Methodology
Peak-N
points per 100 possessions
Peak‑N = mean of a player's N highest single-postseason ratingsPeak-N takes the N best postseasons of a career and averages them. The seasons do not need to be consecutive.
This separates a peak from a span. Kevin Garnett's three best postseasons are 2004, 2008 and 2012, which span eight years and two franchises. A rolling three-year window cannot find that set; Peak-3 can.
Rolling windows answer a different question. They measure a continuous stretch and are the correct tool for asking how good a player was during a defined period.
QualificationN qualifying postseasons of at least 250 minutes each.
CoverageEvery postseason from 1997-98 to 2025-26.
Known failure modeIt ignores the runs a player performed poorly in. It describes a ceiling, not a career.
ReliabilityReliability increases with N.