In the history of the NBA, few names command more respect than Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Widely regarded as the sport`s two greatest players, they hold numerous records. Any statistical milestone previously achieved solely by these two legends is undeniably impressive.
Until the current postseason, such an exclusive achievement was the `30-10-5 club` for a single playoff run. Entering the 2025 playoffs, the only two players ever to record at least 30 points and five assists in 10 different games during one postseason were, predictably, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. This feat is difficult because scoring and assisting become harder in the playoffs, and over half of playoff teams are eliminated before even reaching 10 games played. It takes a special talent on a team making a deep run, and the 2025 playoffs have now added two more names to this distinguished list.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the first to join. On Wednesday, as the Oklahoma City Thunder decisively defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves to secure their first NBA Finals berth since 2012, Gilgeous-Alexander posted 34 points and eight assists. This performance marked his 10th game this postseason with at least 30 points and five assists, coinciding with him earning the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy. Welcome to the Jordan and James club, Shai. However, he didn`t have long to be the sole new member.
Less than 24 hours later, Jalen Brunson earned his entry. Keeping the New York Knicks` season alive on Thursday with a 111-94 Game 5 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Brunson scored 32 points and dished out exactly five assists. Like Gilgeous-Alexander, this was his 10th such game this postseason. Thus, within two days, the size of this incredibly rare club doubled from two members to four.
While Brunson and Gilgeous-Alexander have matched Jordan and James in a single playoff run, they still have a considerable path to catch up to their overall frequency in this achievement. Both Jordan and James reached this specific milestone in three separate playoff runs each. Jordan did so in 1989, 1990, and 1992, while James accomplished it in 2015, 2017, and 2018.
Nonetheless, it`s entirely possible that either Brunson or Gilgeous-Alexander could set a new record for the most 30-point, five-assist games in a single postseason before these playoffs conclude. Both James and Jordan`s high mark for a single run was 11 games. This means both Brunson and Gilgeous-Alexander need just two more games with these stats to set a new record. Brunson`s opportunity depends on the remaining games in the Eastern Conference Finals (maximum two more), while Gilgeous-Alexander has the entire NBA Finals series ahead of him to add to his total.
While setting an individual record would be a great accomplishment, both players would undoubtedly prefer to achieve a far more significant goal: winning a championship. Interestingly, of the six combined playoff runs where Jordan and James reached this 10-game milestone, only one resulted in an NBA title (Jordan in 1992). Gilgeous-Alexander is currently four wins away from hoisting the Larry O`Brien Trophy, while Brunson needs six. Ultimately, while individual statistics are valuable, the true benchmark when measured against legends like Jordan and James is the number of championship rings.
Jasper Hawthorne