List of NBA career playoff assists leaders

This article provides two lists:

A list of National Basketball Association (NBA) players by total career playoff assists recorded.

A progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years. ^[1]

Playoff assist leaders

This is a list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff assists recorded. ^[2]

Statistics accurate as of April 27, 2024.

Magic Johnson has the most assists in NBA playoff history.

^	Active NBA player
*	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration [3]

Rank	Player	Position(s)	Playoff team(s) played for (years) [4]	Total assists	Games played	Assists per game average [5]
1	Magic Johnson *	PG	Los Angeles Lakers (1980–1991, 1996)	2,346	190	12.3
2	LeBron James ^	SF	Cleveland Cavaliers (2006–2010, 2015–2018) Miami Heat (2011–2014) Los Angeles Lakers (2020–2021, 2023–2024)	2,056	286	7.2
3	John Stockton *	PG	Utah Jazz (1985–2003)	1,839	182	10.1
4	Jason Kidd *	PG	Phoenix Suns (1997–2001) New Jersey Nets (2002–2007) Dallas Mavericks (2008–2012) New York Knicks (2013)	1,263	158	8.0
5	Chris Paul ^	PG	New Orleans Hornets (2008–2009, 2011) Los Angeles Clippers (2012–2017) Houston Rockets (2018–2019) Oklahoma City Thunder (2020) Phoenix Suns (2021–2023)	1,233	149	8.3
6	Tony Parker *	PG	San Antonio Spurs (2002–2018)	1,143	226	5.1
7	Rajon Rondo †	PG	Boston Celtics (2008–2012) Dallas Mavericks (2015) Chicago Bulls (2017) New Orleans Pelicans (2018) Los Angeles Lakers (2020) Los Angeles Clippers (2021)	1,136	134	8.5
8	Larry Bird *	SF/PF	Boston Celtics (1980–1988, 1990–1992)	1,062	164	6.5
9	Steve Nash *	PG	Phoenix Suns (1997–1998, 2005–2008, 2010) Dallas Mavericks (2001–2004) Los Angeles Lakers (2013)	1,061	120	8.8
10	Scottie Pippen *	SF	Chicago Bulls (1988–1998) Houston Rockets (1999) Portland Trail Blazers (2000–2003)	1,048	208	5.0
11	Kobe Bryant *	SG	Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2004, 2006–2012)	1,040	220	4.7
12	James Harden ^	SG/PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2012) Houston Rockets (2013–2020) Brooklyn Nets (2021) Philadelphia 76ers (2022–2023) Los Angeles Clippers (2024)	1,034	163	6.3
13	Michael Jordan *	SG	Chicago Bulls (1985–1993, 1995–1998)	1,022	179	5.7
14	Dennis Johnson *	PG/SG	Seattle SuperSonics (1978–1980) Phoenix Suns (1981–1983) Boston Celtics (1984–1990)	1,006	180	5.6
15	Isiah Thomas *	PG	Detroit Pistons (1984–1992)	987	111	8.9
16	Draymond Green ^	PF	Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023)	974	157	6.2
17	Jerry West *	PG	Los Angeles Lakers (1961–1970, 1972–1974)	970	153	6.3
18	Bob Cousy *	PG	Boston Celtics (1951–1963)	937	109	8.6
19	Kevin Johnson	PG	Phoenix Suns (1989–1998, 2000)	935	105	8.9
20	Maurice Cheeks *	PG	Philadelphia 76ers (1979–1987, 1989) New York Knicks (1990–1991) New Jersey Nets (1993)	922	133	6.9
21	Russell Westbrook ^	PG	Oklahoma City Thunder (2010–2014, 2016–2019) Houston Rockets (2020) Washington Wizards (2021) Los Angeles Clippers (2023–2024)	919	119	7.7
22	Stephen Curry ^	PG	Golden State Warriors (2013–2019, 2022–2023)	912	147	6.2
23	Mark Jackson	PG	New York Knicks (1988–1992, 2001) Los Angeles Clippers (1993) Indiana Pacers (1995–1996, 1998–2000) Utah Jazz (2003) Houston Rockets (2004)	905	131	6.9
24	Clyde Drexler *	SG	Portland Trail Blazers (1984–1994) Houston Rockets (1995–1998)	891	145	6.1
25	Dwyane Wade *	SG	Miami Heat (2004–2007, 2009–2014, 2016, 2018) Chicago Bulls (2017)	870	177	4.9

Progressive list of playoff assist leaders

This is a progressive list of assist leaders showing how the record increased through the years. ^[1]

Statistics accurate as of April 27, 2024. ^[6]

^	Active NBA player
*	Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
†	Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration [3]

Team abbreviations

Team(s) listed is the one player was on when he established the record.

ATL	Atlanta Hawks	IND	Indiana Pacers	NYK	New York Knicks	SFW	San Francisco Warriors
BOS	Boston Celtics	LAC	Los Angeles Clippers	OKC	Oklahoma City Thunder	STL	St. Louis Hawks
CHI	Chicago Bulls	LAL	Los Angeles Lakers	ORL	Orlando Magic	SYR	Syracuse Nationals
CLE	Cleveland Cavaliers	MIA	Miami Heat	PHI	Philadelphia 76ers	TOR	Toronto Raptors
DAL	Dallas Mavericks	MIL	Milwaukee Bucks	PHO	Phoenix Suns	UTA	Utah Jazz
DET	Detroit Pistons	MNL	Minneapolis Lakers	PHW	Philadelphia Warriors	WAS	Washington Wizards
FTW	Fort Wayne Pistons	NJN	New Jersey Nets	POR	Portland Trail Blazers	WSB	Washington Bullets
HOU	Houston Rockets	NOP	New Orleans Pelicans	SAS	San Antonio Spurs

Playoff leaders and records for assists at the end of every season

Season	Year-by-year leader	AST	Active player leader	AST	Career record	Ast	Single-season record	AST	Season
1946–47	Howie Dallmar 000 PHW	16	Howie Dallmar 000 PHW	16	Howie Dallmar 000 PHW	16	Howie Dallmar 000 PHW	16	1946–47
1947–48		37		53		53		37	1947–48
1948–49	Jim Pollard*000 MNL	39		57		57	Jim Pollard*000 MNL	39	1948–49
1949–50		56	Jim Pollard*000 MNL	95	Jim Pollard*000 MNL	95		56	1949–50
1950–51	Dick McGuire*000 NYK	78		122		122	Dick McGuire*000 NYK	78	1950–51
1951–52		90	Dick McGuire*000 NYK	195	Dick McGuire*000 NYK	195		90	1951–52
1952–53		70		265		265			1952–53
1953–54	Slater Martin*000 MNL Paul Seymour 000 SYR	60		270		270			1953–54
1954–55	Andy Phillip*000 FTW	78		282		282			1954–55
1955–56	George King 000 SYR	60							1955–56
1956–57	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	93	Slater Martin*000 STL	304	Slater Martin*000 STL	304	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	93	1956–57
1957–58		82	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	372	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	372			1957–58
1958–59		119		491		491		119	1958–59
1959–60		116		607		607			1959–60
1960–61		91		698		698			1960–61
1961–62		123		821		821		123	1961–62
1962–63		116		937		937			1962–63
1963–64	Guy Rodgers*000 SFW	90	Bill Russell*000 BOS	362					1963–64
1964–65	Bill Russell*000 BOS	76		438					1964–65
1965–66		85		523					1965–66
1966–67	Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHI	135		573			Wilt Chamberlain*000 PHI	135	1966–67
1967–68	John Havlicek*000 BOS	142		672			John Havlicek*000 BOS	142	1967–68
1968–69	Jerry West*000 LAL	135		770					1968–69
1969–70	Walt Frazier*000 NYK	156	Bob Cousy*000 BOS	937			Walt Frazier*000 NYK	156	1969–70
1970–71	Oscar Robertson*000 MIL	124	Jerry West*000 LAL	703					1970–71
1971–72	Jerry West*000 LAL	134		837					1971–72
1972–73		132		969	Jerry West*000 LAL	969			1972–73
1973–74	Oscar Robertson*000 MIL	149		970		970			1973–74
1974–75	Kevin Porter 000 WSB	124	John Havlicek*000 BOS	712					1974–75
1975–76	Jo Jo White*000 BOS Alvan Adams 000 PHO	98		763					1975–76
1976–77	Bill Walton*000 POR	104		825					1976–77
1977–78	Tom Henderson 000 WSB	106							1977–78
1978–79		107	Walt Frazier*000 CLE	599					1978–79
1979–80	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	151							1979–80
1980–81	Maurice Cheeks*000 PHI	116	Wes Unseld*000 WSB	453					1980–81
1981–82		172	Maurice Cheeks*000 PHI	462			Maurice Cheeks*000 PHI	172	1981–82
1982–83	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	192		553			Magic Johnson*000 LAL	192	1982–83
1983–84		284	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	778				284	1983–84
1984–85		289		1,067	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	1,067		289	1984–85
1985–86		211		1,278		1,278			1985–86
1986–87		219		1,497		1,497			1986–87
1987–88		303		1,800		1,800		303	1987–88
1988–89		165		1,965		1,965			1988–89
1989–90	Kevin Johnson 000 PHO	170		2,080		2,080			1989–90
1990–91	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	240		2,320		2,320			1990–91
1991–92	John Stockton*000 UTA	217	Larry Bird*000 BOS	1,062					1991–92
1992–93	Kevin Johnson 000 PHO	182	Isiah Thomas*000 DET	987					1992–93
1993–94	John Stockton*000 UTA	157							1993–94
1994–95	Penny Hardaway 000 ORL	162	John Stockton*000 UTA	980					1994–95
1995–96	John Stockton*000 UTA	195	Magic Johnson*000 LAL	2,346		2,346			1995–96
1996–97		191	John Stockton*000 UTA	1,366					1996–97
1997–98		155		1,521					1997–98
1998–99	Avery Johnson 000 SAS	126		1,613					1998–99
1999–00	Mark Jackson 000 IND	178		1,716					1999–00
2000–01	Allen Iverson*000 PHI	134		1,773					2000–01
2001–02	Jason Kidd*000 NJN	182		1,813					2001–02
2002–03		163		1,839					2002–03
2003–04	Chauncey Billups*000 DET	136	Scottie Pippen*000 CHI	1,048					2003–04
2004–05	Steve Nash*000 PHO	170	Gary Payton* 000 BOS 2004–05 000 MIA 2005–06	772					2004–05
2005–06		204		808					2005–06
2006–07	LeBron James^000 CLE	159	Jason Kidd* 000 NJN 2006–07 000 DAL 2008–12 000 NYK 2012–13	927					2006–07
2007–08	Rajon Rondo †000 BOS	172		961					2007–08
2008–09		137		1,020					2008–09
2009–10		223		1,062					2009–10
2010–11	Jason Kidd*000 DAL	153		1,215					2010–11
2011–12	Rajon Rondo †000 BOS	227		1,239					2011–12
2012–13	LeBron James^000 MIA	152		1,263					2012–13
2013–14	Russell Westbrook^000 OKC	153	Steve Nash*000 LAL	1,061					2013–14
2014–15	LeBron James^000 CLE	169	LeBron James^ 000 CLE 2014–18 000 LAL 2018–24	1,188					2014–15
2015–16	Russell Westbrook^000 OKC	198		1,348					2015–16
2016–17	LeBron James^000 CLE	141		1,489					2016–17
2017–18		198		1,687					2017–18
2018–19	Draymond Green^000 GSW	187							2018–19
2019–20	LeBron James^000 LAL	184		1,871					2019–20
2020–21	Jrue Holiday^000 MIL	199		1,919					2020–21
2021–22	Jayson Tatum^000 BOS	148							2021–22
2022–23	Nikola Jokić^000 DEN	190		2,023					2022–23
2023–24		40		2,056					2023–24
Season	Year-by-year leader	AST	Active player leader	AST	Career record	AST	Single-season record	AST	Season

See also

• Basketball statistics
• NBA post-season records

References

1. "NBA Progressive Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2017. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
2. "NBA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
3. A player is not eligible for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame until he has been fully retired for three calendar years.
4. American Basketball Association (ABA) teams other than those admitted into the NBA in 1976 are not included; each year is linked to an article about that particular NBA season. The years listed are only ones in which the player played in a playoff game.
5. Average is rounded to the nearest tenth.
6. "2023 NBA Playoffs Leaders". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2013.