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With an age-high performance in Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Kevin Durant made NBA playoff history. He became the only player in the NBA playoffs history to drop 45+ points, 15+ rebounds and 10+ assists in a game. Moreover, it was when his team needed him the most and he silenced all the critics in that game, proving he can carry a team on his back.
The NBA playoffs are one of the highest leveraged moments you will ever see in major sports. They are simply magical as the brightest of stars shine and we feel the intensity and pressure of the moments. The teams compete for championships and legacies are made in real-time.
Like Durant last night, several players over the years have put on a show in the NBA playoffs spotlight. We have seen some high-scoring games but it is a true testament to a player's greatness when he contributes in most statistical categories to carry his team. The triple-double, although a lot more common now, is still the most coveted stat in the game.
Let's take a look at the top five highest scoring triple-double performances in NBA playoffs history. Unfortunately, LeBron James, arguably the greatest player today, won't crack the top five but in fact, has nine of the top 21 highest-scoring triple-doubles in the NBA playoffs.
#5 Oscar Robertson - 1963 NBA Playoffs
In just his third year in the league, Oscar Robertson went up against the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics in the Eastern Divisional Finals and took the series to 7 games. In Game 1 of the series, "The Big O" left no stone unturned and dropped 43 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against a four-time consecutive NBA championship team.
Robertson played all 48 minutes of the game that went down to the wire. The Cincinnati Royals needed every second of his production as it was a close game down the stretch. The Royals won 135-132 and Robertson was incredibly efficient from the floor. He shot 17-25 (68%) from the field and made nine of his 12 free throws.
At the time it was the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA playoff history, a record that wouldn't be broken for the next 30 years.
#4 Luka Doncic - 2020 NBA playoffs
Luka Doncic, in his second season in the NBA, took on the LA Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference 2020 NBA playoffs. He dropped a performance for the ages when he went off for 43 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals and a block in Game 4 of the series. He did so while playing through an injured ankle and also delivered the game-winning buzzer-beater in overtime, which beat the Dallas Mavericks 135-133.
Luka Doncic shot an efficient 18-31 (58%) from the field, including 4-10 (40%) from downtown and made three of his five free throw attempts. He became the youngest player in NBA playoff history to sink a game-winning buzzer-beater at age 21. Not only is he the youngest player in this top five list but is the youngest in the top 40 to drop a 40+point triple-double in the NBA playoffs.
#3 Charles Barkley - 1993 NBA playoffs
Charles Barkley led the Phoenix Suns through a historic NBA playoff run to the 1993 NBA Finals in his MVP season. In the Western Conference Finals, he went up against the Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp-led Seattle Supersonics. The series was a constant back-and-forth and went to seven games. Barkley dropped 43 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished out 10 assists to secure a 120-114 win for the Suns in Game 5 of the series.
LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson announced the game and it was one of the best games in NBA playoff history. Kemp and Barkley both shot 72% from the field and went back-and-forth in a duel with Kemp scoring 33 but the MVP Chuckster dropped 43. He was incredibly shooting 16-22 (72%) and made 11 of his free throws and didn't attempt a single three-pointer. The 'Round Mound of Rebound' also had two blocks and two steals and he rested just one minute in the entire game.
#2 Kevin Durant - 2021 NBA playoffs
With Kyrie Irving absent and James Harden practically a no-show, Kevin Durant put the Brooklyn Nets on his back and dropped the second-highest scoring triple-double in NBA playoff history. He came one shy of a 50-piece and grabbed 17 rebounds and dished out 10 assists along with three steals and two blocks. Moreover, he led the Nets to a 17-point comeback and dropped 20 points in the fourth quarter of the game when the Milwaukee Bucks had 21 as a team.
Kevin Durant silenced all the critics who said he could not carry a team on his back. He shot at a ridiculously efficient clip, making 16-23 (69%) shots including 4-of-9 (44%) from three-point range, and made 13 of his 16 free throw attempts. The Nets now lead 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
#1 Russell Westbrook - 2017 NBA playoffs
Russell Westbrook dropped the highest scoring triple-double in NBA playoff history when he went off for 51 points in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round series against the Houston Rockets. He shattered the history books by becoming the only player with a 50-point triple-double in NBA playoff history. Durant came one-point shy and now Westbrook remains the only player to have achieved this feat.
Although the Thunder lost the game 111-115, Westbrook was +11 at the end of the night. He accounted for 80 of his team's 111 points (72%) via points and assists, and also grabbed four steals and a block. In his MVP season, he broke the OKC Thunder franchise record for the highest-scoring NBA playoff game.
However, Russell Westbrook isn't known for his efficiency and this game was no different. Unlike everyone else on this list, Westbrook shot just 39% from the field and was just 18% from beyond the arc. Although he gave his 100% and did everything he could to win the game as he attempted 43 shots en route to 50 points.
Also Read: Eight active players to score 50 or more points in an NBA Playoff game
Guess the Lakers players!
