Who has the most 40-point playoff games in NBA history?

Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan may no longer be the NBA’s all-time leading playoff scorer. Jordan (5,987 playoff points) was surpassed by then-Cleveland Cavaliers superstar forward LeBron James (8,023 points) in 2017.

However, "MJ" still holds plenty of other playoff scoring records, including the record for the most 40-point playoff games in NBA history. Jordan recorded a whopping 38 games with at least 40 points over 179 playoff outings.

The next closest is James with 29 40-point playoff games. However, he has played in far more playoff games (282) than Jordan.

In third place is LA Lakers legend Jerry West with 20 40-point playoff games over 153 contests.

Phoenix Suns superstar forward Kevin Durant, a modern-day offensive powerhouse, is tied for fourth place. He has 14 playoff games with 40 or more points through 166 outings.

Lakers legend Elgin Baylor also tallied 14 playoff games with 40-plus points. However, he did so in just 134 games.

Baylor is followed by fellow legends Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain, who are tied for fifth place (13 playoff games with 40 or more points). Bryant and Chamberlain did so in 220 and 160 games, respectively.

As for Jordan’s record of 38 40-point playoff games, that is highlighted by his iconic 63-point performance in Game 2 of the Bulls’ 1986 first-round series against the Boston Celtics. He achieved the mark at the age of just 23, and to this day, it remains the highest-scoring playoff performance ever.

“I think he's God disguised as Michael Jordan,” Celtics legend Larry Bird said following Jordan’s 63-point performance.

“He is the most awesome player in the NBA. Today in Boston Garden, on national TV, in the playoffs, he put on one of the greatest shows of all time. I couldn't believe anybody could do that against the Boston Celtics.”

---

LeBron James pays homage to Michael Jordan after becoming the NBA’s all-time leading playoff scorer

2022 NBA All-Star Game

LeBron James put up 35 points during the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 135-102 series-clinching Game 5 win over the Boston Celtics in the 2017 Eastern Conference finals.

In doing so, James surpassed Michael Jordan’s all-time playoff scoring record and clinched his seventh straight NBA Finals appearance on the same night.

Following the massive accomplishments, James made sure to pay tribute to the Chicago Bulls legend in his postgame interview.

“I wear the (jersey) number (23) because of Mike,” James said.

“I think I fell in love with the game because of Mike, just because of what he was able to accomplish. When you're watching Michael Jordan it's almost like a god. So, I didn't think I could be Mike.”

James added that he was honored to even be mentioned in the same discussion as Jordan.

“For my name to come up in the discussion with the greatest basketball player of all time, it's like, ‘Wow,’” James said.

“Like I said, I did pretty much everything that MJ did when I was a kid. I shot fadeaways before I should have. I wore a leg sleeve on my leg and folded it down so you saw the red part. I wore black and red shoes with white socks. I wore short shorts so you could see my undershorts underneath.

“I didn't go bald like Mike, but I'm getting there. But (my baldness) will be post-career, though. That's the only thing I didn't do. But other than that, I did everything Mike did. I even wore a wristband on my forearm. I didn't do the hoop earring, either. That was Mike. But I did everything Mike did, man.”

LeBron James’ discussion about surpassing Michael Jordan to become the NBA’s all-time leading playoff scorer starts at the 3:29 mark below: