Top 5 NBA Players with most Playoff triple-doubles of all time
For any NBA fans who have somehow missed the definition of triple-double in this era that is full of them, a triple-double is the title given to a player's stat line if they have recorded at least ten in three of the following stat categories: points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals.
While triple doubles happen a lot in the modern NBA which is operating at its fastest pace in 30 years, they are difficult to come by in the playoffs when teams are zeroed in on every single defensive possession, rebound, and hustle play.
Some players have gone above and beyond to record triple-doubles in the playoffs on many occasions, here are the five players with the most triple-doubles in the playoffs.
Honourable mentions to Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, who each have eight career triple-doubles in the playoffs, and ironically are the only two players to ever average a triple-double for an entire season.
#5 Wilt Chamberlain - 9
Wilt has recorded a grand total of nine official playoff triple-doubles, but let's not kid ourselves and pretend that number is accurate. Wilt played in an era when blocked shots weren't recorded, but if they were then he would be the runaway leader of this list; steals and blocks were not recorded league-wide until the 1982-83 season, long after Wilt had retired.
This won't be done for every player, but take a look at Wilt's triple-double stat lines, because they are outstanding. In chronological order (listed by points, rebounds, assists):
30-15-10
37-27-11
16-30-19
24-32-13
20-22-10
29-36-13
16-33-10
10-38-10
12-26-11
Pretty damn impressive, right? Just imagine if they had recorded blocks back then...we would have an undisputed leader in not just playoff triple-doubles, but probably also playoff quadruple-doubles too - I'm sure he would have recorded at least one of those.
The most amazing stat about the nine listed triple-doubles is that seven of them came within 25 days of each other in the 1967 playoffs! Believe it or not, Wilt Chamberlain and his Philadelphia 76ers were NBA champions following this incredible run.