With the Boston Celtics Game 5 win in the NBA Finals on Monday, the wait for Al Horford was finally over. The Celtics 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks secured the 4-1 series victory. In his 17th season, the 38-year-old center is finally able to call himself an NBA champion. Entering Game 5, Horford had played 185 games in the playoffs.
Al Horford:
NBA Champion
5x All-Star
All-NBA
All-Defense
2x NCAA ChampionHall of Famer? pic.twitter.com/eFheCg0bI8
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 18, 2024
That had placed him second in league history for most postseason games without a ring, a list he no longer needs to see his name on. The all-time leader on that list is the third-leading scorer in NBA history, Karl Malone, who played 193 playoff games without winning it all. He reached two NBA Finals with the Utah Jazz and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Now that Horford is a champion, which active players have participated in the most playoff games without a ring?
The Active NBA Players With Most Playoff Games Without A Ring
1. James Harden (166 Playoff Games)
In each of his 15 seasons, James Harden has seen his team reach the playoffs. His one NBA Finals appearance came back in 2012 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost to the Miami Heat in five games. The Thunder reached the Western Conference Finals in the previous year, and he also got that far twice as a member of the Houston Rockets.
2. Chris Paul (149 Playoff Games)
At the age of 36, Chris Paul finally reached his first NBA Finals in 2021 with the Phoenix Suns. They fell to the Milwaukee Bucks, and now 39 years old, time is running out for the legendary point guard. He also reached the Western Conference Finals in 2018 with the Rockets.
3. Russell Westbrook (122 Playoff Games)
The all-time leader in career triple-doubles, Russell Westbrook made the NBA Finals in 2012 at the age of 23 with the Thunder. Now 35, the 2016-17 MVP hasn’t had a return to the NBA Finals since. In 2011, 2014, and 2016, Oklahoma City reached the Western Conference Finals but was unable to advance.
4. Jimmy Butler (119 Playoff Games)
Known by some as ‘Playoff Jimmy’, Jimmy Butler helped guide the Heat to the NBA Finals twice. In 2020, they lost to the Lakers. Last year, Butler’s Miami team came up short against the Denver Nuggets. Butler’s career playoff scoring, rebounding, and assist averages are higher across the board than they are in the regular season.
5. Jae Crowder (115 Playoff Games)
Jae Crowder has carved together a very solid career after being selected in the second round in 2012. He reached back-to-back NBA Finals in 2020 and 2021 with two different teams (Heat and Suns). While with the Celtics in 2017, Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. He is the one name on this list that isn’t a surefire Hall of Famer.
6. Paul George (114 Playoff Games)
Paul George has the sixth most career playoff games without reaching the NBA Finals among active players. While with the Indiana Pacers, they reached back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 and 2013. Now a member of the Los Angeles Clippers, they were able to reach the franchise’s first Western Conference Finals appearance in 2021.
