NBA Players with the Highest Scoring Averages in Playoffs in Their 3rd Season

Explore the NBA players who delivered the best stats ever in a 3rd NBA season, ranked by playoff points per game. See how the all-time greats compare in this top-50 historical list.

Year:

3rd

/ Other years

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Show: Season - Playoffs / Other Stats

Other Stats

Points Per Game

3-Pointers Made Per Game

Total

Which NBA player averaged the most points in the Playoffs in his 3rd year?

Playing for the 1961 Los Angeles Lakers, Elgin Baylor averaged 38.1 points in 12 games — the highest playoff scoring average by any NBA player in his 3rd season.

Points Per Game, 3rd Season

38.1 ppg
Elgin Baylor
(1961 Los Angeles Lakers)

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

Points Per Game in a Player's 3rd Season - Top 50

Playoffs

		Points			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
1	Elgin Baylor (1961 Lakers)	38.1	457	12	15.3	4.6	-	-	-
2	Bob McAdoo (1975 Braves)	37.4	262	7	13.4	1.4	0.9	2.7	-
3	Donovan Mitchell (2020 Jazz)	36.3	254	7	5.0	4.9	1.0	0.3	4.7
4	Luka Doncic (2021 Mavericks)	35.7	250	7	7.9	10.3	1.3	0.4	4.4
5	Michael Jordan (1987 Bulls)	35.7	107	3	7.0	6.0	2.0	2.3	0.7
6	Wilt Chamberlain (1962 Warriors)	35.0	420	12	26.6	3.1	-	-	-
7	Oscar Robertson (1963 Royals)	31.8	381	12	13.0	9.0	-	-	-
8	Anthony Edwards (2023 Timberwolves)	31.6	158	5	5.0	5.2	1.8	2.0	3.0
9	Anthony Davis (2015 Pelicans)	31.5	126	4	11.0	2.0	1.3	3.0	0.0
10	LeBron James (2006 Cavaliers)	30.8	400	13	8.1	5.8	1.4	0.7	1.6

		Points			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
11	Amar'e Stoudemire (2005 Suns)	29.9	449	15	10.7	1.2	0.7	2.0	0.0
12	Bob Pettit (1957 Hawks)	29.8	298	10	16.8	2.5	-	-	-
13	Karl Malone (1988 Jazz)	29.7	327	11	11.8	1.5	1.2	0.6	0.0
14	John Williamson (1979 Nets)	29.5	59	2	3.0	4.0	2.0	0.0	-
15	Paolo Banchero (2025 Magic)	29.4	147	5	8.4	4.2	0.6	0.8	2.4
16	Hakeem Olajuwon (1987 Rockets)	29.2	292	10	11.3	2.5	1.3	4.3	0.0
17	Trae Young (2021 Hawks)	28.8	461	16	2.8	9.5	1.3	0.0	2.8
18	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1972 Bucks)	28.7	316	11	18.2	5.1	-	-	-
19	George Gervin (1979 Spurs)	28.6	400	14	5.9	2.5	1.9	1.0	-
20	Cliff Hagan (1959 Hawks)	28.5	171	6	12.0	2.7	-	-	-
	Allen Iverson (1999 76ers)	28.5	228	8	4.1	4.9	2.5	0.3	1.9

		Points			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
22	Dwyane Wade (2006 Heat)	28.4	654	23	5.9	5.7	2.2	1.1	0.6
23	Earl Monroe (1970 Bullets)	28.0	196	7	3.3	4.0	-	-	-
	David Thompson (1979 Nuggets)	28.0	84	3	7.0	4.0	1.3	0.3	-
25	Jerry West (1963 Lakers)	27.8	362	13	8.2	4.7	-	-	-
26	Terry Cummings (1985 Bucks)	27.5	220	8	8.8	2.5	1.5	0.9	0.0
	Willis Reed (1967 Knicks)	27.5	110	4	13.8	1.8	-	-	-
28	Kelly Tripucka (1984 Pistons)	27.4	137	5	4.6	3.0	2.2	0.0	0.0
29	Mickey Johnson (1977 Bulls)	27.3	82	3	13.0	2.3	1.7	0.7	-
30	Vince Carter (2001 Raptors)	27.3	327	12	6.5	4.7	1.7	1.7	2.1

		Points			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
31	Derrick Rose (2011 Bulls)	27.1	434	16	4.3	7.7	1.4	0.7	1.6
32	Ja Morant (2022 Grizzlies)	27.1	244	9	8.0	9.8	2.0	0.4	1.9
33	Derrick Coleman (1993 Nets)	26.8	134	5	13.4	4.6	1.2	2.6	1.0
34	Kiki Vandeweghe (1983 Nuggets)	26.8	214	8	6.5	4.0	0.5	0.9	0.0
35	Brandon Roy (2009 Trail Blazers)	26.7	160	6	4.8	2.8	1.3	1.2	1.3
36	Pete Maravich (1973 Hawks)	26.2	157	6	4.8	6.7	-	-	-
37	Jayson Tatum (2020 Celtics)	25.7	437	17	10.0	5.0	1.0	1.2	2.8
38	Shaquille O'Neal (1995 Magic)	25.7	539	21	11.9	3.3	0.9	1.9	0.0
39	Bob Cousy (1953 Celtics)	25.5	153	6	4.2	6.2	-	-	-
40	Julius Erving (1979 76ers)	25.4	229	9	7.8	5.9	2.0	1.9	-

		Points			Other stats
Rk	Player (Team)	Per Game	Total	Gms	Reb	Ast	Stl	Blk	3pm
41	Kevin Durant (2010 Thunder)	25.0	150	6	7.7	2.3	0.5	1.3	1.7
	Allan Houston (1996 Pistons)	25.0	75	3	2.7	2.0	0.0	0.3	2.3
43	Charles Barkley (1987 76ers)	24.6	123	5	12.6	2.4	0.8	1.6	0.2
44	Tim Hardaway (1992 Warriors)	24.5	98	4	3.8	7.3	3.3	0.0	2.5
	Moses Malone (1979 Rockets)	24.5	49	2	20.5	1.0	0.5	4.0	-
46	Dan Issel (1979 Nuggets)	24.3	73	3	9.3	3.3	0.0	0.0	-
47	Drazen Petrovic (1992 Nets)	24.3	97	4	2.5	3.3	1.0	0.3	1.0
48	Chris Paul (2008 Hornets)	24.1	289	12	4.9	11.3	2.3	0.2	0.4
49	George Mikan (1951 Lakers)	24.0	168	7	10.6	1.3	-	-	-
	Jeff Ruland (1984 Bullets)	24.0	96	4	12.8	7.8	0.5	0.8	0.0

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