The 2023 NBA playoffs are beginning to kick into high gear, and there have already been several record-breaking performances. Records are, of course, meant to be broken but there are several NBA Playoff records that are highly unlikely to ever be broken. Let’s take a look at the 7 most unbreakable playoff records in NBA history.
Most points in a quarter and a half of an NBA playoff game: Sleepy Floyd-29 and 39
Of the players on this list, Sleepy Floyd is one of the least known, but his playoff record may prove timeless. Floyd set two scoring records in a sizzling Game 4 performance in the Golden State Warriors first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988. Floyd dropped a staggering 29 points in the first quarter and 39 points in the first half, which was made all the more impressive by the fact that he only hit two 3-pointers during his onslaught.
Floyd would go on to drop 51 points, which is much harder to do in the playoffs than in the regular season. In fact, the single-game playoff scoring record belongs to Michael Jordan, who dropped 63 in a double-overtime game in 1986. Even then, Floyd’s two records are far less likely to be broken than Jordan’s.
Dropping 30 points in a quarter and 40 in a half in a playoff game is hard to imagine, even with the high level of offense in today’s NBA. The game tends to slow down, and defenses tend to be much better, resulting in fewer big individual-scoring performances. Never say never, but Floyd’s incendiary performance hasn’t been surpassed in 35 years, and it doesn’t appear likely that it ever will.
Most assists in an NBA playoff game: Magic Johnson and John Stockton-24
It is no coincidence that the NBA Playoff record for most assists in a game belongs to two of the sport’s greatest passers. Magic Johnson originally set the record back in 1984, in just his fourth season in the NBA, in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns. However, almost four years later, Stockton matched that assist mark in Game 5 of the 1988 NBA Western Conference Semifinals while playing against Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since then, 35 seasons have passed, and no one has managed to eclipse the record yet. While Steve Nash came close in 2007 when he had 23, only he and Rajon Rondo have managed to dish out 20 or more assists in a playoff game since 2000. Although no one has broken the record, that doesn’t mean that someone can’t, right?
While that is true, when looking at the leaderboard for most assists in the playoffs, Johnson and Stockton dominate the list. Johnson had 10 20-assist games, including his record 24, and Stockton had four of his own. It seems clear that only truly elite passers are capable of having at least 20 assists in a playoff game, and while there are plenty of very good playmakers playing now, it’s hard to imagine them racking up 25 assists in a playoff game.
Most free throws made in an NBA game: Bob Cousy-30
Few people know the NBA record for most free throws made in a playoff game stands at 30 and has been held by Celtics legend Bob Cousy for the last 70 years. That goes to show just how unlikely it is to ever be broken. After all, no one has ever come close to breaking the record, and no one likely ever will.
There are a few reasons why: The first is that Cousy set the record in a quadruple-overtime game against the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers). The second is that quadruple-overtime games are incredibly rare, especially in the playoffs, and it gave him the opportunity to set the free-throw mark. The third reason is that free throw shooting has steadily declined over the years, with perimeter players driving to the basket less and taking more threes.
Players simply don’t take anywhere near as many free throws as they once did, and that is probably for the best. After all, watching someone make 31 free throws over the course of an NBA game would take forever, and I can confidently say no one has time for that. Therefore, Cousy’s record couldn’t and shouldn’t be broken.
Most steals in an NBA playoff game: Allen Iverson-10
As far as numbers are concerned, having 10 steals in a playoff game probably doesn’t seem all that impressive. Despite that, there have been just 22 10+ steal games in the 49 seasons since steals have started being recorded by the NBA. Moreover, Allen Iverson is the only player to ever do that in a postseason game, back in 1999.
Racking up 10 steals is definitely harder than many realize and often requires incredible timing, effort, and luck. Iverson wasn’t necessarily a good defender but he did lead the NBA in steals from 2000-2003, mainly because he had a tendency to jump passing lanes.
That wasn’t always a good thing, since it probably resulted in plenty of easy shots when he missed a steal. Then again, when he didn’t, opponents simply weren’t catching Iverson as he sprinted down the court after swiping the ball. In the playoffs, gambling on steals is far more uncommon, given that teams play slower and have their best ballhandlers log big minutes.
That usually means fewer opportunities to force turnovers. Based on that, surpassing Iverson’s record would require a lot of things to go right for a defensive player, and considering the rarity of having at least 10 steals in a game, it probably won’t happen again.
Most rebounds in an NBA game: Wilt Chamberlain-41
Considering the number of records that Wilt Chamberlain holds, it’s not surprising that he also holds the mark for most rebounds in a playoff game. While records fall all the time, there are several reasons why Chamberlain’s 41-rebound mark won’t ever be topped. Forever is a long time, but it’s already been fifty-six years, and no player has come close to Chamberlain’s mark since 1970.
One reason why his record is safe is that back in the 1960s, the NBA was much faster-paced than it is today, and players shot much worse from the field, resulting in bricks galore. That is not to say that he wasn’t a great rebounder; in fact, he is the NBA’s all-time leader, but grabbing 41 rebounds is virtually impossible in today’s NBA. After all, the pace is slower, and shooting percentages are dramatically better than they were back then.
Big men can’t just hang out near the rim anymore either, and defending on the perimeter often results in not being in a position to grab rebounds. Simply put, it’s a much tougher feat now than it was back in the 1960s, when Chamberlain accomplished it, and it may very well stand for decades to come as a result.
Most minutes in an NBA playoff game: Red Rocka and Paul Seymour-67
The aforementioned quadruple overtime game between the Boston Celtics and the Syracuse Nationals didn’t just result in Cousy’s record of 30 made free throws. In fact, it also saw an even more difficult record set by two players. Red Rocka and Paul Seymour both logged a staggering 67 minutes in that game, a record that is unlikely ever to be matched.
There are at least three reasons why their records are safe. For starters, starters don’t play 48 minutes, even in the playoffs, with even the best players tending to max out at around 40 minutes. That alone all but guarantees that the record will continue to stand. If you aren’t convinced, take a look at the final score of that game. The Celtics edged out the Nationals 111-105, despite four OTs. That score would be more in line with a regulation playoff game now.
With increased individual scoring, there is more variance in points scored by teams, resulting in a decreased chance of overtime, let alone four. Even if there were to be a quadruple overtime playoff game in the modern NBA, no player would come close to playing every minute like Rocka and Seymour did. Thus, this record appears to be the most unbreakable.