NBA career playoff assists: Magic Johnson, LeBron James lead the way with Chris Paul closing in
Magic Johnson and LeBron James lead the way in NBA career playoff assists. Johnson remains the leader in the category, as he never missed the postseason in his 13-year career.
Coming in hot in the top five is Chris Paul, who is among the active players with the most assists in the playoffs. Other players in the top five include John Stockton of the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
Johnson, Stockton and Kidd are retired and members of the Hall of Fame. James and Paul are still active but should join those three after they retire. With that out of the way, let's take a look at the five players with the most assists in the playoffs.
#1, Magic Johnson, 2,346 assists
Magic Johnson is considered by many as the greatest point guard in NBA history. Johnson stands at 6-foot-9, which made him an ideal playmaker, as he could see the court over defenders. However, his basketball IQ was also high, and he made the right plays.
Johnson was also a clutch performer and a bona fide winner. He never missed the playoffs, averaging an NBA record of 12.3 assists per game in the postseason. If Magic's the GOAT point guard, it makes sense that he's the leader in career assists and assists per game when it matters the most.
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#2, LeBron James, 1,939 assists
LeBron James being second overall in total assists in the playoffs just shows that he truly is a point guard. Even though he's considered a small forward, he's a pass-first guy. That also makes his scoring record even more amazing, as he's not really a scorer by nature.
Nevertheless, "The King" might not be able to break Magic Johnson's assists record in the playoffs. He still needs more than 400 assists to do it and might not have the years to get to the top. He will be 39 if the LA Lakers make the postseason next year.
#3, John Stockton, 1,839 assists
John Stockton is the NBA's all-time leader in career assists. It's a record that might never be broken. However, Stockton is just third in all-time playoff assists during his 19-year NBA career.
It's worth noting that Stockton also didn't miss the postseason during his legendary career. The only reason he's not atop the list is because the Utah Jazz were eliminated in the first round nine times during his career.
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#4, Jason Kidd, 1,263 assists
Jason Kidd is often considered the best point guard of his generation. Kidd's basketball IQ, playmaking and passing were off the charts. He's second to John Stockton in career assists and fourth in career playoff assists.
Kidd had 1,263 assists in the postseason for four different teams. He only missed the playoffs twice during his 19-year career. Just like Stockton, Kidd could have had a shot at Magic Johnson's record had he not suffered eight first-round exits.
#5, Chris Paul, 1,215 assists
"Point God" Chris Paul is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Paul remains active despite his age (38 in a few weeks) and is still looking for his first championship. He's third in all-time career assists and fifth in the postseason career assists.
Paul is closing in on Kidd's fourth spot, needing just 48 assists. If the Phoenix Suns can make a run to the NBA Finals, CP3 will have a chance to do it. He's also expected to play again next season, so there's a chance for him to move past Kidd on the postseason career assists list.
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