Top NBA Players with the Most Assists in a Single Playoff Game

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The NBA playoffs are known for showcasing high-scoring performances, but what about the players who excel in setting up their teammates for success? Since 1984, there have been 19 instances of a player dishing out 20 or more assists in a single postseason game. Impressively, only six players have achieved this feat. Let's take a closer look at these elite playmakers.

John Stockton – 24 Assists (1988 WCF Semis Game 5 vs. Lakers)

Stockton has the most regular-season assists in NBA history. He’s also third in playoff assists. During his lengthy career spent entirely with the Utah Jazz, Stockton never won an NBA title. That wasn’t for a lack of trying. Stockton had four 20-assist games in the postseason. Notably, in the same week in May of 1988, Stockton tallied two of these games. That included a 24-assist outing in a loss to the Lakers.

His 24 dimes are tied for the record for the most in a single playoff game.

Magic Johnson – 24 Assists (1984 WCF Game 2 vs. Suns)

That’s right, Magic tallied 10 instances of notching 20 assists or more in a single playoff game. Granted, he had some great teammates, and the Lakers went on many lengthy postseason runs in his career, but obviously Magic was a boon to those talented teammates and played a crucial role in all those title runs. While Johnson hit exactly 20 assists on five occasions,

he did get up to 24 dimes once in a win over the Suns in 1984.

Steve Nash – 23 Assists (2007 First Round Game 4 vs. Lakers)

Stockton and Johnson are the two NBA players to reach 24 assists in a single playoff game. Three players have also tallied 23 assists in one outing. Two of them, shockingly, are Stockton and Johnson. The other one, though, is Nash. While the Canadian court maestro only managed to cross the 20-dime mark once, he made a splash while doing it. This was in 2007 at the peak of the “Seven Seconds or Less” Suns era. Nash’s 23 assists actually helped the Suns beat none other than the Lakers.

Doc Rivers – 22 Assists (1988 Eastern Conference Semis Game 4 vs. Celtics)

While Doc is known to younger NBA fans as an NBA head coach, he had a fine playing career back in the day. Fittingly, Rivers’ big playoff game came in 1988, as the 1987-88 season was when he made his sole All-Star Game appearance. Playing for the Hawks, Rivers notched 22 assists to help his team beat the vaunted Boston Celtics. Doc is the only NBA player to tally exactly 22 assists in a playoff game.

Rajon Rondo – 21 Assists (2018 Western Conference Semis Game 3 vs. Warriors)

You likely remember Rondo’s time as the point guard for the Boston Celtics, where he played for head coach Doc Rivers, and indeed in 2010 he had 20 assists in a playoff game for the Celtics. He helped Boston beat the Knicks. However, in 2018 he had 21 assists in a postseason contest, and he did that with the New Orleans Pelicans. Additionally, on two occasions Rondo fell just short of 20, tallying 19 assists in a game.

Tim Hardaway – 20 Assists (1991 Western Conference Semis Game 5 vs. Lakers)

The last member of the postseason 20-assist club is Hardaway. While his legacy revolves around his crossover dribble, he was also an excellent passer. In his career, the Hall of Famer averaged 8.2 assists per game. The game in question came early in said career, and it proved futile. In 1991, playing for the Run-TMC Warriors, Hardaway had 20 assists against the Lakers. However, the Lakers not only won that night, but that victory closed out the series and eliminated Golden State.