Comparing Modern Day NBA Legends Finals Opponents through Relative Defensive Rating:

[coastalmarker99]

*Relative Defensive Rating is the team’s defensive rating relative to league average. (Negative means above average while positive is below)*

Note: Most Players rarely face below-average defences in the finals.]


Michael Jordan’s Opponents:

91’ Lakers: -2.9
92’ Blazers: -4.0
93’ Suns: -1.3
96’ Sonics: -5.5
97’ Jazz: -2.7
98’ Jazz: +0.4

Average: -2.67





Kobe Bryant’s Opponents:

00’ Pacers: -0.5
01’ Sixers: -4.1
02’ Nets: -5.0
04’ Pistons: -7.5
08’ Celtics: -8.6
09’ Magic: -6.4
10’ Celtics: -3.8

Average: -5.13




Lebron James’ Opponents:

07’ Spurs: -6.6
11’ Mavericks: -2.3
12’ Thunder: -1.4
13’ Spurs: -4.3
14’ Spurs: -4.3
15’ Warriors: -4.2
16’ Warriors: -2.6
17’ Warriors: -4.8
18’ Warriors: -1.0
20’ Heat: -1.1

Average: -3.26


Tim Duncan’s Opponents:

99’ Knicks: -4.7
03’ Nets: -5.5
05’ Pistons: -4.9
07’ Cavaliers: -5.3
13’ Heat: -2.2
14’ Heat: -0.9

Average: -3.92




Hakeem Olajuwon’s Opponents:

86’ Celtics: -4.6
94’ Knicks: -8.1
95’ Magic: -0.5

Average: -4.40




Shaquille O’Neal’s Opponents:

95’ Rockets: -0.9
00’ Pacers: -0.5
01’ Sixers: -4.1
02’ Nets: -5.0
04’ Pistons: -7.5
06’ Mavs: -1.2

Average: -3.20



Magic Johnson’s Opponents:

80’ Sixers: -4.3
82’ Sixers: -3.0
83’ Sixers: -3.8
84’ Celtics: -3.2
85’ Celtics: -1.6
87’ Celtics: -1.5
88’ Pistons: -2.7
89’ Pistons: -3.1
91’ Bulls: -2.7

Average: -2.88




Larry Bird’s Opponents:

81’ Rockets: +1.2
84’ Lakers: -0.3
85’ Lakers: -0.9
86’ Rockets: +0.4
87’ Lakers: +1.8

Average: -0.28



Kevin Durant’s Opponents:

12’ Heat: -4.4
17’ Cavaliers: +1.5
18’ Cavaliers: +3.3

Average: +0.13
(Excluded the Raptors since he only played 11 minutes)




Steph Curry’s Opponents:

15’ Cavaliers: +0.7
16’ Cavaliers: -1.9
17’ Cavaliers: +1.5
18’ Cavaliers: +3.3
19’ Raptors: -3.3

Average: +0.06



Dwyane Wade’s Opponents:

06’ Mavericks: -1.2
11’ Mavericks: -2.3
12’ Thunder: -1.4
13’ Spurs: -4.3
14’ Spurs: -4.3

Average: -2.70



Also for 1960 and 1970's players

Baylor: -7.01

West: -6.24

Chamberlain: -5.43

Jabbar: -2.72

Russell: -.49

[LAL]

Kobeee. So pure.

[coastalmarker99]

Kobeee. So pure.

It is very interesting that out of any modern all-time great since 1980 that Kobe faced the very best defensive teams in the finals throughout his career.


Hopefully, that gives some context to people who rag on Kobe for his shooting efficiency throughout his finals career as besides 2004 vs the goat defence he was a great performer in the finals.

[SouBeachTalents]

It is very interesting that out of any modern all-time great since 1980 that Kobe faced the very best defensive teams in the finals throughout his career.


Hopefully, that gives some context to people who rag on Kobe for his shooting efficiency throughout his finals career as besides 2004 vs the goat defence he was a great performer in the finals.

C'mon bro, he's a great Finals performer when he's legitimately the worst of any top 10-15 player of all time Can you really be a great Finals performer when not a single one of your Finals were great? Kobe was a great WCF performer, with the exception of '02 he always played worse in the Finals

[coastalmarker99]

C'mon bro, he's a great Finals performer when he's legitimately the worst of any top 10-15 player of all time Can you really be a great Finals performer when not a single one of your Finals were great? Kobe was a great WCF performer, with the exception of '02 he always played worse in the Finals

He played great in 2002, 2009 and 2010 up to games 6 and 7 but besides those three series in which he played great in he was kinda shaky in the finals.




2000 he was injured after game 2 and he had an all-time great game 4 performance to basically seal the series for the Lakers so I will give him a pass,



2001 he was alright after game 1.



2002 he was great in a four-game sweep of the Nets



2004 he was awful and was incredibly selfish as he refused to give the ball to Shaq throughout the series.





2008 he had two really bad games in games 4 and 6 through the game 4 choke while up 24 midway through the game hurts his legacy far more than the game 6 30 plus point blow out.



2009 he was fantastic throughout the 5 game series as he earned his first finals MVP against the Magic.



2010 he was playing great throughout the first 5 games before he was then awful in the last 2 games of the series.

[dankok8]

It certainly does explain why Kobe's Finals numbers were lower than his playoff numbers against Western teams in most years... But wow -5.13 rDRtg is shocking. His average finals opponent was an elite defense! It's also worth noting that absolute DRtg is important when comparing eras too. Some eras are just more offensively minded. For instance this season's Lakers are 1st in the league with a -6.1 rDRtg but their actual DRtg of 106.0 would have them tied for 12th in the league in 2011 and an unreal 26th in the league in 2001.