Who has played in the most NBA playoff games?
Who has played in the most NBA playoff games? Watching the NBA regular season is pretty fun, but every NBA fan knows that the real excitement is reserved for the playoffs.
The postseason is the time where the superstars are built and when the best players in the world fight for the ultimate goal β the NBA championship. Following is the of the ten players who have made the most playoff appearances in NBA history.
LeBron James β 266 games
King James is the only active player on this list and since he is not planning to retire with the Lakers anytime soon, he will probably reach the 300 playoff games milestone which is totally unbelievable. LeBron has missed the playoffs only three times in his 18 seasons, his first two with the Cavaliers in 2004 and 2005 and his first with the Lakers in 2019. In total, James’ career playoff games amount to approximately three extra season’s worth of regular-season games. So far he has played in 10 Finals series, winning four championships and four Finals MVP trophies.
Derek Fisher β 259 games
Fisher is one of the most consistent point guards in the history of the league. He is a five-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers who made the playoffs in all but two seasons of his 18-year NBA career. Fisher played a total of 259 playoff games, 193 of which came as a member of the Lakers (1996-2004; 2007-11). In the remaining 66 games, he represented the Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-14) in 50 while in the other 16, he played for the Utah Jazz (2006-07).
Tim Duncan β 251 games
Duncan is the leader when it comes to most playoff games played for a single team since he made his whole 251 playoff appearances with the San Antonio Spurs. Arguably the greatest power forward of all time made the playoffs with the Spurs in every one of his 19 seasons in the league. The Spurs won five NBA championships in that period and Timmy was named the Finals MVP in 1999, 2003, and 2005.
Robert Horry β 244 games
One of the most underrated players in NBA history, Horry is remembered for his numerous clutch playoff moments during his 16 years in the league. He won 7 NBA championships with three different teams, the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs. His game-winning three-pointer in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons is one of the greatest moments in NBA playoff history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar β 237 games
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=133YwacaFPQ
The leading scorer in NBA history made the playoffs in 18 out of his 20 seasons. The only time he missed it was in back-to-back seasons, his last one with the Bucks and the first one with the Lakers. In his impressive career, Abdul-Jabbar has won six NBA championships and has been named Finals MVP in 1971 and 1985.
Tony Parker β 226 games
Another Spurs great who was part of the team dynasty is Tony Parker. The French point guard never missed the playoffs in 17 seasons with the Spurs and won four NBA championships, earning NBA Finals MVP in 2007. He retired in 2019 as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. He is currently a partial owner of the French basketball club Asvel.
Kobe Bryant β 220 games
The late Kobe Bryant’s legacy was defined by him being a winner. He had 13 playoff games with 40 or more points, including his playoff-high 50 points against the Phoenix Suns in 2006. Kobe spent 20 years with the Lakers winning 5 NBA championships and two Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010. He will be remembered as one of the greatest competitors this game has ever seen.
Manu Ginobili β 218 games
One of the real artists of the game of basketball, Manu Ginobili won four NBA championships with the Spurs. The Argentinian entered the league as the 57th pick in the 1999 NBA draft and 19 years later left as one of the greatest international players of all time. He won the 2004 Olympic gold medal with his country.
Shaquille OβNeal β 216 games
O’Neal was one of the most dominant and entertaining players in NBA history. He teamed up with Kobe Bryant in LA to win three consecutive NBA titles from 2000 to 2002 and got another title with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006. O’Neal captured one NBA MVP trophy in his career, in 2000, and also won three consecutive NBA Finals MVP trophies.
Scottie Pippen β 208 games
The perfect complement to Michael Jordan during the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s, Scottie Pippen was also one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. Pippen and Jordan’s Batman and Robin routine produced six championships in nine full NBA seasons together. When Jordan retired, Pippen made the playoffs with the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets.
