Championships: Michael Jordan. LeBron James made his 1st NBA Finals in 2007 but could not get his team over the line against the star-studded. I cannot think of a single time over the last 10 seasons that someone has referred to Curry as a shot-blocker. James took his talents to south beach to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat roster. Even more impressively, though, he can become the first player of any of the major leagues in the United States NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL to win the championship MVP award with three different teams. Considered by many as the GOAT, LeBron James not only continues to inspire on the court with his work-ethic but even off-it with his multiple programs aimed at helping those in need. Stats: 35.8 PPG/13.3 RPG/8.8 APG/39.8 FG%/31.0 3P% While the stats highlights Jordan's incredible scoring ability, it also highlights James' overall . For LeBron James, scoring in the Finals is something he has done his entire career outside of the 2011 disaster vs. the Dallas Mavericks. Meanwhile, James finished the series averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4 assists. James averages 10.2 RPG in the Finals for his career and has 6 different series in which he averaged 10.0 RPG or better. Trade Deadline Winners and Losers: Eastern Conference, somehow, gets even better, Canucks commit to re-tooling over re-building with Hronek addition, Smart, aggressive roster moves give Maple Leafs best chance in daunting playoff bracket, Did Oilers GM Ken Holland do enough? 2015: Although the Cavs lost 4-2, James produced a string of stellar displays against the Golden State Warriors to become the first player to average at least 35 points per game in a Finals since Shaquille O'Neal in 2002. 35.8 PPG 13.3 RPG 8.8 APG In comparison to Jordans 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists a game, James has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. Both LeBron James and Stephen Curry have turned in some epic scoring performances in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan and LeBron James are at the top of most lists when it comes to NBA historys greatest players, which has been a topic of much controversy among basketball fans and commentators. He became the 1st player to lead the entire Finals in total pts, rebs & asts, LeBron scored or assisted on 66.84% of his team's FGs in the Finals, by far the highest % in the last 45 yrs (next highest, MJ 56.3% in '91). 2011: As the Heat's dream team wasdefeated 4-2 by the Dallas Mavericks, James averaged 17.8 points per game. LeBron James finally gets his ring to cap off the lockout-shortened season as the Heat took down the Kevin Durant-led Thunder out in five games. LeBron James is just one win away from capturing a fourth career NBA Championship, and in Year 17, James is still playing some of the best basketball of his life . So, what if Love and Irving were healthy? Hyped as the heir to Michael Jordans throne while still being a high-schooler, LeBron James has even exceeded the lofty expectations the world had from him starting at the age of 16. 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers def. Curry's best scoring performance in the NBA Finals came in his most recent championship run in 2021-22. A senior at Sierra Canyon High School, he is . This is the comparison of LeBron James and Kevin Durant using their NBA Finals stats. LeBron averaged 33.6 points, 22.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in the finals. Curry added a 4th championship in 2022 when he claimed Finals MVP in a 6-game series victory over the Boston Celtics. Here's a look at the six NBA Finals losses of LeBron James: James' first trip to an NBA Finals was one to forget. LeBron James has played 20 seasons for the Cavaliers, Lakers and Heat. In his first sting in Cleveland, James went to the Finals in 2007, where he was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. News: 19 hours ago The Lakers' medical staff determined Thursday that James has sustained a right foot tendon injury and will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks, Mike Trudell of Spectrum . Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. It is clear that if LeBron continues to play at . Then-Dallas Mavericks assistant Dwane Casey devised a defensive scheme predicated on mixing and matching zone looks to flummox James and it worked to excellent effect, a lesson James took to heart for the rest of his career. What NBA Finals runs from LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo can teach Jayson Tatum. James also averaged 2.3 SPG in the 2013 Finals and 2.0 SPG in 2014. Whatever the case, Curry has had his moments during the NBA Finals with blocking shots despite the low 0.3 BPG average in 34 games. During the 2017 performance, Curry recorded 2.2 SPG, and in 2022 against the Celtics, he averaged 2.0 SPG. However, as James has found out, more often than not making a Finals and actually winning it are completely different things and this 2011 series is a good example of that. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. Series outcome: Miami loses to Dallas 4-2. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man http://tmi.me/5nDgG. Well give you the latest news when it becomes available, or feel free to add some more selections to My Favourites. Jordan fans have championships in their back pockets. LeBron James in the NBA Finals: A look back on his 10 appearances with Cavaliers, Heat, Lakers, What an NBA championship with Lakers would mean for LeBron James' legacy. James suffered the injury in Sunday's win over Dallas, played through it, and belief is he will be sidelined an indefinite amount. Miami would go on to win four straight for James first-ever NBA title. LeBron James: 4-6. Currys best scoring performance in the NBA Finals came in his most recent championship run in 2021-22. Yes, Ray Allen did hit that huge shot in Game 6 to send the game into overtime, paving the way to a miracle force of Game 7. On Thursday, the Lakers made an official announcement regarding the nature of his injury and his prognosis. (LM Otero/AP) LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Lakers were dealt a significant setback . Even though the 1st season in LA turned out to be a disaster, the King alongside Anthony Davis managed to get the storied franchise back to where it belongs, helping them win their 17th NBA Championship and his 4th personally. LeBron James averaged 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6.8 assists in the series. James played with an injured right hand in the last three games. There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. Kevin Durant - 30.3 PPG (455 Total Points) . 2. He is the only player ever to average at least 25.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 8.0 rebounds over the course of his career. LeBron James has been to The NBA Finals eight times during his 14-year career, including participating in the last seven championship rounds. But he left the arena with a pronounced limp, with video from The Dallas Morning News showing how much the foot was bothering him. 1) Can Lakers still make playoffs despite LeBron's injury? During his prime, he was an incredibly versatile defender who could pick up any position at any point and get a timely stop. In that series, James had games in which he grabbed 14, 16, and 18 rebounds and grabbed less than 10 rebounds just once. They also happen to be linked together for their battles in the NBA Finals4 years in a row from 2015 through 2018. Curry has a higher career three-point percentage when compared to James (43.3% vs. 34.5%) and is the league leader in all-time made threes. Playoffs. Both of these players have been exceptional passers during their careers in the NBA Finals and across the board during their careers. He has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 1,413 regular-season games. The 33-year-old became the seventh player in NBA history that reached nine finals in a career, and the fifth ever to do so eight straight seasons. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. The games will only become more competitive as the teams complete their last remaining 20 or so games. 2018: Things could have been very different had it not been for J.R. Smith's brain fade at the end of the fourth quarter in Game 1 of the third straight matchup with the Warriors. One could easily say LeBron James has had one of, if not the longest prime in the history of sports. This is a list of television ratings for NBA Finals in the United States, based on Nielsen viewing data. A playoff spot is for the taking but the team will need to stay in the hunt with James forced to watch games in a walking boot. LeBron James had 29 points and added 9 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 6 of the 2021 First Round against the Suns on June 3, 2021. what were lebron james all playoffs stats LeBron James had 29 points and added 9 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 6 of the 2021 First Round against the Suns on June 3, 2021. name date tm opp min pts reb ast stl blk tov fgm fga fg% 3pm 3pa 3p% ftm fta ft% pf +/-lebron james: 6/3/2021 This doesnt take a single thing away from what Stephen Curry has meant to 4 NBA championship teams. The Spurs were playing in their fourth Finals and the experience factor showed as San Antonio swept Cleveland. Shane Mosley Net Worth: What is the Former Boxers Worth? Although statistics can be useful when comparing players, they do not give the whole picture. Please check your email for a confirmation. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. Sports Al Dente All Rights Reserved. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. The Spurs avenge a heart-breaking Finals loss in 2016 by dominating the Heat in wha would prove to be the final games of LeBron James Heat career. in 2015 and again went to get to four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018. LeBron limps out of AAC with a 27-point comeback win. June 12, 2017 9:09 PM. Although statistics might be a valuable tool for comparing individuals, they do not fully explain who the best players of all time are. He only averaged less than 6.0 APG in the Finals during the 2016 and 2019 series, which are the only 2 Finals losses on his record. USA TODAY Sports This season, James is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists a game at the age of 38. in the summer of 2010 and formed a Big 3 with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Series outcome: Cleveland loses to Golden State 4-1. For all 4 titles, he was either the best or 2nd-best player on the court for a championship-winning team. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4-2. Because of that, our friends at DraftKings . Result: Mavs won 4-2. The eye test and several underlying stats can definitely paint a better picture. Durant proved to be too much for the Cavaliers as he was named Finals MVP. He is the NBA's all-time leader in points (35,183), assists (9,743) and rebounds (10,839). As we can see when it comes to individual performances, LeBron James is better than Stephen Curry in nearly every basic stat and metric. They went to four straight NBA Finals from 2011 to 2014, winning 2 championships. LeBron James suffered a right foot injury during the second half of Sunday's win over the Dallas . Stats: 17.8 PPG/7.2 RPG/6.8 APG/47.8 FG%/32.1 3P% Alas, it wasnt to be. Part 1: LeBron James first Finals run in Cleveland, Part 2: LeBron James, Miami Heat take some Finals lumps, Part 3: LeBron James, Miami Heat climb to top of NBA heap, Part 4: Cleveland championship realized at long last for LeBron James, 2014: San Antonio Spurs def. The Lakers will be without LeBron James for at least two weeks and potentially the rest of the season should the team go on a losing streak By Charlie Wilson 16:38, Fri, Mar 3, 2023 | UPDATED: 16: . Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-1. Wes Unseld ('71 & '75 Bullets) Over the course of his 18-year NBA career, he has become a symbol of sportsmanship, hard work, and determination. But I definitely wasnt going to the locker room and not finish the game. And to get into the playoffs, they either need to make up the 2.5 games that separate them and the sixth seed or win potentially multiple play-in games. James has also earned his 4 titles with 3 different teams, while Curry has won all 4 of his with the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry and the Warriors faced off against the Boston Celtics in the Finals and downed them in 6 games to claim their 4th NBA title in 8 seasons. Jordans ability to score is renowned, and his 33.4 points per game average throughout the NBA playoffs is the highest ever. Would you like to create an account so you can see these Favourites on your other devices too? James played 156 straight games prior to the groin strain, including two grueling Finals runs, a league-leading 3,026 minutes in his final season with the Cleveland Cavaliers and his first 34 . Stats: 28.6 PPG/10.2 RPG/7.4 APG/47.8 FG%/18.8 3P% Series outcome: Miami loses to San Antonio 4-1. And, as the Celtics (44-18) enter Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 p.m. Designed by. 2014: LeBron became the first player to average at least 25 points per game on a minimum of 50 per cent three-point shooting in a Finals since Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in 2002. Cleveland managed to crawl back from a 1-3 deficit against a Warriors club that set an NBA-record 73 wins in the regular season thanks to James and the 36.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 9.7 assists he averaged during the last three games in the series, in addition to The Block in Game 7 with less than two minutes to play in a tie game. He played over 40 minutes in two of those games and led the . Charles Barkley: In the 1990s, he was a tremendous power forward noted for his ability to score and grab rebounds. Unfortunately for him, his team fell short of that goal. Miami Heat, 4-1. James' squad came close in games three and four, but they got swept at their home court. Rushmore of basketball, his stance on social justice causes has alleviated his name to the sphere of Muhammed Ali, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The Lakers are 29-32, still 3 games below .500, and currently occupying the 12th seed in the West. Customize your lineup with your favourite leagues and teams. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. LeBron James of the @Lakers will be the first NBA player to win a Finals MVP with a team and then later play against that team in the playoffs. Still, just the fact that James, at that age and with that team, was able to make the Finals dethroning a powerful Detroit Pistons team in the process was a proud accomplishment. With James fellow Cavaliers co-stars Kevin Love (the entire series) and Kyrie Irving (all but Game 1) out with injury, James took up the slack to all but win two games against a 67-win Warriors squad virtually by himself. In terms of NBA Finals numbers, LeBron James once again falls short of Michael Jordan. Curry shoots his foul shots at over 91.0% in the big games, while James sits at just 73.1%. I know what you must be thinking of here: How can a series loss rank higher than a couple of titles? In addition to James, Lakers guard DAngelo Russell missed his second game with a right ankle sprain. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update. 2012: LeBron's wait for a first ring finally ended and he was pivotal to the Heat's 4-1 success against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. So, with that said, heres a look at James eight NBA Finals, in terms of how he performed individually, ranked. Thanks for following us. As for what offense entails, James has been considerably better despite dropping 3 out of 4 matchups against Currys Warriors. 2013: The Heat went back-to-back by defeating the Spurs 4-3 and in the process James became the first player to have two triple-doubles in a single Finals since Magic Johnson in 1991 the second of those came in Miami's incredible Game 6 overtime win, having been five points down with 28seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. MORE:What an NBA championship with Lakers would mean for LeBron James' legacy. And here's the big one. His NBA years: from 2004 to 2023. Related: Lebron James is the G.O.A.T and not Michael Jordon: Alex Caruso. However, Curry has found ways to be disruptive on that end throughout his NBA Finals career and beyond. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. Abhinav remains committed to expanding his understanding of the sports industry, consistently keeping up-to-date with the latest newsandtrends. LeBron during the 2015 #NBAFinals. He turned in 30+ point games in all 6 games, which included 2 games with over 40 points scored. As two of the greatest stars and icons for an entire generation, it is only right that we dive deeper into their performances on the games biggest stage.