A list of Lebron's top playoff performances

[Mr Feeny]

2016 says hello

He's dumb. Don't expect any reading comprehension from that Iraqi kid.

[3ball]

Let's carry on from the other thread. It would be nice if everyone had an actual list with 10 or so games that includes stats and maybe context:

Note that this differs from "most memorable performances". Unlike those in the other thread, I'm more focused about his individual performances in these games rather than the "legacy games". Even then, some might overlap.

[COLOR="Red"]Boston in an elimination game 6 of the 2012 ECF:

45 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists on 70%fg while holding Pierce to 4-18 shooting.
The only other heat player with double digit points was Wade who shot 6-18.

2007 ECF Game 5 vs Detroit (series was tied at 2-2)

48 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists including scoring the last 25 consecutive points to end the game (including the game winner). He also scored 29 of the last 30 points for the Cavs and was the only cav to score from the 4 minute mark of the 4th quarter onwards.
This was truly mind-boggling. He resembled a playstation player with a cheat code.

2016 NBA finals game 6 against GSW (was down 3-2)
41 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 blocks on 59%fg including a stretch where he scored 18 straight points in the 3rd quarter to blow the game wide open. This, in an elimination finals game!

2013 NBA finals game 7 against the Spurs
37 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists on 》 50%fg including the championship clinching jump shot.
Shooting clinic here as he scored 5 threes and several in your face jumpers.
[/COLOR]
2014 ECSF Game 4against brooklyn:
49 points on 16-24 shooting to all but close the series.

2009 ECF Game 1 vs Orlando
49 points, 6 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 3 blocks on 67%fg

2009 ECSF game 3 vs Atlanta:
47 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists on 60%fg (on just 25 shots)

[COLOR="Red"]2016 Nba finals game 5
41 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks on 53%fg in an elimination finals game
[/COLOR]
2012 ECSF game 4 vs Indiana trailing 2-1
40 points, 18 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks on 52%fg
HUGE game on the road to avoid letting Miami fall into a 3-1 deficit

2006 1st rd Game 5 vs Washington (tied at 2-2)
45 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals on 61%fg including the game winner

2015 ECF game 3 vs Atlanta
Horrible start missing his first 10 shots. Then goes ballistic and recovers to put up:
37 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assists and some HUGE baskets down the stretch.

2013 nba finals game 6
32 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and 16 4th quarter points in this title elimination game to keep miami alive. Also held Tony Parker to 6-23 shooting and caused him to shoot an airball on what would have been the title winning basket at the end of the 4th.

2010 game 4 vs Chicago
37 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists on 65%fg to all but seal the series and cause endless pain to kamil.

2015 ECSF game 5 vs Chicago (tied at 2-2)
38 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks on 59%fg while holding Rose to 7-24 shooting.

2009 ECSF game 5 against Orlando
37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists.
Scored or assisted 32 straight points in this elimination game.

2012 nba finals game 5 vs OkC
26 points, 11 rebounds, 13 assists and 2 blocks to clinch his first championship.
Fudge joins lebron fam after this.

2013 ECF game 1vs Indiana
30 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and the game winner.
Only instance in nba playoff history of someone getting a 3D and the game winner.

I highlighted the only ones that matter - that's 5 legendary performances

The rest are early round series and honestly, it's embarrassing that they would make the top 10.. it shows how few truly great performances he's had on the championship level..

And it should be mentioned that his 2 great games in the 2016 Finals were accompanied by goat performance from his sidekick as well, thus lessening the "carry-job" factor - kyrie and lebron's high-level play elevated and took pressure off each other, while allowing the cast to rely more exclusively on just those two, just like AD/Lebron this year - their high level of play elevates each other and allows the lakers to rely more exclusively on just them, thus boosting their stats.

But even more important than the early-round factor and sidekick the sidekick/lesser carry-job factor, it's likely that other greats with the requisite skills to fit better with Wade/Bosh would've had much better Heat teams than Lebron had - so any great performance they have alongside Wade/Bosh was more needed to win the game given that Wade/Bosh were playing closer to max capacity and the team was stronger overall

In other words, Lebron's performances with a cast that is playing below capacity can't compare to great performances that occurred when the team was truly pushed to the limit (the cast was playing to capacity)..

Other greats would simply NOT be down 3-2 to the fossilized Celtics in 2012, and wouldn't need a comeback - the comeback factor inflates lebron's performances because it resulted from team underachievement

Finally, I'll say again that the 5 games above that aren't bolded are pretty subjective early round series games that every star has..

All of this is to say that Lebron isn't the winner other greats were
.

[Vino24]

I highlighted the only ones that matter - that's 5 legendary performances

The rest are early round series and honestly, it's embarrassing that they would make the top 10.. it shows how few truly great performances he's had on the championship level..

And it should be mentioned that his 2 great games in the 2016 Finals were accompanied by goat performance from his sidekick as well, thus lessening the "carry-job" factor - kyrie and lebron's high-level play elevated and took pressure off each other, while allowing the cast to rely more exclusively on just those two, just like AD/Lebron this year - their high level of play elevates each other and allows the lakers to rely more exclusively on just them, thus boosting their stats.

But even more important than the early-round factor and sidekick the sidekick/lesser carry-job factor, it's likely that other greats with the requisite skills to fit better with Wade/Bosh would've had much better Heat teams than Lebron had - so any great performance they have alongside Wade/Bosh was more needed to win the game given that Wade/Bosh were playing closer to max capacity and the team was stronger overall

In other words, Lebron's performances with a cast that is playing below capacity can't compare to great performances that occurred when the team was truly pushed to the limit (the cast was playing to capacity)..

Other greats would simply NOT be down 3-2 to the fossilized Celtics in 2012, and wouldn't need a comeback - the comeback factor inflates lebron's performances because it resulted from team underachievement

Finally, I'll say again that the 5 games above that aren't bolded are pretty subjective early round series games that every star has..

LeBron simply wasn

[Young X]

The game 4 against the Pacers is underrated. People don't understand or remember how much trouble Miami was in at the time. They just blew games 2 and 3 and were down 2-1 against a team nobody expected to give them trouble. And they were without Bosh.

Both Lebron and Wade had HUGE bounceback games on the road to even the series. Outside of the game 6 against Boston that same year that Pacers game is as important as any game in Lebron's career.

[3ball]

LeBron simply wasn’t capable of going 1-9

Lebron simply wasn't capable of making the playoffs with a team that was lottery the prior year, so he missed in 04' and 05', and also 19'..

he simply can't carry a bad team as well as MJ because he can't put the ball in the hole as good.. and isn't as tough, clutch or leader

But I'm sure if his 9 seeds had snuck in as 8 seeds in 04' and 05', they would've been swept by the champs like MJ was.. There's no shame in that of course, but there's plenty of shame in getting swept or beaten by record amount with a HIGH seed, like Lebron in 07', 14', and 18' - his high seeds lost by more than MJ's 8 seed

[Vino24]

Lebron simply wasn't capable of making the playoffs with a team that was lottery the prior year, so he missed in 04' and 05', and also 19'..

he simply can't carry a bad team as well as MJ because he can't put the ball in the hole as good.. and isn't as tough, clutch or leader

But I'm sure if his 9 seeds had snuck in as 8 seeds in 04' and 05', they would've been swept by the champs like MJ was.. There's no shame in that of course, but there's plenty of shame in getting swept or beaten by record amount with a HIGH seed, like Lebron in 07', 14', and 18' - his high seeds lost by more than MJ's 8 seed

True. LeBron has never played in a league when 30wins is all it takes to make the playoffs

[3ball]

The game 4 against the Pacers is underrated. People don't understand or remember how much trouble Miami was in at the time. They just blew games 2 and 3 and were down 2-1 against a team nobody expected to give them trouble. And they were without Bosh.

[COLOR="Blue"]Both Lebron and Wade had HUGE bounceback games[/COLOR] on the road to even the series. Outside of the game 6 against Boston that same year that Pacers game is as important as any game in Lebron's career.

^^^ And therein lies the rub

Game 4 of those ECF and his 2 great games in the 2016 Finals were accompanied by goat performance from his sidekick as well, thus lessening the "carry-job" factor - Kyrie and lebron's high-level play elevated and took pressure off each other, while allowing the cast to rely more exclusively on just those two, just like AD/Lebron this year - their high level of play elevates each other and allows the lakers to rely more exclusively on just them, thus boosting their stats.

[CodeBreaker]

GOAT playoff performer

[SpaceJam2]

True. LeBron has never played in a league when 30wins is all it takes to make the playoffs

3ball getting COOKED in his own thread

[3ball]

GOAT playoff performer

Notice the gap between #1 and 2 is greater than the gap between 2 and 10:

Playoffs PPG

1) Jordan...... 33.5


2) Iverson..... 29.7
3) West......... 29.1
4) Lebron...... 28.9
5) Durant...... 28.8
6) Barry......... 27.3
7) Elgin......... 27.0
8) Gervin...... 26.5
9 Curry......... 26.0
10) Hakem... 25.9

CLUTCH - [COLOR="navy"]Playoff shots in last 5 minutes, within 5 points, since 2001[/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]134-323 for Lebron.. 41.4%[/COLOR]
108 games.. 3.0 attempts per game

https://www.basketball-reference.com...r_by=date_game



Jordan 1997 Playoffs:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] 20-39.. 51.3% (11 games)
Jordan 1998 Playoffs:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] 22-50.. 44.0% (14 games)

[COLOR="DarkRed"]42-89 for MJ.. 47.2%[/COLOR]
25 games.. 3.6 attempts per game

TLDR: MJ averaged 5 more ppg, while taking far more clutch shots on much better efficiency - even old MJ blows lebron away down the stretch of tight games (clutch)

[SpaceJam2]

How about 2018?

Game 6 and 7 ECF vs Celtics when Love was.concussed

He averaged like 40-11-8


And his 51-8-8 game 1 2018 Finals

[SpaceJam2]

Notice the gap between #1 and 2 is greater than the gap between 2 and 10:

Playoffs PPG

1) Jordan...... 33.5


2) Iverson..... 29.7
3) West......... 29.1
4) Lebron...... 28.9
5) Durant...... 28.8
6) Barry......... 27.3
7) Elgin......... 27.0
8) Gervin...... 26.5
9 Curry......... 26.0
10) Hakem... 25.9

CLUTCH - [COLOR="navy"]Playoff shots in last 5 minutes, within 5 points, since 2001[/COLOR]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]134-323 for Lebron.. 41.4%[/COLOR]
108 games.. 3.0 attempts per game

https://www.basketball-reference.com...r_by=date_game



Jordan 1997 Playoffs:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] 20-39.. 51.3% (11 games)
Jordan 1998 Playoffs:[COLOR="White"].[/COLOR] 22-50.. 44.0% (14 games)

[COLOR="DarkRed"]42-89 for MJ.. 47.2%[/COLOR]
25 games.. 3.6 attempts per game

TLDR: MJ averaged 5 more ppg, while taking far more clutch shots on much better efficiency - even old MJ blows lebron away down the stretch of tight games (clutch)

Why does LeBron have 1000 more pts scored than the next bum.

PS: the 1000 LESS bum made 13 playoffs just like Bron

I'll wait

1-9 does have its consequences

[3ball]

Why does LeBron have 1000 more pts scored than the next bum.

PS: the 1000 LESS bum made 13 playoffs just like Bron

I'll wait

1-9 does have its consequences

When you carry teams that were lottery the previous year to the playoffs, you get low seeds and early elimination

But Lebron wasn't good enough to carry lottery teams to the playoffs, so he missed in 04', 05' and 19'

Lebron could only make the playoffs with good teams - he made the playoffs 13 times with high seeds, so his teams lasted longer on average...

Indeed, it's a huge knock that he had high seeds for every playoff run but only has 3 rings in 17 years... It's pathetic and nowhere bear goat

Why does LeBron have 1000 more pts scored than the next bum.

PS: the 1000 LESS bum made 13 playoffs just like Bron

I'll wait

1-9 does have its consequences

Lebron played more playoff games because he failed to make the playoffs 3 times with teams that were lottery the year before - he failed to make it with bad teams/low seeds that would get eliminated early.. he only made it with high seeds/good teams that lasted longer

So Lebron played more games, MJ did more per game, including 5 more points on better efficiency per possession and better efficiency rating - so that's much more scoring on better efficiency - you can't beat that

Lebron has no case over 5 more points on better efficiency.. show me an example where a player who averaged 5 more points with better efficiency was considered the worse player

[SpaceJam2]

When you carry teams that were lottery the previous year to the playoffs, you get low seeds and early elimination

But Lebron wasn't good enough to carry lottery teams to the playoffs, so he missed in 04', 05' and 19'

Lebron could only make the playoffs with good teams - he made the playoffs 13 times with high seeds, so his teams lasted longer on average... Indeed, it's a huge knock that he never had less than a high seed but has only 3 rings in 17 years... It's pathetic and nowhere bear goat




Lebron played more playoff games because he failed to make the playoffs 3 times with teams that were lottery the year before - he failed to make it with bad teams/low seeds that would get eliminated early.. he only made it with high seeds/good teams that lasted longer

So Lebron played more games, MJ did more per game, including 5 more points on better efficiency per possession and better efficiency rating - so much more scoring on better efficiency - you can't beat that

Lebron has no case over 5 more points on better efficiency.. show me an example where a player who averaged 5 more points with better efficiency was considered the worse player

Thats cute and all but...
Both played 13 playoffs
LeBron simply won more
More playoff series
Made more finals
Scored more points
Zero 1st round exits (MJ has THREE)
Played tougher Finals

I mean..its ova baby boi

2ez

[3ball]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]LeBron simply won more[/COLOR] - mj has twice as many championships

[COLOR="DarkRed"]More playoff series[/COLOR] - because he couldn't carry a team that was lottery the year before to the playoffs in 04', 05', and 19' - he could only make the playoffs with high seeds that would last longer

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Made more finals[/COLOR] - he won 3 more ECF < 3 more Finals

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Scored more points[/COLOR] - MJ scored 5 more per game with better efficiency rating, which is all that matters...

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Zero 1st round exits (MJ has THREE)[/COLOR] - because MJ carried lottery teams to the playoffs so he was eliminated early, while lebron couldn't carry lottery teams to the playoffs and only made it with high seeds that lasted longer.... Also, losing in 1st Rd with 8 seed > losing in 2nd Rd with 1 seed

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Played tougher Finals[/COLOR] - Utah destroyed Duncan and Popovich... and then mj destroyed Utah... And is curry/klay tougher than shaq/penny?... Jordan's ECF comp > Lebron's Finals comp

^^^ Fixed


Plus

- 3 more rings and 1 more MVP despite 3 less seasons
- 5 more ppg on better efficiency

over and done with