Top Scoring Performances in NBA Playoff History

Which players most dominated the NBA playoffs?  Since pace of play varied widely throughout history we can't just use total points.  Nor can we simply choose the players with the highest field goal percentage because they may have been low volume scorers or played during an inflated offensive era. 

League-wide shooting was on a steady upward trajectory from 1958 to 1985.  After a blip in the early '90s efficiency peaked in 1995 thanks to the shortened three-point line.  How should we compare players from radically different playing environments?

'Points Above Average' combines scoring with shooting efficiency and adjusts for era.  This metric shows Jerry West shining through the poor shooting 1960's and Stephen Curry producing at historic levels despite the high octane offensive game of today.

The list below shows the highest Total 'Points Above Average' during a single NBA playoff season going back to 1950...

Top Scoring Performances 

All-Time, Single NBA Playoffs

				POINTS ABOVE	TRUE	POINTS/GAME
		Playoffs	Team	NBA AVG.	SHOOTING+	ABOVE AVG.
1	Kevin Durant	2012	OKC	102	122	5.1
2	LeBron James	2014	MIA	98	122	4.9
3	Manu Ginobili	2005	SAS	87	122	3.8
4	Kevin McHale	1988	BOS	85	124	5.0
5	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	1974	MIL	80	119	5.0
6	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	1977	LAL	80	126	7.2
7	Stephen Curry	2015	GSW	79	115	3.7
8	Jerry West	1968	LAL	78	120	5.2
9	Dirk Nowitzki	2011	DAL	76	115	3.6
10	Ray Allen	2001	MIL	75	120	4.2

Click here for the Top-50 scoring performances in NBA playoff history.