Celtics big man Al Horford has played in six Eastern Conference Finals and soon-to-be two NBA Finals over his 17-year career.
Tallying 181 playoff games, Horford has been a mainstay in the postseason since he stepped foot in the NBA. He has only missed the playoffs twice — as a rookie in Atlanta in 2007-08 and in 2020-21 when his season was cut short with the Thunder.
For as much winning as Horford has experienced, he has never won the big one.
Prior to 2024, Horford’s lone NBA Finals appearance was in 2022 when Boston fell to the Warriors in six games. His other deep playoff runs were cut short by LeBron James’ Cavaliers three times and Jimmy Butler’s Heat once.
As Horford looks to climb the mountaintop for the first time in his career in the 2024 NBA Finals, where does he rank among players with the most playoff games played without a ring?
The Sporting News has you covered with the full list below.
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Most NBA Playoff games played without a championship
Horford’s 181 playoff games without a championship ring are among the most in NBA history — but he doesn’t top the list.
That (dis)honor belongs to the Jazz dynamic duo of the 90s, as Karl Malone and John Stockton rank first and second with 193 and 182 playoff games played without a title, respectively.
Utah made back-to-back NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998 but, of course, ran into the buzzsaw that was Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Malone also made an NBA Finals appearance with the Lakers in 2004 but lost to the Pistons.
Horford will pass Stockton with his second game of the 2024 NBA Finals, but he will have a chance to remove his name from the list if Boston can hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Horford is one of three active players in the top 10 on this infamous list.
| Rank | Player | Playoff Games Played | Finals Appearances |
| 1. | Karl Malone | 193 | 3 |
| 2. | John Stockton | 182 | 2 |
| 3. | Al Horford* | 181 | 2 |
| 4. | Sam Perkins | 167 | 3 |
| 5. | James Harden* | 166 | 1 |
| 6. | Chris Paul* | 149 | 1 |
| 7. | Kyle Korver | 145 | 2 |
| T-8. | George Hill | 144 | 1 |
| Reggie Miller | 144 | 1 | |
| Charles Oakley | 144 | 1 |
*Indicates active player