Racking up NBA Playoff games often means you’re among the all-time greats. But in the NBA, winning in the playoffs – and especially the NBA Finals -are where legends and GOATs are stamped.  But for a few unlucky superstars and role players, all that postseason sweat led to nothing but bruises, scars, and a lot of bitter flights home. Some spent over a decade battling through the playoffs against eventual dynasties, only to watch their peers pop champagne year after year. Some were unlucky and some just may not be meant to win it all. Some came heartbreakingly close – others just ran into Jordan, Hakeem or Shaq – but either way, their names live on in NBA history for all the wrong reason.

In a league where winning it all can mean a lifetime of fame and fortune, coming up short leaves you feeling like your efforts were worth just €1 by comparison.

The Most Playoff Games Without a Championship

Let’s take a look at the players who racked up the most playoff games without ever getting their hands on a championship—because in the NBA, almost doesn’t cut it. Guys like Karl Malone and John Stockton have the most playoff appearances in terms of overall postseasons and James Harden has put together a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, but Malone, Stockton and Harden all have playoff moments… just not the core memory that matters. They fought through conference finals, battled Super Teams, and dropped 40 in must-win games, but the trophy always ended up in somebody else’s hands.

1. Karl Malone (193 Playoff Games)

The Mailman often delivered… just not in June. Malone’s 193 playoff games is the most in NBA history without ever winning a single NBA championship.  Mostly with the Utah Jazz, Malone led them to two painful Finals losses to Michael Jordan’s Bulls. In 2025, Malone remains No. 1 on this list, with no serious threat to his “cursed crown” and ringless fingers anytime soon.

2. John Stockton (182)

If Karl Malone was Batman, John Stockton was Robin. The duo ran pick-and-rolls that made defenses dizzy but never managed to deliver an NBA title. Stockton played 182 playoff games without a championship, the second-most in NBA history. Known for his durability and gaudy regular season assist totals, Stockton’s consistency didn’t translate into postseason glory. Despite two trips to the Finals in the late ’90s and a career built on precision, toughness, and showing up every night, the ring remained out of reach.

3. James Harden (168)

Harden kept stacking playoff games across Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and now the Clippers, building a postseason résumé that looks impressive on paper but still missing the ultimate prize. Despite racking up scoring titles, MVP trophies, and unforgettable 40-point playoff triple doubles, Harden’s postseason narrative remains filled with what-ifs. Whether it was running into a Warriors dynasty, struggling through injuries, or just cold shooting nights at the worst possible moments, Harden’s ring chase has become one of the NBA’s longest-running dramas.

4. Sam Perkins (167)

“Big Smooth” could stretch the floor before it was cool, playing for the Lakers, Sonics, and Pacers. Perkins did make three Finals appearances. Two in which he lost to Michael Jordan’s Bulls. First with the Los Angeles Lakers (1991) then in  the 1996 Finals with the Seattle SuperSonics. He found himself in the wrong yellow jersey in the 2000 Finals with the Indiana Pacers when he (and Reggie Miller) would lose to the Shaq-Kobe Lakers.

5. Chris Paul (149)

Love him or hate him, CP3’s career remains one of the NBA’s saddest case of “so close, yet so far.” Despite reaching the Finals in 2021 with the Suns and the Western Conference Finals in 2024 with the Warriors, the “Point God” remains ringless. Along the way, Paul has compiled over 1,400 playoff assists—good for third all-time behind only Magic Johnson and LeBron James. Injuries, brutal playoff collapses, and plain bad luck have all played starring roles in his postseason heartbreaks. CP3’s legacy as one of the greatest pure point guards ever is secure, but when it comes to rings, CP3 is still waiting for the final chapter he deserves.

6. Kyle Korver (145)

If three-point shooters ruled the NBA earlier, Korver might’ve had a different story. Korver was always a role player, but was never lucky enough to catch onto a team that was able to win an NBA championship. That included the LeBron Cavs that lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2017 NBA Finals and the 2018 NBA Finals. 

6. George Hill (144)

This was a surprise to us. I associate Hill with the Spurs, so assumed that he may have played with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Gregg Popovich and one of those five NBA titles that the Spurs won. He played with the Spurs, Pacers, Bucks—you name it, he made it deep into the playoffs… just never all the way.

6. Reggie Miller (144)

Never a superstar in the traditional sense, but undoubtedly a basketball legend, Reggie Miller earned his place in NBA lore by hitting impossible threes and breaking the hearts of Knicks fans on an annual basis. Known for his fearless shooting and ability to silence hostile crowds, Reggie rewrote the three-point record books long before the modern era of deep shooting took over. Despite all his heroics, Miller’s playoff success often stalled at the conference finals, and his Indiana Pacers fell short in their only NBA Finals appearance in 2000, losing to the powerhouse duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

6. Charles Oakley (144)

Oakley’s brand of basketball was tough, bruising, intimidating and loyal – the epitome of 1990’s NBA basketball. Unfortunately for Oak, Jordan’s bestie was traded away from the Bulls before their championship runs and his loyalty to the Patrick Ewing Knicks in the ’90s meant facing Jordan at the height of his powers, which ended badly for championship hopes and dreams.

13. Patrick Ewing (139)

Patrick Ewing carried the Knicks to the NBA Finals twice, including the brutal seven-game war against the Rockets in 1994. Ewing battled through an era dominated by Michael Jordan’s Bulls and then Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets, often standing alone as New York’s best hope for a title. His playoff career featured countless battles in the trenche with his signature mid-range jumper, but the elusive championship never materialized. There’s more heartbreak than good memories unfortunately – a missed finger roll, Charles Smith and John Stark’s poor shooting in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals. Even in 2025, Knicks fans speak his name with a mixture of pride and heartbreak, the ultimate symbol of coming close but never cashing in.

As this list proves, greatness isn’t only defined by a ring alone, but is noteworthy. Another thing that is noteworthy? Carmelo Anthony played only 83 playoff games and isn’t even close to being on this list – which was a surprise in a bad way Anyways, players like Malone, Stockton, Reggie, Ewing, Barkley, Steve Nash, Westbrook, and CP3 didn’t just rack up playoff appearances—they shaped eras, carried franchises, are all part of the NBA75, and left marks on the game that no trophy can replace. However when it comes to NBA legacies, championships tend to grab the headlines (as it should). While we don’t support “Ring Culture” we do think it’s important when talking about the all-time greats and where they’re positioned in the annals of NBA greatness.