He may not be out there guarding the best player, but he can be disruptive off the ball. Curry and the Warriors emerged from 3 out of the 4 meetings as NBA champions, while James completed an improbable comeback down 3-1 for his one win over Golden State. 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. Jordan is slightly behind James in terms of shooting percentages, with a career field goal percentage of 49.7% to 50.5%. The Lakers are 29-32, still 3 games below .500, and currently occupying the 12th seed in the West. LeBron James suffered a right foot injury during the second half of Sunday's win over the Dallas . Taking stock of the Top 5 contenders in the Kia MVP Award chase. The Warriors added Durant and he was in beast mode the whole series, handing the Dubs their fifth NBA trophy. LeBron James made his 1st NBA Finals in 2007 but could not get his team over the line against the star-studded San Antonio Spurs. His highest scoring effort in a Finals series came in a 2015 loss to the Warriors. James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh of the Heat were the overwhelming favourites to win the title. Meanwhile, James finished the series averaging 28.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4 assists. LeBron limps out of AAC with a 27-point comeback win. His highest-scoring Finals series in a victory was in 2020 when he won his 4th NBA title with the Lakers. LeBron James is set to be out for a crucial stage of the Lakers season, even not accounting for the fact that they are playing from behind in regards to the playoff chase. Given the sheer number of Finals appearances James has at this point his nine is only matched and surpassed by six players in NBA history its fair to say that not all of those trips can be measured equally. Jordan set an NBA Finals record and had the greatest scoring average in NBA Finals history, averaging 33.6 points per game. Next, select your favourite teams and leagues and well show you their latest news and scores in the My Favourites section of the home page. Do I really need to compare the personnel in each series? However, as far as the Finals go, James best series was once again the 2016 comeback over the Warriors. They went to four straight NBA Finals from 2011 to 2014, winning 2 championships. 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. Is LeBron James playing at a higher level than Michael Jordan? He turned in 30+ point games in all 6 games, which included 2 games with over 40 points scored. However, LeBron still has three NBA trophies and three NBA Finals MVP awards to his name and his 15th season proved he is still in his prime. San Antonio destroyed the Miami Heat easily to win its fifth NBA championship. A senior at Sierra Canyon High School, he is . 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. However, he came out victorious in only his second season there, winning his 3rd championship ring in the process. He has a better career field goal percentage (52.0 vs. 50.4%) and averages more assists per game than James (11.2 vs. 7.4). For this category, we expected LeBron James to hold a significant advantage over Stephen Curry, and that is exactly what we got. The first year of the leagues latest Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh ended with the Mavericks securing their first championship. Series outcome: Cleveland loses to Golden State 4-2. Despite shooting poorly from deep, James dominated this series. James, who was named Finals MVP, averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.3 blocks. In the summer of 2018, LeBron James decided to move to the Los Angeles Lakers. But once again, James was denied a title as the Warriors earned the franchises first championship in 40 years. Five years after their first NBA Finals meeting, Kevin Durant returned to The Finals stage, this time with a different team, but a familiar foe to James. LeBron James Playoffs Game Log. Its been better, James said. We have watched LeBron James quite literally do it all in the NBA Finals and for the better part of 2 decades. Jonathan Quick Net Worth: How Much the NHL Player is Worth? Through his eight previous Finals series, James has led the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat to four trips there each, sporting a 3-5 record. He finished Game 5 with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds, making him the first player since James Worthy in 1988 to have a 25-point triple-double in a title-clinching win. He was selected to play in 18 All-Star games. The LeBron James injury news is such a tough break for a Lakers team that was just getting rolling, winning three games in a row, including storming back from a 27-point deficit against the Mavericks. Lebron established a record, becoming the first player in NBA history to lead both teams in points, rebounds, and assists in an entire Finals series. Both of these players have been exceptional passers during their careers in the NBA Finals and across the board during their careers. James sustained the injury during the third quarter of Sunday's massive . ; Aragons; ; Asturianu; Azrbaycanca; Basa Bali; ; Bn-lm-g; . (LM Otero/AP) LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Lakers were dealt a significant setback . Jordan fans have championships in their back pockets. Curry is by no means a bad rebounder for his position, especially in the NBA Finals. On Thursday night LeBron James will begin his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance, a stunning feat, but perhaps one that overshadows the fact that these 2018 Finals will also be the 33-year-olds ninth appearance in the NBAs championship series. In this year's finals, the Cavs had both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love injured, making Matthew Dellavedova the starting point guard of the team. As you can see from his statistical line, this wasnt James best series. Stats: 25.3 PPG/10.9 RPG/7.0 APG/44.7 FG%/35.3 3P% Stats: 28.6 PPG/10.2 RPG/7 . It was a historic series for the best player in the world . James averaged 35.8 PPG on 39.8% shooting overall and 31.0% from three. When James left Miami in the summer of 2014 to return to Cleveland he made a promise to his childhood team that he would bring a championship to it, and he delivered with a seven-game effort for the ages. Result: Mavs won 4-2. Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-1. You can argue whose playstyle was more conducive to winning, but you cannot deny the greatness of both of these champions on the games greatest stage. Clutch shots, playoff buzzer-beaters, single-handedly getting the coach of the year fired, and one of the best performances in NBA Finals history are just so. 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. Your existing password has not been changed. In the summer of 2018, LeBron James decided to move to the. Miami Heat, 4-1. 3) 2012. This dominant defense didnt end when it came to the NBA Finals. Top 10 PGA Golfers: Find Out Who the Best Golfers are Today, Jonathan Quick Net Worth: Learn How Much the NHL Player is Worth, Kendrick Perkins Net Worth: Uncover the Former NBA Players Worth, Dan Snyder Net Worth: Know How Much the NFL Owner is Worth, Top 10 Highest Paid UFC Fighters of All Time, Michelle Yeoh Net Worth: Find Out How Much the Actress is Worth. The first round of the NBA Playoffs starts on April 15. Taking a look at the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's historic season for the Nuggets. The three-time champion will make his 10th appearance in the showpiece series when the Lakers battle his former team the Heat for the Larry O'Brien Trophy. In all seriousness, just getting to 10 NBA Finals series in one's career is an incredible accomplishment. 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. James leads the Lakers in scoring at 29.5 points per game, and said at the All-Star break earlier this month that the teams closing stretch this season would be some of the most important games he has played noting he didnt want to miss the postseason for a second consecutive year. This is a list of television ratings for NBA Finals in the United States, based on Nielsen viewing data. The Portland Trail Blazers (29-33) and the OKC Thunder (28-34) aren't going to give up easily . Throughout his record-breaking 17-year career, Lebron James has achieved an magnificent number of successes. LeBron James NBA Finals appearances/record. James played just under 37 minutes against the Mavericks, finishing with 26 points and eight . 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. 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. James has been the best player on the court overall in 90.0% of his NBA Finals appearances, whether he won or lost. pic . Abhinav Singh Tomar is a passionate sports enthusiast, with deep knowledge of Cricket andNBA. Lebron James' free throw percentage is 73.5. The highest rated and most watched NBA Finals series was the 1998 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, which averaged an 18.7 rating / 33 share and 29.04 million viewers on NBC.That series also featured the highest rated and most watched NBA Finals game, as the Sunday night . Keep in mind that even if James is cleared when hes reevaluated in three weeks, it would likely take him some additional days to actually return to game action. Yet its crucial to remember that Jordan played in a time when the defense was prioritized over the offense. While the stats highlights Jordans incredible scoring ability, it also highlights James overall impact on the game. The King finally delivered a championship to his home state of Ohio as James powered Clevelands improbable rally from a 3-1 series deficit. "The Miami Heat are still alive." https://lebronwire.usatoday.com/2023/03/02/lebron-james-has-right-foot-tendon-injury-will-be-out-at-least-three-weeks/, Darvin Ham has poignant words about Lakers' focus following Friday's loss, Hollinger: Keep an eye on Kyrie Irving joining Lakers this summer, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There have been 2 instances in which James has averaged 10.0 APG in the NBA Finals but lost the series in overwhelming fashion. He has averaged 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 1,413 regular-season games. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will be out at least three weeks with a right foot injury, the team announced Thursday. Over the course of his 18-year NBA career, he has become a symbol of sportsmanship, hard work, and determination. Stats: 17.8 PPG/7.2 RPG/6.8 APG/47.8 FG%/32.1 3P% He returned to Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015 and again went to get to four straight Finals from 2015 to 2018. 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. The Athletic's Shams Charania . James is averaging 29.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.9 assists in 36.1 minutes per game this season over 47 appearances. LeBron James made his first NBA Finals Appearance in 2007 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The then 22-year-old James and Cleveland went through a hard Eastern Conference playoff, where they defeated Washington Wizards, the New Jersey Nets and the Detroit Pistons on their way to the finals. Will Brock Purdy be the starting quarterback for the 49ers in the next season? Finals. 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. The Lakers lost that game, 121-109, as Grizzlies guard Ja Morant scored 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter. See where all 30 teams rank as we enter the final quarter of the 2022-23 season. Rushmore of basketball, his stance on social justice causes has alleviated his name to the sphere of Muhammed Ali, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Rushmore of basketball, his stance on social justice causes has alleviated his name to the sphere of. Critics will always find something to nitpick at with James, but that still doesnt change the reality that James managed to beat the Spurs in the NBA Finals. 2012 NBA Finals - Heat vs Thunder. Curry recorded 3 blocks in a game during the 2016 NBA Finals against James and the Cavaliers. James has also earned his 4 titles with 3 different teams, while Curry has won all 4 of his with the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 2, 2023. James was having a phenomenal season up to this point . The Lakers trail the No. Sports Al Dente All Rights Reserved. The overall impact in a game cannot just be determined by these mere stats. LeBron James has always been the complete opposite of Curry in the defensive department. 2016: Cleveland Cavaliers def. He also shot 41.7% from three in the 2020 Finals with the Lakers on 6.0 attempts. It is difficult to compare players from different positions and eras; nonetheless, the following individuals are widely recognised as having outperformed LeBron James in several areas. After falling to the Warriors . He has a greater career rebounding average (11.7 to 7.4) and a higher careerfield goal percentage (54.0% to 50.4%) than James. One could easily say LeBron James has had one of, if not the longest prime in the history of sports. 2012: Miami Heat def. A new LeBron James was ready to shock the world and win his first ring. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers may have lost the 2015 NBA Finals, but the King provided us with a number of memorable moments. LeBron James is inarguably one of the best in basketball history, for some people he is the greatest of all time, but his finals record might be the Achilles heel of his legacy. Sources: There's fear Lakers star LeBron James is likely to miss an extended period of time with his right foot injury. RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. LeBron James: 28.4 PPG (1,562 Total Points) Both LeBron James and Stephen Curry have turned in some epic scoring performances in the NBA Finals. Courtesy of NBA TV, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James talks about facing the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. James is third in both categories. . We'll have that answer by June, They made us look bad: Jets outworked by Oilers in first half of home-and-home. We really appreciate your support. pic.twitter.com/7jbcN5JgUG, Brad Townsend (@townbrad) February 27, 2023. In addition to James, Lakers guard DAngelo Russell missed his second game with a right ankle sprain. The media criticized James for disappearing in key moments. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update. MORE:What an NBA championship with Lakers would mean for LeBron James' legacy. 2011 NBA Finals - Heat vs Mavs. When was LeBron's first Finals appearance? Michael Cooper ('83 & '89 Lakers) Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com . James has been to 10 NBA Finals in his career, while Curry has been to 6, with each player taking home 4 NBA championships. For the better part of the last decade, NBA fans have gotten used to seeing Stephen Curry, LeBron James, or both players in the NBA Finals every year. Patrick Mahomes reveals his choice with a clever perspective in the NBA GOAT discussion between Michael Jordan andLeBronJames, Jordan Poole registers unseen record in NBA history which even Michael Jordan and LeBron James could not attain. With redemption on the mind, LeBron and the Heat made a return to the Finals in 2012, and took care of business. If James never wins another NBA title, it shouldnt matter a single bit as far as his legacy goes because of this 2016 championship run. Series outcome: Cleveland loses to San Antonio 4-0. This feat from James not only earned him even more respect and admiration from around the league, but also left many wondering, What if Love and Irving were healthy?, Stats: 29.7 PPG/11.3 RPG/8.9 APG/49.4 FG%/37.1 3P% He is shooting 50.1% from the field, 30.8% from the three-point arc. 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? At age 32, in his 14th season, in his seventh straight Finals, LeBron James is having the finest championship performance of his career. The 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament will take place on April 11-14. 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. LeBron James' son Bronny, already a captivating NBA draft prospect, has been rounding into one of the best high school players in the country. After falling to the Warriors in the third chapter of their teams trilogy, James now falls to 3-5 in the NBA Finals. Miami would go on to win four straight for James first-ever NBA title. 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: . Michael Jordan vs LeBron James' NBA finals stats. James has the clear edge with 4 NBA Finals MVP awards over Currys one that he just recently earned in 2022. The last 2 NBA Finals sweeps have come against LeBron James' Cavs ('07 & '18). Jordans ability to score is renowned, and his 33.4 points per game average throughout the NBA playoffs is the highest ever. 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. Stats: 33.6 PPG/12.0 RPG/10.0 APG/56.4 FG%/38.7 3P% As we can see when it comes to individual performances, LeBron James is better than Stephen Curry in nearly every basic stat and metric. Series outcome: Miami loses to Dallas 4-2. Lakers forward LeBron James suffered a right foot injury during a road victory over the Mavericks on Sunday. James will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks. And the Dubs took round three after an outstanding performance by the Finals MVP Kevin Durant. Nick Mac is an NBA Writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism. Series outcome: Miami beats San Antonio 4-3. He said he heard a pop right after sustaining the injury, although there was a report he had initially suffered it back in January. Designed by. Michael Jordan outperforms LeBron James in terms of postseason stats. The team said James has been evaluated by Lakers team physicians and medical staff, who determined James has sustained a right foot tendon injury and will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks. 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. Latest on Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James including complete game-by-game stats on ESPN . Jordan still holds the NBA records in Player Efficiency Rating for both the regular season and the playoffs. Critics will always find something to nitpick at with James, but that still doesn't change the reality that James managed to beat the Spurs in the NBA Finals. San Antonio won Game 3 (111-92) and Game 4 (107-86) on the road to close it out at home with another immense victory (104-87). James was a dominant force averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists. LeBron James put up 22.0 points per game in the 2007 NBA Finals. 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. Once again, his career-high in the Finals came in the 2015 defeat to the Warriors, where James averaged 13.3 RPG. James played with an injured right hand in the last three games. Starting in 2019, we initially covered Olympic Sports, but in 2021 we added every other sport which you might be looking for, like NFL, Golf, MLB, WWE Cricket, Football, Tennis, Esports, NBA, MMA and more. Over the course of his 18-year NBA career, he has become a symbol of sportsmanship, hard work, and determination. This is the comparison of LeBron James and Kevin Durant using their NBA Finals stats. Why it's OK for Raptors fans to root for LeBron James in the NBA Finals. Wes Unseld ('71 & '75 Bullets) Result: Spurs won 4-0. For the third consecutive season, Cavs and Warriors faced each other in the NBA Finals. There isnt enough recent news in your lineup. Charlotte's star guard suffered his injury in the third quarter of Charlotte's 117-106 win against Detroit on Feb. 27. Also check out: Lebron James Finals Appearances and stats. James also averaged 2.3 SPG in the 2013 Finals and 2.0 SPG in 2014. 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. Stephen Curry: 43.2 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 91.7 FT%, LeBron James: 48.4 FG%, 35.2 3P%, 73.1 FT%. Not only did the Boston Celtics fall to the Golden State Warriors in six games last season, watching Stephen Curry and the Warriors claim a fourth championship in the past eight years on the floor at TD . Sign up for the LeBron Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. In terms of NBA Finals numbers, LeBron James once again falls short of Michael Jordan. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. The NBA's all-time top scorer left the arena with a limp . According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. James was second at 31.6 and Antetokounmpo was a distant third at 13.6 percent. Stephen Curry: 6.0 APG (204 Total Assists), LeBron James: 7.8 APG (430 Total Assists). Stats: 28.6 PPG/10.2 RPG/7.4 APG/47.8 FG%/18.8 3P% And while Irving was absolutely vital to the success of this series with his clutch shot-making Love didnt actually do too much, for those wondering and theres an argument for the impact Draymond Greens suspension had, this series was all about James. LeBron James on the Lakers bench tonight wearing a walking boot on his right foot. LeBron James has played 20 seasons for the Cavaliers, Lakers and Heat. 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. We use cookies to improve your experience. Witnessing history in real time, Durant set to make Suns debut, marquee matchups and more. James has four . James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists to earn his first Finals MVP.