF Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–2010, 2015–2018)
Miami Heat (2011–2014)
Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021, 2023–2024) 		11,858 287 41.3
2 Tim Duncan* PF/C San Antonio Spurs (1998–1999, 2001–2016) 9,370 251 37.3
3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* C Milwaukee Bucks (1969–1975)
Los Angeles Lakers (1975–1989) 		8,851 237 37.3
4 Kobe Bryant* SG Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004, 2006–2012) 8,641 220 39.3
5 Scottie Pippen* SF Chicago Bulls (1987–1998)
Houston Rockets (1999)
Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2003) 		8,105 208 39.0
6 Shaquille O'Neal* C Orlando Magic (1994–1996)
Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004)
Miami Heat (2005–2007)
Phoenix Suns (2008)
Cleveland Cavaliers (2010)
Boston Celtics (2011) 		8,098 216 37.5
7 Karl Malone* PF Utah Jazz (1986–2003)
Los Angeles Lakers (2004) 		7,907 193 41.0
8 Tony Parker* PG San Antonio Spurs (2002–2018) 7,758 226 34.3
9 Wilt Chamberlain* C Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1960–1962, 1964)
Philadelphia 76ers (1965–1968)
Los Angeles Lakers (1969–1973) 		7,559 160 47.2
10 Magic Johnson* PG Los Angeles Lakers (1980–1991, 1996) 7,538 190 39.7
11 Bill Russell* C Boston Celtics (1957–1969) 7,497 165 45.4
12 Michael Jordan* SG Chicago Bulls (1985–1993, 1995–1998) 7,474 179 41.8
13 Dennis Johnson* PG Seattle SuperSonics (1978–1980)
Phoenix Suns (1981–1983)
Boston Celtics (1984–1990) 		6,994 180 38.9
14 Kevin Durant^ SF/PF Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2014, 2016)
Golden State Warriors (2017–2019)
Brooklyn Nets (2021–2022)
Phoenix Suns (2023–2024) 		6,893 170 40.5
15 Larry Bird* SF/PF Boston Celtics (1980–1988, 1990–1992) 6,886 164 42.0
16 John Havlicek* SF Boston Celtics (1963–1969, 1972–1977) 6,860 172 39.9
17 Derek Fisher PG/SG Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004, 2008–2011)
Utah Jazz (2007)
Oklahoma City Thunder (2012–2014) 		6,856 259 26.5
18 Robert Horry PF/SF Houston Rockets (1993–1996)
Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2003)
San Antonio Spurs (2004–2008) 		6,823 244 28.0
19 Dwyane Wade* SG Miami Heat (2004–2007, 2009–2014, 2016, 2018)
Chicago Bulls (2017) 		6,697 177 37.8
20 John Stockton* PG Utah Jazz (1985–2003) 6,398 182 35.2
21 Jerry West* PG Los Angeles Lakers (1961–1974) 6,321 153 41.3
22 Al Horford^ C Atlanta Hawks (2008–2013, 2015–2016)
Boston Celtics (2017–2019, 2022–2024)
Philadelphia 76ers (2020) 		6,294 186 33.8
23 Paul Pierce* SF Boston Celtics (2002–2005, 2008–2013)
Brooklyn Nets (2014)
Washington Wizards (2015)
Los Angeles Clippers (2016) 		6,229 170 36.6
24 Robert Parish* C Golden State Warriors (1977)
Boston Celtics (1981–1993)
Charlotte Hornets (1995)
Chicago Bulls (1997) 		6,177 184 33.6
25 Horace Grant PF/C Chicago Bulls (1988–1994)
Orlando Magic (1995–1996, 1999, 2002)
Seattle SuperSonics (2000)
Los Angeles Lakers (2001) 		6,172 170 36.3
Rank Player Position(s) Playoff team(s) played for (years)[2] Total minutes Games played Minutes per game
average[3]

Progressive list of playoff minutes played

This is a progressive list of minutes played leaders showing how the record has increased through the years.[4]

Statistics accurate as of the 2024 NBA playoffs.[5]
^ Active NBA player
* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration[6]
Team abbreviations Team listed is the one player was on when he established the record
BAL Baltimore Bullets FTW Fort Wayne Pistons OKC Oklahoma City Thunder SEA Seattle SuperSonics
BOS Boston Celtics GSW Golden State Warriors ORL Orlando Magic SFW San Francisco Warriors
CHO Charlotte Hornets HOU Houston Rockets PHI Philadelphia 76ers STL St. Louis Hawks
CHI Chicago Bulls LAL Los Angeles Lakers PHW Philadelphia Warriors SYR Syracuse Nationals
CLE Cleveland Cavaliers MIA Miami Heat PHX Phoenix Suns TOR Toronto Raptors
DAL Dallas Mavericks MNL Minneapolis Lakers POR Portland Trail Blazers UTA Utah Jazz
DET Detroit Pistons NYK New York Knicks SAS San Antonio Spurs WSB Washington Bullets
Leaders and records for playoff minutes played for every season
Season Year-by-year leader MP Active leader MP Career record MP Single-season record MP Season
1951–52 George Mikan*MNL 553 George Mikan*MNL 553 George Mikan*MNL 553 George Mikan*MNL 553 1951–52
1952–53 463 1,016 1,016 1952–53
1953–54 Paul SeymourSYR 559 Slater Martin*
MNL 1953–56
STL 1957–59		 1,509 Slater Martin*
MNL 1953–56
STL 1957–59		 1,509 Paul SeymourSYR 559 1953–54
1954–55 Andy Phillip*FTW 445 1,824 1,824 1954–55
1955–56 Paul Arizin*PHW 409 1,945 1,945 1955–56
1956–57 Bob Cousy*BOS 440 2,384 2,384 1956–57
1957–58 457 2,800 2,800 1957–58
1958–59 Elgin Baylor*MNL 556 2,818 2,818 1958–59
1959–60 Bob Pettit*STL 576 Bob Cousy*BOS 2,916 Bob Cousy*BOS 2,916 Bob Pettit*STL 576 1959–60
1960–61 Elgin Baylor*LAL 540 3,253 3,253 1960–61
1961–62 Bill Russell*BOS 672 3,727 3,727 Bill Russell*BOS 672 1961–62
1962–63 617 4,120 4,120 1962–63
1963–64 Wilt Chamberlain*SFW 558 Bill Russell*BOS 4,034 4,120 1963–64
1964–65 Bill Russell*BOS 561 4,595 Bill Russell*BOS 4,595 1964–65
1965–66 814 5,409 5,409 814 1965–66
1966–67 Wilt Chamberlain*SFW 718 5,799 5,799 1966–67
1967–68 Bill Russell*BOS 869 6,668 6,668 869 1967–68
1968–69 John Havlicek*BOS 850 7,497 7,497 1968–69
1969–70 Wilt Chamberlain*LAL 851 Elgin Baylor*LAL 5,510 1969–70
1970–71 Wes Unseld*BAL 759 Wilt Chamberlain*LAL 6,055 1970–71
1971–72 Jerry Lucas*NYK 737 6,758 1971–72
1972–73 Wilt Chamberlain*LAL 801 7,559 Wilt Chamberlain*LAL 7,559 1972–73
1973–74 John Havlicek*BOS 811 Jerry West*LAL 6,321 1973–74
1974–75 Elvin Hayes*WSB 751 John Havlicek*BOS 5,980 1974–75
1975–76 Dave Cowens*BOS 798 6,485 1975–76
1976–77 Doug CollinsPHI 759 6,860 1976–77
1977–78 Marvin WebsterSEA 904 Marvin WebsterSEA 904 1977–78
1978–79 Bob Dandridge*WSB 787 Wes Unseld*WSB 4,802 1978–79
1979–80 Julius Erving*PHI 694 4,889 1979–80
1980–81 Moses Malone*HOU 955 Moses Malone*HOU 955 1980–81
1981–82 Julius Erving*PHI 780 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*LAL 4,769 1981–82
1982–83 Magic Johnson*LAL 643 5,357 1982–83
1983–84 Larry Bird*BOS 961 6,124 Larry Bird*BOS 961 1983–84
1984–85 Dennis Johnson*BOS 848 6,734 1984–85
1985–86 Rodney McCrayHOU 835 7,223 1985–86
1986–87 Larry Bird*BOS 1,015 7,782 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*
LAL		 7,782 1,015 1986–87
1987–88 Magic Johnson*LAL 965 8,500 8,500 1987–88
1988–89 Michael Jordan*CHI 718 8,851 8,851 1988–89
1989–90 Clyde Drexler*POR 853 Dennis Johnson*BOS 6,994 1989–90
1990–91 Magic Johnson*LAL 823 Magic Johnson*LAL 7,403 1990–91
1991–92 Michael Jordan*CHI 920 Larry Bird*BOS 6,886 1991–92
1992–93 Dan Majerle PHX 1,071 Robert Parish*
BOS 1992–94
CHI 1994–95		 6,088 Dan Majerle PHX 1,071 1992–93
1993–94 Patrick Ewing*NYK 1,032 1993–94
1994–95 Hakeem Olajuwon*HOU 929 6,159 1994–95
1995–96 Gary Payton*SEA 911 Magic Johnson*LAL 7,538 1995–96
1996–97 Karl Malone*UTA 816 Michael Jordan*CHI 6,602 1996–97
1997–98 Michael Jordan*CHI 872 7,474 1997–98
1998–99 Allan Houston NYK 783 Scottie Pippen*
HOU 1998–99
POR 1999–03		 7,200 1998–99
1999–00 Shaquille O'Neal*LAL 1,000 7,814 1999–00
2000–01 Allen Iverson*PHI 1,016 7,931 2000–01
2001–02 Kobe Bryant*LAL 833 8,030 2001–02
2002–03 Tim Duncan*SAS 1,021 8,105 2002–03
2003–04 Kobe Bryant*LAL 973 2003–04
2004–05 Richard HamiltonDET 1,079 Shaquille O'Neal*
MIA 2004–07
PHO 2008–09
CLE 2010		 6,813 Richard HamiltonDET 1,079 2004–05
2005–06 Dirk Nowitzki*DAL 983 7,572 2005–06
2006–07 LeBron James^CLE 893 7,693 2006–07
2007–08 Paul Pierce*BOS 990 7,843 2007–08
2008–09 Rashard LewisORL 986 2008–09
2009–10 Rajon Rondo†BOS 975 8,086 2009–10
2010–11 LeBron James^MIA 922 Kobe Bryant*LAL 8,165 2010–11
2011–12 983 8,641 2011–12
2012–13 960 2012–13
2013–14 Kevin Durant^OKC 815 Tim Duncan*SAS 8,902 Tim Duncan*SAS 8,902 2013–14
2014–15 LeBron James^CLE 844 9,152 9,152 2014–15
2015–16 Draymond Green^GSW 879 9,370 9,370 2015–16
2016–17 LeBron James^CLE 744 LeBron James^
CLE 2016–18
LAL 2018–24		 9,127 2016–17
2017–18 922 10,049 LeBron James^
CLE 2017–18
LAL 2018–24		 10,049 2017–18
2018–19 Kawhi Leonard^TOR 939 2018–19
2019–20 Jimmy Butler^MIA 806 10,811 10,811 2019–20
2020–21 Khris Middleton^MIL 922 11,035 11,035 2020–21
2021–22 Jayson Tatum^BOS 983 2021–22
2022–23 Jimmy Butler^MIA 874 11,654 11,654 2022–23
2023–24 Luka Dončić^DAL 899 11,858 11,858 2023–24
Season Year-by-year leader MP Active player leader MP Career record MP Single-season record MP Season

See also

References

General
  • "NBA ALL-TIME LEADERS MINUTES PLAYED". Hispanos NBA. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
Specific
  1. ^ "NBA Progressive Playoff Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.
  3. ^ a b Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
  4. ^ "NBA Progressive Playoff Leaders and Records for Minutes Played". Basketball reference .com. Sports reference .com. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  5. ^ "2020 NBA Playoffs Leaders". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
  6. ^ A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.