5 Highest scoring triple-doubles in NBA Playoffs history
With an age-high performance in Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Kevin Durant made NBA playoff history. He became the only player in the NBA playoffs history to drop 45+ points, 15+ rebounds and 10+ assists in a game. Moreover, it was when his team needed him the most and he silenced all the critics in that game, proving he can carry a team on his back.
The NBA playoffs are one of the highest leveraged moments you will ever see in major sports. They are simply magical as the brightest of stars shine and we feel the intensity and pressure of the moments. The teams compete for championships and legacies are made in real-time.
Like Durant last night, several players over the years have put on a show in the NBA playoffs spotlight. We have seen some high-scoring games but it is a true testament to a player's greatness when he contributes in most statistical categories to carry his team. The triple-double, although a lot more common now, is still the most coveted stat in the game.
Let's take a look at the top five highest scoring triple-double performances in NBA playoffs history. Unfortunately, LeBron James, arguably the greatest player today, won't crack the top five but in fact, has nine of the top 21 highest-scoring triple-doubles in the NBA playoffs.
#5 Oscar Robertson - 1963 NBA Playoffs
In just his third year in the league, Oscar Robertson went up against the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics in the Eastern Divisional Finals and took the series to 7 games. In Game 1 of the series, "The Big O" left no stone unturned and dropped 43 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against a four-time consecutive NBA championship team.
Robertson played all 48 minutes of the game that went down to the wire. The Cincinnati Royals needed every second of his production as it was a close game down the stretch. The Royals won 135-132 and Robertson was incredibly efficient from the floor. He shot 17-25 (68%) from the field and made nine of his 12 free throws.
At the time it was the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA playoff history, a record that wouldn't be broken for the next 30 years.
#4 Luka Doncic - 2020 NBA playoffs
Luka Doncic, in his second season in the NBA, took on the LA Clippers in the first round of the Western Conference 2020 NBA playoffs. He dropped a performance for the ages when he went off for 43 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals and a block in Game 4 of the series. He did so while playing through an injured ankle and also delivered the game-winning buzzer-beater in overtime, which beat the Dallas Mavericks 135-133.
Luka Doncic shot an efficient 18-31 (58%) from the field, including 4-10 (40%) from downtown and made three of his five free throw attempts. He became the youngest player in NBA playoff history to sink a game-winning buzzer-beater at age 21. Not only is he the youngest player in this top five list but is the youngest in the top 40 to drop a 40+point triple-double in the NBA playoffs.