Key Takeaways
- Kevin Durant is on the verge of cracking the NBA’s all‑time playoff top‑5 in points, field goals and free throws; a deep Rockets run could push him past Shaq and Duncan.
- LeBron James needs just 32 made 3‑pointers to overtake Klay Thompson for No. 2 in postseason triples—a realistic target if the Lakers enjoy an extended series.
- James Harden is within striking distance of multiple top‑10 playoff marks: points (4,000), assists (top‑5), games played (top‑15) and steals (top‑10).
- A trio of All‑Stars—Durant, Jayson Tatum and Paul George—are each a handful of triples away from moving up the all‑time playoff 3‑point list.
- Boston’s Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can climb into the Celtics’ top‑5 in scoring, rebounds, steals and free throws with strong postseason performances.
- Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are poised to break into the Cavs’ top‑5 in scoring, assists, field goals and blocks.
- Denver’s Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon each have realistic pathways to top‑3 or top‑5 spots in 3‑pointers, rebounds, assists and blocks.
- Golden State’s Draymond Green is a few made field goals and free throws away from joining the Warriors’ top‑3 in those categories.
- Houston’s Clint Capela is only 15 rebounds from passing James Harden for the Rockets’ No. 3 playoff rebounder.
- Lakers’ LeBron James can move into the team’s top‑10 in steals and blocks and climb the franchise 3‑pointer ladder with a deep run.
- Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is on the cusp of becoming the Timberwolves’ all‑time leader in games played, assists, field goals and free‑throw attempts.
- New York’s Jalen Brunson needs roughly a hundred points to crack the Knicks’ top‑5 scorers, while OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson are close to top‑10 marks in triples, rebounds and blocks.
- Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holgren each require a solid playoff stretch to break into the Thunder’s top‑5 in scoring, assists, field goals and blocks.
- Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Phoenix’s Devin Booker and several other role players are within reach of top‑10 franchise playoff milestones should their teams advance past the first round.
Kevin Durant continues to pile up historic postseason numbers. Having already passed Michael Jordan for fifth on the NBA’s all‑time scoring list, Durant needs 188 more playoff points to surpass Tim Duncan for sixth and 266 to overtake Shaquille O’Neal for fifth. He is also 60 made field goals shy of Karl Malone for seventh on the playoff field‑goal list and 19 free throws from moving past Malone into the top‑4. A deep run by the Houston Rockets would give Durant the opportunities to chase those marks, especially since he has never scored fewer than 319 points in a postseason where his team played at least ten games.
LeBron James is laser‑focused on the 3‑point leaderboard. With 480 career postseason triples, he is just 32 makes away from passing Klay Thompson for second all‑time. James last reached that volume in the 2020 playoffs, when he helped the Lakers win the championship, suggesting that a similarly long series in 2026 could easily push him over the threshold.
James Harden sits on the cusp of several elite playoff tiers. He is three points from Larry Bird for 13th‑place scoring and 105 points from the 4,000‑point club. In assists, Harden trails Rajon Rondo by 12 for seventh place and needs 109 more to catch Chris Paul for fifth. He is five games shy of moving into the top‑15 in games played and only 11 steals from the top‑10 in postseason steals—a mark he has approached in recent years.
The 3‑point race also features Durant, Jayson Tatum and Paul George. Durant requires 20 made triples to pass Ray Allen for fifth, Tatum needs three to get ahead of J.R. Smith for tenth, and George needs 19 to join Smith in the chase for that spot.
Turning to team‑specific milestones, the Boston Celtics have two forwards poised to climb the franchise ladder. Jaylen Brown is 302 points from Sam Jones for fifth‑place scoring, 11 steals from Marcus Smart for fifth, and 99 rebounds from Paul Pierce for tenth. Jayson Tatum needs 247 points to pass Kevin McHale for third‑place scoring, one steal to overtake Smart for fourth, and 91 field goals to pass Robert Parish for fifth.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell is 132 points from J.R. Smith for fifth‑place scoring and could reach Kevin Love’s total with a strong series. He also needs 24 assists to pass Delonte West for fifth and 46 field goals to pass Larry Nance for the same slot. Evan Mobley is 14 blocks from Hot Rod Williams for fifth‑place blocks and 29 rebounds from Smith for tenth‑place rebounding.
Denver’s Nikola Jokić is two made triples and 20 attempts from Michael Porter Jr. for second in both categories. Jamal Murray requires eight rebounds to pass Dan Issel for fourth and three blocks to tie Kenyon Martin for tenth. Aaron Gordon needs 82 assists to move into fourth, eight steals for seventh, and 13 blocks to crack the top‑5.
Golden State’s Draymond Green is seven field goals and five free throws from overtaking Rick Barry for third and second, respectively, in those categories.
Houston’s Clint Capela is only 15 rebounds from passing James Harden for the Rockets’ No. 3 playoff rebounder—a realistic target after pulling down 50 boards in the 2025 postseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James can add ten steals to pass Jamaal Wilkes for tenth and thirteen blocks to pass Magic Johnson for fifteenth. Offensively, he needs fifteen more made 3‑ Pointers to move into the franchise’s top‑3.
Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is five games from Kevin Garnett’s all‑time games‑played record and seven assists from Garnett’s assist lead. He also sits 20 field goals and 13 free‑throw attempts from Garnett’s marks, making a deep run highly likely to reshuffle the Timberwolves’ leaderboards.
New York’s Jalen Brunson is roughly 84 points from Dave DeBusschere for fifth‑place scoring, with OG Anunoby needing thirteen more 3‑ pointers to crack the top‑3 and Mitchell Robinson 64 rebounds from Bill Bradley for tenth‑place rebounding and 18 blocks from Charles Smith for third‑place blocks.
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander needs 283 points to pass Shawn Kemp for fifth‑place scoring and 98 assists to pass Kevin Durant for fifth‑place assists. Jalen Williams is 289 points from Dennis Johnson for tenth, while Chet Holgren is 39 blocks from Durant for third‑place blocks.
Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey and Phoenix’s Devin Booker each sit within reach of top‑10 franchise playoff marks—points, triples, rebounds, blocks or assists—should their teams advance beyond the first round.
Overall, the 2026 playoffs present a wealth of realistic opportunities for both individual legends and franchise stalwarts to etch—or sharpen—their names in NBA history. A deep postseason run for any of the highlighted players could see multiple long‑standing records fall.