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The NBA playoffs are an entirely different affair as the competition is a lot stiffer. However, certain players have managed to replicate their stand-out regular-season performances in the postseason.
It's a tad difficult to pull this off during the NBA playoffs. The teams that make it this far are equally as impressive and will not stand idle while a single player decimates them. The toll of the regular season also plays a role as players play with tired legs and bruised bodies.
Regardless, certain players have shown that they can produce stellar performances regularly, no matter the stage. Michael Jordan tops the all-time list with thirty-eight 40-point games during his stint with the Chicago Bulls.
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Top five active players with 40-point games in the NBA Playoffs
Only 32 active players have achieved this feat, with Trae Young as the most recent member of the exclusive list. His 48 points against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals earned him a spot on the list.
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On that note, let's take a look at the active players with the most 40-point games in the NBA playoffs.
#5 Stephen Curry, 6
Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to three NBA championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018. He is arguably the best three-point shooter to have stepped on an NBA hardwood.
After seven consecutive NBA playoffs runs, which started in 2013, Steph Curry has failed to lead the Warriors to a postseason appearance for back-to-back seasons. He lost out to LeBron James in the inaugural 2021 NBA Play-in tournament.
Despite missing five NBA playoffs in his 12-year career, he has successfully scored 40+ points six times on his road to three rings. Curry was the NBA scoring champion in 2021 for the second time in his career but did not have the opportunity to continue that hot streak in the playoffs. His highest tally (47) came in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
#4 Russell Westbrook, 7
Russell Westbrook is currently leading the league in triple-doubles and has done so on the back of some solid offensive displays in the playoffs. Although he is yet to win a championship, he has made the NBA playoffs in 11 of his 13 active seasons in the NBA.
Westbrook has had seven 40+ points in the NBA playoffs, but the most memorable is his 51 points against the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of the 2017 NBA playoffs first-round bout. That night, he set an NBA playoffs record for the most points scored while recording a triple-double. Despite the loss, he finished the game with 51 points, 13 assists, 10 points, and four steals.
#3 James Harden, 9
James Harden has been on the receiving end of criticism regarding his overall NBA playoffs performance. The superstar has had subpar runs in the playoffs and has not successfully led his team to a deep run in the postseason. However, he has registered 40+ points nine times in the NBA playoffs.
Harden, who is part of a super team, failed again to register success in the playoffs after the Brooklyn Nets were sent home in Game 7 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semi-finals. Although injuries played a huge factor in the outcome of that series, he struggled once again to find his shooting range from the field.
Out of the nine 40+ games, his highest tally came in the Game 4 win against the Warriors in the 2015 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals. He recorded 45 points on what was one of his best shooting nights in the postseason to rally his team to their first win in the series. However, they lost the series in Game 5 after Harden shot only 18.2% from the field.
#2 Kevin Durant, 14
Kevin Durant is one of the most effective scorers in the NBA and has proved it time and time again. He was part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty that won two consecutive championships in 2017 and 2018. On both occasions, he was the Finals MVP.
Durant is fresh off an iconic NBA playoffs performance in Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. He registered 49 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists after playing every second of the game. While he was able to keep his team in the contest with that performance, the Brooklyn Nets lost the series after a riveting Game 7.
Meanwhile, Durant's highest scoring in the postseason came in the 2019 NBA Playoffs Western Conference first round against the LA Clippers. That came off the back of 45 points scoring in the previous game.
#1 LeBron James, 28
LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, and some will argue that he is the greatest. Although Michael Jordan still holds the record for the most 40-point games in the NBA playoffs, James is ten games behind.
The 2021 NBA playoffs was the worst of LeBron's illustrious career as it marked the first time he was eliminated in the first round. Injuries to him and Anthony Davis put the Lakers in a tough spot against a hungry Phoenix Suns team led by Chris Paul.
LeBron has crossed the 40-point mark 28 times in his 266 NBA playoffs games. His highest tally came in the 2018 NBA Finals Game 1 against the Warriors. He added 51 points but lost the game after overtime. The Golden State Warriors went on to sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in that series, which also served as the last game LeBron played for the Cavs.
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