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The NBA playoffs are always a tense affair, with many players caving under pressure. At the same time, many also rise to the occasion and put together awe-inspiring performances.
The ability to score, provide assists, and grab rebounds at an efficient clip is not something often seen in one player. While big men are expected to score and clean the boards, guards are looked upon to create assists and score.
However, the current NBA climate has changed the traditional role of players, as big men are becoming great providers and guards are crashing the boards. Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokic are prime examples of players whose styles have transcended their traditional roles.
Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum registered 39 points, five rebounds, six assists, and six steals in Game 3 of their first-round tie against the Brooklyn Nets. While that falls under the category being covered, Tatum is a long way from matching the frequency of some of the superstars on this list.
Consistency is key on this list, as we appreciate the players that have produced at an incredibly high clip at every chance they got.
On that note, here are the top five players with the most 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists games in playoff history.
5) Kobe Bryant (66)
Kobe Bryant featured in the playoffs 15 times in his 20-year career. In that period, he reached the Finals seven times and won five championships.
Although Shaquille O'Neal was the team's talisman in early 2000s, Kobe was also a significant contributor on the offensive end. His impact showed more in the coming seasons after Shaq was traded in 2004.
Kobe's first 25+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists game came in Game 3 of the 2000 playoffs Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. That year, Kobe won his first NBA championship.
4) Magic Johnson (71)
Magic Johnson wasted no time acclimatizing himself with playoff basketball. To date, he is the only player in league history to have won a Finals MVP as a rookie.
Magic had a 13-point triple-double in his first playoff appearance. In his second game, he registered 25 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and six steals.
3) Michael Jordan (80)
Michael Jordan had a perfect run in the NBA Finals (6-of-6) but had it rough in the postseason before that spell. He helped the Chicago Bulls reach the playoffs in his rookie year after the franchise suffered a three-year hiatus, but did not make it out of the first round.
In the only game Bulls won during that series, Jordan recorded 35 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. That was the first of 80 25+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists game he had in his career.
MJ played 179 playoff games in 13 seasons and was the leading scorer ten times. Although Jordan did not make the playoffs in the two years with the Washington Wizards, he never missed it while donning a Chicago uniform.
2) Larry Bird (83)
Larry Bird is not talked about nearly as much as he should be. The Celtics legend had an outstanding career and is one of the best shooters in league history.
Larry Legend played in the NBA for 13 seasons and made the playoffs in 12 of them. The Hall of Famer made 12 All-Star appearances, won three NBA titles, three MVP awards, and was also named to three All-Defensive teams.
In his rookie season, he reached the milestone twice before he was eliminated in the conference semifinals. He went on to hit the mark 81 more times before his final season in the NBA. Larry played in 164 playoff games before retiring in 1992.
1) LeBron James (187)
When it comes to picking an all-around player, not many are better than LeBron James in that category. Although the 37-year-old has often talked about his love for distributing the rock, he is also a skilled scorer.
LeBron failed to make the playoffs in the first two years of his career, but the moment he had a taste of playoff basketball, he always wanted more.
From 2011 to 2018, LeBron made consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, winning three championships in that period. His fourth championship came in his second season with the LA Lakers.
LeBron has had the most playoff appearances (266) on this list, which has played a role in setting him miles apart from the others on this list.
LeBron played all 48 minutes of his playoff debut, ending the night with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists with a 97-86 win over the Washington Wizards. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Cavaliers did not go past the second round.
