Basketball Reference Blog

Most NBA Playoff Series Wins (player)

Posted by Andrew Weiser on December 22, 2023

(last updated on October 9, 2025)

While all the NBA’s most revered individual statistical records are accounted for during the regular season, greatness and glory happen in the playoffs. When NBA fans argue about the greatest player of all time, one of the most common arguments made is Michael Jordan’s six championships and 6-0 record in the Finals. So which players have won the most playoff series? Who has the most playoff wins in NBA history? Who are the greatest winners in the playoffs? Let’s find out.

LeBron James – 41 series wins

Photo of LeBron James

LeBron James

LeBron Raymone James ▪ Instagram: kingjames

(King James, LBJ, Chosen One, Bron-Bron, The Little Emperor, The Akron Hammer, L-Train, Benjamin Buckets, Captain LeMerica)

Position: Small Forward, Power Forward, Point Guard, Center, and Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Right

6-9250lb (206cm, 113kg)

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Born: December 30, 1984 (Age: 40-283d) in Akron, Ohio us

Relatives: Son Bronny James

High School: St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio

Recruiting Rank: 2003 (1)

Draft: Cleveland Cavaliers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 2003 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 29, 2003

Experience: 22 years

SUMMARY

2024-25

Career

G

70

1562

PTS

24.4

27.0

TRB

7.8

7.5

AST

8.2

7.4

FG%

51.3

50.6

FG3%

37.6

34.9

FT%

78.2

73.7

eFG%

57.1

54.8

PER

22.7

26.9

WS

7.7

271.4

King James is the king of playoff series wins, posting a 41-13 record in 54 career playoff series, the most playoff series wins in NBA history. LBJ’s playoff dominance throughout the 2010s is very impressive, having made eight consecutive Finals from 2011 to 2018 with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron has historically cruised in the first round, posting a 15-3 first-round record and an undefeated 13-0 mark in the Eastern Conference first round. LeBron also leads all NBA players in most playoff games played with 292 under his belt. But how many playoff wins does LeBron have in total? He has 184 playoff wins to his name entering the 2025-26 season.


Derek Fisher – 40 series wins

Photo of Derek Fisher

Derek Fisher

Derek Lamar Fisher Twitter: derekfisher

(D-Fish)

Position: Point Guard and Shooting Guard ▪ Shoots: Left

6-1200lb (185cm, 90kg)

Born: August 9, 1974 (Age: 49-112d) in Little Rock, Arkansas us

Relatives: Brother Duane Washington; Nephew Duane Washington Jr.

College: Little Rock

High School: Parkview in Little Rock, Arkansas

Draft: Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (24th pick, 24th overall), 1996 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: November 1, 1996

Career Length: 18 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1287

PTS

8.3

TRB

2.1

AST

3.0

FG%

39.9

FG3%

37.4

FT%

81.7

eFG%

46.6

PER

11.7

WS

62.3

Though he never made an All-Star Game, point guard Derek Fisher became a household name among basketball fans by being a critical part of some of the great Laker teams of the 2000s. Perhaps overshadowed by the superstar appeal of Kobe and Shaq, Fisher ran the point and was an important role player on five championship Laker teams across two stints in LA. Fisher’s best series came against the heavyweight San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 Western Conference Finals. He averaged 17.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in a sweep en route to an eventual championship. So how is he ahead of his teammate Kobe Bryant among who has the most playoff wins in NBA history? Later in his career Fisher joined budding stars James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on the Oklahoma City Thunder for a few seasons while the Lakers were struggling. 


Robert Horry – 39 series wins

Robert Horry

Pronunciation: \ORE-ee\

Robert Keith Horry

(Big Shot Rob, Big Shot Bob, The Key Man)

Position: Power Forward and Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-10240lb (208cm, 108kg)

Born: August 25, 1970 (Age: 53-096d) in Andalusia, Alabama us

College: Alabama

High School: Andalusia in Andalusia, Alabama

Draft: Houston Rockets, 1st round (11th pick, 11th overall), 1992 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: November 6, 1992

Career Length: 16 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1107

PTS

7.0

TRB

4.8

AST

2.1

FG%

42.5

FG3%

34.1

FT%

72.6

eFG%

48.4

PER

13.4

WS

66.3

Another member of the Lakers early 2000s dynasty, seven-time champion Robert Horry has the third most playoff series wins in NBA history. Horry never made an All-Star team or won a scoring title, but he is arguably the greatest role player in NBA history, winning multiple championships with three different franchises. In addition to winning three consecutive rings with the Lakers, Horry won two championships with the Houston Rockets and two with the San Antonio Spurs. His career-best playoff series came in the 1995 Finals with Houston, where he averaged a 17.5 point and 10 rebound double-double.


Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 37 series wins

Photo of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Pronunciation: \kuh-REEM ab-dool juh-BAR\

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Twitter: kaj33

(Formerly known as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr.)

(Lew, Cap, Murdock, Big Fella, The Tower of Power)

Position: Center ▪ Shoots: Right

7-2225lb (218cm, 102kg)

Born: April 16, 1947 (Age: 76-227d) in New York, New York us

College: UCLA

High School: Power Memorial in New York, New York

Draft: Milwaukee Bucks, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1969 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 18, 1969

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1995 (Full List)

Career Length: 20 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1560

PTS

24.6

TRB

11.2

AST

3.6

FG%

55.9

FG3%

5.6

FT%

72.1

eFG%

55.9

PER

24.6

WS

273.4

Suffice it to say, when you win six championships and two Finals MVPs in the NBA, “most playoff wins” is a list you can expect to be on. Kareem posted a 37-12 career postseason series record, averaging 24.3 points and 10.5 rebounds in the playoffs. Kareem’s excellence in the playoffs cannot be understated: he averaged a 30+ point, 15+ rebound double-double in six different series and played in 13 sweeps with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. In his 20 seasons in the NBA, Kareem only missed the playoffs twice.


Tim Duncan – 35 series wins

Photo of Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan

Timothy Theodore Duncan

(Timmy, The Big Fundamental, Groundhog Day, Old Man Riverwalk, The Stone Buddha)

Position: Center and Power Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-11250lb (211cm, 113kg)

Born: April 25, 1976 (Age: 47-218d) in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands vi

College: Wake Forest

High School: Saint Dunstan’s Episcopal in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Draft: San Antonio Spurs, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1997 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 31, 1997

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2020 (Full List)

Career Length: 19 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1392

PTS

19.0

TRB

10.8

AST

3.0

FG%

50.6

FG3%

17.9

FT%

69.6

eFG%

50.7

PER

24.2

WS

206.4

Tim Duncan has the most playoff series wins in the NBA among players who have never played for the Lakers. He is third on the all-time list of who has the most playoff wins in NBA history, with 157 playoff games won. In Duncan’s 48 career series, he averaged 20.6 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. Known for his conservative game, and even more conservative fashion sense, Duncan was named Finals MVP three times out of his five titles. He spent all 19 of his professional seasons with the San Antonio Spurs and his Spurs made the postseason each year of his career.


Scottie Pippen – 33 series wins

Photo of Scottie Pippen

Scottie Pippen

Scottie Maurice Pippen Twitter: ScottiePippen

(Formerly known as Scotty Maurice Pippen)

(Pip, Scott, Batman, Robin)

Position: Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-8210lb (203cm, 95kg)

Born: September 25, 1965 (Age: 58-065d) in Hamburg, Arkansas us

Relatives: Nephew Kavion Pippen; Son Scotty Pippen Jr.

College: University of Central Arkansas

High School: Hamburg in Hamburg, Arkansas

Draft: Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round (5th pick, 5th overall), 1987 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: November 7, 1987

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2010 (Full List)

Career Length: 17 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1178

PTS

16.1

TRB

6.4

AST

5.2

FG%

47.3

FG3%

32.6

FT%

70.4

eFG%

50.4

PER

18.6

WS

125.1

The NBA’s greatest sidekick, Scottie Pippen played in 43 series in his playoff career, winning 33 of them. The majority, 31 of them, came during his time with the Chicago Bulls and his other two series wins came with the Portland Trailblazers in the 2000 playoffs. In 1994, Pippen led the Jordan-less Bulls to a first round sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Pippen played well in every playoff series but really turned it on in the Bulls’ six Finals wins. Across those series, he averaged 19.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists.


Kobe Bryant – 33 series wins

Photo of Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bean Bryant Twitter: kobebryant

(Black Mamba, KB24, Vino, Showboat, Little Flying Warrior, The Eighth Man, Lord of the Rings)

Position: Shooting Guard and Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-6212lb (198cm, 96kg)

Born: August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania us

Died: January 26, 2020 (Aged 41-156d)

Relatives: Father Joe Bryant; Uncle Chubby Cox

High School: Lower Merion in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Draft: Charlotte Hornets, 1st round (13th pick, 13th overall), 1996 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: November 3, 1996

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2020 (Full List)

Career Length: 20 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1346

PTS

25.0

TRB

5.2

AST

4.7

FG%

44.7

FG3%

32.9

FT%

83.7

eFG%

48.2

PER

22.9

WS

172.7

Surprise, surprise another Laker legend on the list of NBA players with most playoff games and most playoff series wins. NBA all-time great Kobe Bryant won 33 total playoff series in his illustrious career, his first coming in 1997 and his last in 2012. The Mamba has a spectacular 7-1 record in the Western Conference Finals with his only loss in the series coming in 1998 at the age of 19 to Stockton and Malone’s Utah Jazz. For players who have 20+ years of experience in the NBA, most playoff wins do not all happen with a single franchise. However, Kobe spent his entire career in purple and gold, racking up 135 playoff victories for the Lakers.


Shaquille O’Neal – 32 series wins

Photo of Shaquille O

Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal Twitter: SHAQ

(Shaq, Diesel, The Big Aristotle, Superman, Shaq Fu, Shaq Daddy, Warrior)

Position: Center ▪ Shoots: Right

7-1325lb (216cm, 147kg)

Born: March 6, 1972 (Age: 51-268d) in Newark, New Jersey us

Relatives: Son Shareef O’Neal

College: LSU

High School: Cole in San Antonio, Texas

Draft: Orlando Magic, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1992 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: November 6, 1992

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2016 (Full List)

Career Length: 19 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1207

PTS

23.7

TRB

10.9

AST

2.5

FG%

58.2

FG3%

4.5

FT%

52.7

eFG%

58.2

PER

26.4

WS

181.7

With 32 series wins with four separate franchises, Shaq has the eighth-most playoff series wins. NBA fans are probably not surprised to hear this. O’Neal was a force to be reckoned with and won championships playing with two of the game’s all-time great guards in Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Shaq played in six Finals overall, posting an impressive 28.8 points and 13.1 rebounds per game on the NBA’s biggest stage. 


Magic Johnson – 32 series wins

Photo of Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson

Earvin Johnson Jr. Twitter: MagicJohnson

(Magic, Buck, E.J. the Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior)

Position: Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-9215lb (206cm, 97kg)

Born: August 14, 1959 (Age: 64-107d) in Lansing, Michigan us

College: Michigan State

High School: Everett in Lansing, Michigan

Draft: Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1979 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 12, 1979

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2002 (Full List)

Career Length: 13 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

906

PTS

19.5

TRB

7.2

AST

11.2

FG%

52.0

FG3%

30.3

FT%

84.8

eFG%

53.3

PER

24.1

WS

155.8

The leading man of the Showtime Lakers, Magic Johnson ended his career with a 32-8 record in playoff series. 28 of these series wins came in the 1980s. Magic averaged a triple-double in four different playoff series, including the 1987 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, for which he was named Finals MVP. He ranks 11th among NBA players with most playoff games won with 128. Like fellow Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant, the entirety of Johnson’s playoff wins came with the Los Angeles Lakers.


Tony Parker – 30 series wins

Photo of Tony Parker

Tony Parker

William Anthony Parker Jr. Twitter: tonyparker

(T.P., Fiery Francophile, Parisian Torpedo)

Position: Point Guard ▪ Shoots: Right

6-2185lb (188cm, 83kg)

Born: May 17, 1982 (Age: 41-196d) in Bruges, Belgium be

Draft: San Antonio Spurs, 1st round (28th pick, 28th overall), 2001 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 30, 2001

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2023 (Full List)

Career Length: 18 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1254

PTS

15.5

TRB

2.7

AST

5.6

FG%

49.1

FG3%

32.4

FT%

75.1

eFG%

50.8

PER

18.2

WS

111.3

Part of the 2000s San Antonio Spurs’ “Big Three” with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker won 30 series with the Spurs over 17 postseasons. Head coach Gregg Popovic and The Big Three consistently found themselves competing in the Western Conference, as Parker’s Spurs made the playoffs in each of his 17 seasons with the team from 2002 to 2018. With that playoff exposure comes a lot of playoff wins. Parker is sixth all time among NBA players with most playoff games played and won, with 137 wins in 226 playoff games.


Michael Jordan – 30 series wins

Photo of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

Michael Jeffrey Jordan

(Mike, Air Jordan, M.J., His Airness, Money, Black Cat, Mr. June, G.O.A.T., Superman, Captain Marvel, Black Jesus)

Position: Shooting Guard and Small Forward ▪ Shoots: Right

6-6198lb (198cm, 89kg)

Born: February 17, 1963 (Age: 60-285d) in Brooklyn, New York us

College: UNC

High School: Emsley A. Laney in Wilmington, North Carolina

Draft: Chicago Bulls, 1st round (3rd pick, 3rd overall), 1984 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 26, 1984

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2009 (Full List)

Career Length: 15 years

SUMMARY

Career

G

1072

PTS

30.1

TRB

6.2

AST

5.3

FG%

49.7

FG3%

32.7

FT%

83.5

eFG%

50.9

PER

27.9

WS

214.0

You didn’t think MJ would be left off a list of who has the most playoff wins in NBA history, did you? Although he took a few years off in the mid-90s, Jordan’s excellence and leadership of the Bulls dynasty produced a 30-7 record in playoff series, famously including his 6-0 record in the NBA Finals. Jordan averaged 40+ points per game in five different playoff series, including the 1993 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.


FAQs

Who has the most playoff wins in NBA history?

LeBron James has the most playoff wins in NBA history. As of the beginning of the 2025-26 season, James has won 184 playoff games and 41 playoff series.


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