While putting a score on the board is integral to winning any basketball game, let alone a do-or-die playoff fixture, turning defence into offence gets the ball rolling.
Rebounds are more than helpful, but the ability to reach in and snatch the ball to start a quick break can often be a real momentum shifter.
From a contemporary king in La-La Land to his predecessor in the Windy City, here is the full list of NBA players to have recorded at least 250 career steals in playoff games.
| Player | Playoff steals | Team/s |
| LeBron James | 483 | Cleveland, Miami & Los Angeles Lakers |
| Scottie Pippen | 395 | Chicago, Houston & Portland |
| Michael Jordan | 376 | Chicago & Washington |
| Magic Johnson | 358 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| John Stockton | 338 | Utah |
| Kobe Bryant | 310 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Jason Kidd | 302 | Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey & New York |
| Larry Bird | 296 | Boston |
| Maurice Cheeks | 295 | Philadelphia, San Antonio, New York, Atlanta & New Jersey |
| Manu Ginobili | 292 | San Antonio |
| Chris Paul | 287 | New Orleans, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Oklahoma City, Phoenix & Golden State |
| Clyde Drexler | 278 | Portland & Houston |
| Robert Horry | 276 | Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles Lakers & San Antonio |
| James Harden | 273 | Oklahoma City, Houston, Brooklyn, Philadelphia & Los Angeles Clippers |
| Dwyane Wade | 273 | Miami, Chicago & Cleveland |
| Derek Fisher | 272 | Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State, Utah, Oklahoma City & Dallas |
| Karl Malone | 258 | Utah & Los Angeles Lakers |