When it comes to the NBA playoffs, making it to the dance is only a quarter of the battle. The other 75%? Well, sometimes it’s a slow waltz off the floor after a tough loss. But let’s be clear—losing in the postseason means you made it there in the first place, which already separates you from almost half of the league. In order to rack up dozens of playoff losses, you have to be really good— like almost Hall-of-Fame good. In fact, only 29 players in NBA history have logged over 150 career playoff games, and nearly all of them have at least one All-Star selection.

The NBA Playoffs are where legacies are forged, but sometimes they’re also where heartbreak lingers longest. Sort of like betting on your favorite team at a new online casino – sometimes you hit big, other times you wonder why you doubled down on the Clippers in Game 7 knowing that they’re one of five NBA teams to never make the NBA Finals.

Most Total Career Playoff Losses

Here’s our tip of the cap to the NBA Playoffs’ biggest winners and losers—specifically, the players who’ve racked up the most postseason defeats and somehow still slept at night on a pile of accolades. These aren’t one-and-done guys; they’re battle-tested veterans who made deep runs year after year. In fact, every player in the top 10 for playoff losses has appeared in at least 140 postseason games, and eight of the top ten have multiple All-NBA selections.

1. LeBron James: 108 Losses (63.0% Win Rate, 4 Championships)

LeBron James has played a whopping 292 playoff games — so LeBron has more wins and losses than any player in NBA Playoff history. His 108 losses are simply the byproduct of unmatched longevity and nearly two decades of postseason appearances evident in his impressive 63% playoff win rate.

With 184 playoff wins and four NBA Championships (and 4 NBA Finals MVPs), James has carried three franchises deep into June, including eight straight Finals from 2011–2018. Even in his 21st season, he’s still padding the stats and records, though his Lakers’ early exit in 2025 sparked another round of “Is this the end?” chatter. Spoiler alert: he’s got his son Bronny and Luka Doncic on the Lakers, probably not.

2. Derek Fisher: 98 Losses (62.2% Win Rate, 5 Championships)

Derek Fisher might not have been the flashiest player, but he was built for the playoffs. Across 259 games, Fisher collected 161 wins and five rings, often acting as the Lakers’ reliable, calm presence next to Kobe and Shaq. His 98 losses came with a side of iconic moments, including that miraculous 0.4-second game-winner against the Spurs. The man has more playoff wins than entire franchises.

3. Karl Malone: 95 Losses (50.8% Win Rate, 0 Championships)

Karl Malone’s 95 playoff losses sting a little more because they came without an NBA Title to balance the scale. Over 19 postseasons, Malone dominated statistically—24.7 PPG and 10.7 RPG—but always ran into basketball buzzsaws named Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon or Shaquille O’Neal. His 0-for-3 Finals record and career 50.8% playoff win rate remain a cruel twist for one of the game’s most dominant power forwards.

4. Tim Duncan: 94 Losses (62.5% Win Rate, 5 Championships)

Tim Duncan’s 94 playoff losses are practically a rounding error when you consider he also won 157 postseason games and five championships. The Big Fundamental was the anchor of the Spurs’ machine-like consistency, helping San Antonio reach the playoffs 18 straight times during his career. In short: Duncan played a ton and usually won—but hey, even machines break down once in a while.

5. John Stockton: 93 Losses (48.9% Win Rate, 0 Championships)

Like Malone, John Stockton’s playoff résumé is filled with deep runs that ended just short. He notched 93 losses over 182 games but still holds the all-time assists and steals records—both by a mile. His two Finals trips ended in heartbreak thanks to, you guessed it, the Chicago Bulls. At a 48.9% playoff win rate, Stockton was a constant presence but rarely on the happier side of elimination.

6. Al Horford: 90 Losses (53.1% Win Rate, 1 Championship)

Al Horford’s 90 playoff losses span multiple teams and over a decade of grinding in the East. A five-time All-Star and one of the NBA’s most respected veterans, Horford finally captured his first ring in 2024 with the Celtics after years of being the bridesmaid. His 53.1% playoff win rate reflects the ups and downs of playing for multiple NBA teams, but his professionalism, longevity and leadership were key in that long-awaited title run he had with the 2024 Boston Celtics.

7. Robert Horry: 89 Losses (63.5% Win Rate, 7 Championships)

One of two players in the top ten without an NBA All-Star nod, Robert Horry might share the same number of playoff losses as Tony Parker, but he’s walking around with more hardware – seven rings, to be exact – than Jordan, Bird, Magic, or Hakeem.  Nicknamed “Big Shot Rob” for a reason, Horry turned his playoff minutes into legendary moments with the Rockets, Lakers, and Spurs. A 63.5% win rate over 244 games? That’s what you call clutch role-playing at its finest.

7. Tony Parker: 89 Losses (60.6% Win Rate, 4 Championships)

Tony Parker’s 89 playoff losses came over 17 postseasons, mostly on the back of Duncan and the Spurs. With 137 wins and four championship rings, Parker was the engine of San Antonio’s offense for years, routinely torching defenses with his floaters and speed. His Finals MVP in 2007 often gets overlooked, but the guy delivered when it mattered most.

9. Shaquille O’Neal: 87 Losses (59.7% Win Rate, 4 Championships)

Shaq’s 87 playoff losses are buried under his 129 wins and four NBA titles. When Shaq was in his prime, there was simply no stopping him. He averaged 24.3 PPG and 11.6 RPG in the postseason and dominated three straight Finals from 2000–2002 as MVP. The only thing bigger than Shaq’s personality was his dominance in the paint.

10. Kobe Bryant: 85 Losses (61.4% Win Rate, 5 Championships)

Kobe Bryant experienced 85 playoff losses, but he also collected 135 wins and five NBS championships, often dragging teams deeper into the postseason than they probably deserved to go. Known for his killer mentality and endless late-game heroics, Kobe’s playoff résumé is a masterclass in competitive fire. Win or lose, you knew the Mamba was going down swinging.

You know who you might be surprised not to see on this list? Michael Jordan. He lost just 60 games in the NBA Playoffs over the course of his legendary career. While that may sound like a lot, those losses came alongside 119 playoff wins, six NBA championships, and a perfect 6–0 record in the Finals – never even needing a Game 7. Most of those early losses came in the late ’80s when the Bulls were learning lessons from the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. Once MJ reached his peak, the Bulls hit their stride, playoff exits became rare, and rings became routine.

Yes, this is a list of playoff losses—but context is everything. These aren’t the guys who went home in April. These are the players who got there, year after year, carrying the hopes of cities, franchises, and fanbases. You can’t lose 80+ playoff games without being a fixture in the postseason.