Source: https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/most_g_no_playoffs.html

With both Utah and Charlotte just outside of the play-in picture at this time, Markkanen and Bridges only need 22 and 44 games, respectively, to accomplish this feat. Utah and Charlotte have 54 and 53 games, respectively, left in their seasons.

Markkanen is already top-5 all-time in regular season minutes without a playoff appearance. Bridges only needs 800 minutes to join him - roughly 24 more games at his current MPG average.

Crispy_Comment9312 | Nuggets

426 | 10 hours ago

I hope Bridges never makes the playoffs

One-Salamander9685

144 | 9 hours ago

He’s a black eye on the league’s reputation.

samurairocketshark | Suns

34 | 4 hours ago

Jaxson Hayes and Kevin Porter Jr. too

NickWangOG | Heat

1 | 38 minutes ago

Jason Kidd

samurairocketshark | Suns

1 | 33 minutes ago

Chauncey Billups before the gamba scandal as well if we’re talking coaches

Dear-Lead-4897 | Australia

8 | 4 hours ago

No one actually cares that he beat his wife as shown by the fact he is still playing NBA basketball

BeautifulLeather6671 | Warriors

7 | 4 hours ago

If you think no one cares take a look at this thread lol

Bananadite

20 | 4 hours ago

I think he means no one important. A bunch of redditors caring doesn’t do much

BeautifulLeather6671 | Warriors

7 | 4 hours ago

Well yeah that I agree with lol

Motor-Platform-200

45 | 9 hours ago

Lauri too. I want him to be the undisputed best player to never make the playoffs.

dennythedinosaur

42 | 8 hours ago

Tom Van Arsdale was no slouch. 3x All-Star.

His twin brother Dick was also a 3x All-Star and was the first pick taken in the expansion draft when Phoenix Suns came into the league.

willpelts | Thunder

17 | 8 hours ago

Van Arsdale was also an iron man compared to Markkanen. Played over 70 games in all 12 seasons that he played. Lauri has zero seasons with at least 70 games played, and only three with at least 60 games played.

JazzPlusEagles | Jazz

11 | 7 hours ago

tbf the past few seasons he’s been out for extended periods for some bullshit injuries so we can tank.

willpelts | Thunder

4 | 6 hours ago

He averaged 56 games per season for the five seasons before the trade to Utah. He has averaged 56 games per season since the trade. Regardless of the why behind him not playing more games, he has only ever been good for 50-65 games, well below what is required for the GOAT non-playoff-maker unless he ratchets up his availability.

Motor-Platform-200

3 | 7 hours ago

Well yea after seeing that all time list, Lauri has a ways to go, but I have faith he’ll continue being a 30ppg guy for another 5 seasons without ever making the playoffs.

Confident-Floor1233 | Jazz

28 | 9 hours ago

He could just be the best player to ever win an NBA championship instead?

Motor-Platform-200

17 | 7 hours ago

Nah that’s too trivial of an accomplishment compared to what he’s doing now

HikmetLeGuin

-6 | 9 hours ago

The best player to ever win a championship?

Better than Jordan and LeBron?

Wow, you’re confident in your guy.

RegentCupid

10 | 7 hours ago

If Lauri wins one it wouldn’t even be a conversation tbh

HikmetLeGuin

2 | 5 hours ago

If he wins one this year, I’d be incredibly impressed, that’s for sure.

samurairocketshark | Suns

3 | 4 hours ago

This is advanced hater energy, you really got me thinking

YaPhetsEz

2 | 6 hours ago

Nah lauri deserves success.

godofhammers3000

16 | 7 hours ago

It’s a pity cause I genuinely love watching the hornets with melo miller Kon kalk

But every time bridges touches the ball I’m cheering for the other team

kavolsm

-35 | 9 hours ago

Im sure he cares what some troll on the internet thinks about.

JigglyBush | Timberwolves

30 | 9 hours ago

check out the white knight for wife beaters over here

BeautifulLeather6671 | Warriors

20 | 9 hours ago

Didn’t he beat the shit out of his gf?

Xsy | Jazz

7 | 6 hours ago

In front of their kids, even.

The_real_bandito

-36 | 9 hours ago

What NBA player hasn’t at this point

LordOfLimbos | Pistons

24 | 9 hours ago

I think a lot of them

-xXxMangoxXx- | Raptors

19 | 8 hours ago

The vast majority of them?

BeautifulLeather6671 | Warriors

14 | 9 hours ago

Awesome logic lol

deino1703 | Rockets

3 | 6 hours ago

its not the nfl

bigmt99 | Cavaliers

0 | 2 hours ago

Literally every single other one bar 2 or 3

TCTCTCTCTCTC7

90 | 8 hours ago

Wow, Tom Van Arsdale – over 3 full seasons and nearly 12,000 minutes “ahead” of second-place on that list. He played 71% more minutes than second-place. And was a three-time All-star, too.

The gap between first and second in minutes is approximately Jaren Jackson, Jr’s entire career.

willpelts | Thunder

23 | 7 hours ago

Also want to shout out Geoff Petrie. Six seasons in the league, all with the Blazers, an all-star in his rookie season, zero playoff appearances. Gets injured and was out of the league the first year the Blazers make the playoffs - the same year they win their championship.

He was a productive player as well (career 22/3/4 averages, albeit on worse teams, two-time all-star, ROTY), so that stroke of bad luck had to really bother him.

siegeoftyre | Nuggets

1 | 2 hours ago

Like Elgin Baylor retiring the season the Lakers go 69-13 and finally win a championship. Baylor retired 0-7 in NBA Finals.

3rd-and-Dong | Raptors

50 | 8 hours ago

I’m curious if there’s some way to calculate the longest streak to start someone’s career without making the playoffs. Right now, on the list here, Markkanen and the violent abuser are competing against players who ended their careers never having made the playoffs, but that list doesn’t include anyone who finally made the playoffs after many seasons of mediocrity.

I couldn’t make bbref show me that stat, unfortunately.

willpelts | Thunder

38 | 8 hours ago

I think Buddy Hield would be up there. He played 632 regular seasons before his first playoff game, good for fourth all-time on the list had he not played that postseason onward.

RogueLightMyFire

13 | 5 hours ago

Just anyone on the kings lol. DeMarcus cousins?

willpelts | Thunder

10 | 5 hours ago

He played 565 regular season games between his debut in 2010 and his playoff debut with the Warriors in 2019, but thinking of Kings from that era isn’t a bad strategy though lol

vNocturnus | Kings

3 | 3 hours ago

632 whole regular seasons? The all-time longevity GOAT, been missing the playoffs since the days of Henry IV

dennythedinosaur

3 | 3 hours ago

Jamal Crawford

Taking a quick glance, it looks like he played 676 regular season games before playing his 1st playoff game, in his 10th season.

ATHF666 | Supersonics

15 | 7 hours ago

Miles “I beat my wife” Bridges

[deleted]

2 | 9 hours ago

[deleted]

kcoe24 | Timberwolves

3 | 9 hours ago

He also wasn’t close to a star until Utah. Didn’t the cavs compete for a playoff spot with him?

amidon1130 | Hawks

2 | 4 hours ago

He played the Hawks in that play in game forever ago, they were up big in the first half with a chance to go to the playoffs and then Trae kinda said no and scored 30 in the second half to win

willpelts | Thunder

2 | 4 hours ago

That game is also the closest Collin Sexton (22nd on the list) has gotten to the playoffs, and unless he is traded to a playoff team (Minny?) prior to the deadline, he is in the same boat as Bridges.

amidon1130 | Hawks

2 | 4 hours ago

Collin sexton was on the cavs?? Also he’d be a great pickup for the twolves

willpelts | Thunder

1 | 4 hours ago

Yes, but I forgot that he was out for that season and it wouldn’t have mattered for his streak if Cleveland had won that game, so nevermind lol

Antenol

0 | 3 hours ago

Lauri to OKC would change that

mcrajf | Nuggets

2 | 2 hours ago

OKC needs smaller contracts and proven players. He is none of that.

SunsFan97 | Suns

1 | 43 minutes ago

Lauri’s not proven? What

Lauri Markkanen and Miles Bridges both have an opportunity this season to reach the top-10 all-time in career regular season games with zero playoff appearances.