Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Becomes NBA’s All-Time Playoff Scoring Leader
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INGLEWOOD, Calif. – On June 2, 1985, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar overtook Jerry West as the NBA’s career postseason scoring leader during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-111 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at The Forum.
The matchup followed a 1-1 split in Boston. Boston led by four after the first quarter, but Los Angeles’ reserves sparked a 10-point swing in the second period, giving the Lakers a six-point halftime edge. The hosts added 35 points in the third quarter and never trailed again, moving ahead 2-1 in the series they eventually won in six games for the franchise’s ninth championship.
Abdul-Jabbar finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in 35 minutes. His scoring output pushed his playoff total past West’s 4,457 points, establishing the new benchmark.
The center ultimately amassed 5,762 postseason points across 20 NBA seasons. Michael Jordan surpassed that mark in 1998, ending his career with 5,987. LeBron James claimed the top spot in 2017, eclipsing Jordan during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Source: Lakers Nation
