NBA Players with the Highest Assist Averages in Playoffs in Their 2nd Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 2nd NBA season, ranked by playoff assists per game. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

Year:

2nd

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Show: Season - Playoffs / Other Stats

Other Stats

Assists Per Game

3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player averaged the most assists in the Playoffs in his 2nd year?

Playing for the 1989 Phoenix Suns, Kevin Johnson averaged 12.3 assists in 12 games — the highest playoff assists per game average by any NBA player in his 2nd season.

Assists Per Game, 2nd Season

12.3 apg
Kevin Johnson
(1989 Phoenix Suns)

Note: No game minimums were used for this list / = NBA champion in this season.

Assists Per Game in a Player's 2nd Season - Top 50

Playoffs

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
1	Kevin Johnson (1989 Suns)	12.3	147	12	23.8	4.3	1.6	0.4	0.3
2	Norm Nixon (1979 Lakers)	11.8	94	8	15.4	3.5	1.4	0.0	-
3	Tim Hardaway (1991 Warriors)	11.2	101	9	25.2	3.7	3.1	0.8	1.9
4	Rod Strickland (1990 Spurs)	11.2	112	10	12.3	5.3	1.4	0.0	0.0
5	Oscar Robertson (1962 Royals)	11.0	44	4	28.8	11.0	-	-	-
6	Johnny Moore (1982 Spurs)	10.3	93	9	10.4	3.4	1.7	0.7	0.0
7	Mark Jackson (1989 Knicks)	10.1	91	9	14.7	3.4	1.1	0.3	1.2
8	Terry Porter (1987 Trail Blazers)	10.0	40	4	17.0	4.8	2.5	0.5	0.5
9	Clyde Drexler (1985 Trail Blazers)	9.2	83	9	16.7	6.1	2.6	1.0	0.2
10	Walt Frazier (1969 Knicks)	9.1	91	10	21.2	7.4	-	-	-

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
11	Darnell Valentine (1983 Trail Blazers)	8.7	61	7	12.1	2.1	1.4	0.4	0.1
12	Luka Doncic (2020 Mavericks)	8.7	52	6	31.0	9.8	1.2	0.5	2.7
	Phil Ford (1980 Kings)	8.7	26	3	17.3	2.0	1.7	0.0	1.0
14	Deron Williams (2007 Jazz)	8.6	146	17	19.2	4.3	1.5	0.2	1.1
15	Eddie Jordan (1979 Nets)	8.5	17	2	19.0	7.5	4.0	1.5	-
16	Ja Morant (2021 Grizzlies)	8.2	41	5	30.2	4.8	0.4	0.0	2.0
17	Gary Brokaw (1976 Bucks)	8.0	24	3	21.0	3.7	1.0	1.0	-
18	Penny Hardaway (1995 Magic)	7.7	162	21	19.6	3.8	1.9	0.7	1.9
19	Stephon Marbury (1998 Timberwolves)	7.6	38	5	13.8	3.2	2.4	0.0	1.4
	Mark Price (1988 Cavaliers)	7.6	38	5	21.0	3.6	0.6	0.0	1.0

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
21	Nick Van Exel (1995 Lakers)	7.3	73	10	20.0	3.8	2.1	0.3	2.1
22	Derrick Rose (2010 Bulls)	7.2	36	5	26.8	3.4	0.8	0.0	0.4
23	Slick Watts (1975 Supersonics)	7.1	64	9	11.1	3.7	3.0	0.4	-
24	Magic Johnson (1981 Lakers)	7.0	21	3	17.0	13.7	2.7	1.0	0.0
	Bill Sharman (1952 Celtics)	7.0	7	1	15.0	3.0	-	-	-
	Latrell Sprewell (1994 Warriors)	7.0	21	3	22.7	3.0	0.7	1.0	2.7
27	Quinn Buckner (1978 Bucks)	6.9	62	9	11.2	3.0	2.0	0.1	-
28	Dwyane Wade (2005 Heat)	6.6	93	14	27.4	5.7	1.6	1.1	0.1
29	Rajon Rondo (2008 Celtics)	6.6	172	26	10.2	4.1	1.7	0.3	0.2
30	Nate McMillan (1988 Supersonics)	6.6	33	5	6.6	4.2	0.4	0.6	0.0

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
31	Damian Lillard (2014 Trail Blazers)	6.5	72	11	22.9	5.1	1.0	0.1	2.5
32	Jamaal Tinsley (2003 Pacers)	6.5	39	6	8.5	3.0	0.7	0.0	1.3
33	T.J. Ford (2006 Bucks)	6.4	32	5	12.6	4.0	0.6	0.0	0.4
34	Vince Carter (2000 Raptors)	6.3	19	3	19.3	6.0	1.0	1.3	0.3
	Bob Cousy (1952 Celtics)	6.3	19	3	31.0	4.0	-	-	-
	Alvin Robertson (1986 Spurs)	6.3	19	3	9.0	4.7	2.3	0.3	0.0
37	Maurice Cheeks (1980 76ers)	6.2	111	18	11.6	4.1	2.5	0.2	0.1
38	Larry Bird (1981 Celtics)	6.1	103	17	21.9	14.0	2.3	1.0	0.2
39	Andy Phillip (1949 Stags)	6.0	12	2	19.5	-	-	-	-
	Guy Rodgers (1960 Warriors)	6.0	54	9	13.1	8.6	-	-	-
	Ben Simmons (2019 76ers)	6.0	72	12	13.9	7.0	1.3	1.0	0.0
	Russell Westbrook (2010 Thunder)	6.0	36	6	20.5	6.0	1.7	0.2	0.8
	Bob Wilkerson (1978 Nuggets)	6.0	78	13	9.2	5.5	1.5	0.3	-

		Assists			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Pts	Reb	Stl	Blk	3pm
44	Kirk Hinrich (2005 Bulls)	5.8	35	6	21.2	3.7	2.0	0.7	2.8
45	Baron Davis (2001 Hornets)	5.8	58	10	17.8	4.4	2.8	0.5	2.0
46	Steve Colter (1986 Trail Blazers)	5.8	23	4	6.5	3.8	1.3	0.3	0.0
47	Toni Kukoc (1995 Bulls)	5.7	57	10	13.8	6.8	1.0	0.2	1.4
48	Bob Donham (1952 Celtics)	5.7	17	3	9.0	4.3	-	-	-
	Michael Jordan (1986 Bulls)	5.7	17	3	43.7	6.3	2.3	1.3	0.3
	Eric Money (1976 Pistons)	5.7	51	9	12.6	2.4	1.6	0.1	-

* The NBA began recording rebounds in 1951, steals and blocks in 1974, and added the 3-point line in 1980.