When discussing the most points scored in a playoff loss, the conversation inevitably turns to those players who scored a lot of points but ended up losing the game. In the history of the NBA playoffs, there have been many instances of players scoring a ton of points during a playoff game only to end up losing the series.
Championship teams don’t lose final games, and they don’t lose playoff games. The recent example of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in this exact scenario compelled us to look back at previous examples of playoff failures. Without further ado, here’s our list of the 10 NBA players who’ve suffered the most points in a playoff loss.
The NBA playoffs are the time when good players become legends. All that matters is winning, not how you win or how many pitches you have to make. You just have to do your job. That’s why some players take over when the rest of their teammates aren’t doing enough. Unfortunately, the hero ball doesn’t always work in the post-season, and their heroics lead nowhere. Throughout history, we’ve seen incredible offensive performances that weren’t enough to win in the playoffs. Today we pay tribute to them by introducing you to the top 10 players who scored the most points during the playoffs.
10. Billy Cunningham – 50 PTS
Younger fans may not know much about Billy Cunningham, but he is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the Philadelphia 76ers, and for a very good reason. First, he was a walking bucket for most of his career. Cunningham’s best playoff performance came on the first. April 1970 against the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored 50 points and grabbed 10 rebounds on 56.4 percent shooting, but the Sixers still lost 118-111.
9. Michael Jordan – 50 PTS
Michael Jordan has little success in the postseason. Chicago Bulls teams were anything but competitive, and he had to do most of the work to keep them in games. The 5th. May 1989, in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jordan scored 50 points, had 4 assists and 3 steals. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers beat them 108-105 to bring the series to two games.
8. Kobe Bryant – 50
Kobe Bryant was one of the most fearless and courageous scorers in NBA history. He wanted to make as many shots as possible to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, but he didn’t always succeed. One of Kobe’s most iconic playoff appearances came in the loss against the Phoenix Suns on the 4th. May 2006. He scored 50 points, 5 assists, 5 3-point baskets and shot 57% from the field, but the Lakers still lost 126-118.
7. Jamal Murray – 50 PTS
Jamal Murray reached a whole new level of play last season, and many expected him to continue his momentum this year and become one of the top scorers in the league. 23. August 2020. Murray scored a career-high 50 points against Donovan Mitchell, with 9 shots on goal and a shot 58%. In the end, it was Mitchell and the Jazz who walked away with a 129-127 victory over the Nuggets.
6. Ray Allen – 51 PTS
Ray Allen was not just an amateur at hitting, catching and shooting. In his youth, he was aggressive, entered the ring and scored effectively at all three levels. His skills were on the 30th. April 2009 in the middle of a game when the Boston Celtics were playing the Chicago Bulls. He scored 51 points, 3 steals and 9 three-pointers, but his team lost 128-127 and had to play seven games.
5. Russell Westbrook – 51 PTS
It’s no surprise that Russell Westbrook is the only player on this list with a triple double of more than 50 points in a playoff loss. It’s also no surprise that he’s the only one with less than 50% success on the floor. Westbrook scored 51 points (on 43 shots), grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 13 assists to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Houston Rockets on the 19th. April 2017 to lead, but unfortunately it was not enough. His team lost 115-111 and fell to 0-2.
4. LeBron James – 51 PTS
The Golden State Warriors’ strategy to stop LeBron James was simple: Don’t stop him, but don’t let him feed his teammates. It worked on the 31st. May 2018 during the upcoming NBA Finals. LeBron had one of the best playoff performances of his career with 51 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists on 59% shooting from the field. Still, the Warriors won the first game by a score of 128-118.
3. Damian Lillard – 55
Damian Lillard was recently added to that list. In the game against the Denver Nuggets, he went crazy and forced overtime (twice), with a three-pointer from 10 feet out. Lillard’s best game in the playoffs came at 1st. In June 2021, he scored the only 55+ points and 10+ assists in playoff history and set the record for most three-pointers (12) in a playoff game. And this with a success rate of 70.8%. Unfortunately, the Nuggets still won 147-140.
2. Donovan Mitchell – 57 PTS
Donovan Mitchell had one of his best performances, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Utah Jazz from losing a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. At the time, the 17th. In August 2021, Mitchell was just incredible with 57 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 6 three-pointers on a 57% shooting percentage. He did his best to beat the Nuggets, but his team still lost 135-125.
1. Michael Jordan – 63 PTS
And of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without the game that put Michael Jordan on the map. The 20. April 1986 is the day Larry Bird said he was God dressed as Michael Jordan. The Chicago Bulls were an imperfect team, but Jordan wasn’t about to let that discourage him. He punished the Boston Celtics with an NBA playoff record of 63 points, along with 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks on 53% shooting. Still, the Celtics beat them 135-131 in a classic double-overtime game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most playoff losses in the NBA?
The NBA has a long history of playoff losses due to injuries, and has seen some ridiculous numbers over the years. Many of the greatest players in the game look like they won a first round game, second round game, and second round game, but they all had short playoff runs. Here are the players who take up the top three spots in the list: The NBA playoffs are here, and fans are gearing up for the best time of the year: basketball. While this year’s playoffs are already exciting, the playoffs are also a time for players to prove their worth to their teams and to the rest of the league. Every year, there is a crop of talented players that makes it to the postseason, but there are others that get a chance to play a few games in the postseason but don’t play up to expectations. It is important for these players to have short playoff runs in the postseason, but it is also important for them to have at least one playoff loss. With that in mind, let’s look at the biggest playoff losers in the NBA.
What NBA player scored the most points in a single playoff game?
Ain’t basketball fun?! The point guard position, in particular, brings a lot of excitement during the playoffs and the Finals. As a result, scoring a green light can be a lot of fun for an NBA player. While we can’t choose the players that will take the court, we can choose the players that had the most points scored in a playoff game that ended in a loss. So, which player will be the titleholder of the most points scored in a single game? The NBA playoffs are just around the corner and, as usual, basketball is being covered from every angle from all over the world. For example, we’ve seen a high-profile point guard change teams, a couple of rookies explode onto the scene, an impactful trade and a dominant performance.
Who has the most points in a playoff series?
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals to face off against each other. The winner gets to face the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals. For you and me, that means we get to find out which team has the most points in a playoff series. The battle for the franchise title wasn’t the only thing at stake for the Detroit Pistons in their first round series against the Chicago Bulls. The winner of the series would take home the Eastern Conference title and advance to the NBA Finals. The Pistons won that battle and took home the title. But it wasn’t enough to finally knock off the Miami Heat and win the NBA title for the first time in the franchise’s 46-year history, as the Pistons would fall in seven games to the Heat.
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