LeBron James has been in the league since 2003, and it is quite astonishing to know that he’s played in the NBA Finals ten times in 18 years. No other player has dominated quite like him, and LBJ undisputedly owned the 2010s decade!
How many finals has LeBron James been to?
Thirty NBA teams battle it out every season to book a spot in the NBA Finals. They try to enter the grand stage, hoping to clinch the championship, but LeBron James has solely deprived many teams of that golden opportunity.
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Only a handful of players have ever played five consecutive finals, but LeBron James recorded a streak of eight. Of course, he’s not the #1 athlete on the list, but it is indeed a commendable feat in the modern era.
LeBron secured a trip to the NBA Finals right from 2011 to 2018 and these came in two stints; one with the Miami Heat and the other with Cleveland Cavaliers. He broke the streak upon joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, as the team even failed to qualify for the playoffs.
To conclude, one could count James’ NBA Finals appearances with two hands. He’s been to 10 finals series so far and is currently tied with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the All-Time list.
Despite making ten trips, LeBron has only ended up victorious four times.
A breakdown of James’ NBA Finals appearances
2007 – Cleveland Cavaliers (Lost to San Antonio Spurs 0-4)
2011 – Miami Heat (Lost to Dallas Mavericks 2-4)
2012- Miami Heat (Won against Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1)
2013 – Miami Heat (Won against San Antonio Spurs 4-3)
2014 – Miami Heat (Lost to San Antonio Spurs 1-4)
2015 – Cleveland Cavaliers (Lost to Golden State Warriors 2-4)
2016 – Cleveland Cavaliers (Won against Golden State Warriors 4-3)
2017 – Cleveland Cavaliers (Lost to Golden State Warriors 0-4)
2018 – Cleveland Cavaliers (Lost to Golden State Warriors 1-4)
2020 – Los Angeles Lakers (Won against Miami Heat 4-2)
How has LeBron James performed in the Finals?
One really doesn’t have to contemplate as to how LeBron James has fared in the Finals so far. He’s been a monster in games that demand the optimum output from an athlete. When it comes to numbers, the ‘Chosen One’ has played 55 Finals games in his career.
King James has been a phenomenal individual player in the NBA Finals, boasting averages of 28.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game.
LeBron James is quite unlucky as he’s only won four of the ten finals he’s played. His 40.0% win percentage doesn’t top the charts, but one just can’t deny his legacy when it comes to competing at the grand stage.
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Moreover, the 2015 NBA Finals has been LeBron’s best-ever individual performance in the finals to date. Bron and the Cavs lost to the Golden State Warriors, but the explosive forward averaged a mammoth 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists through six games.
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On the whole, LeBron James is arguably one of the greatest Finals performers ever. He can’t surpass Michael Jordan’s tally of six championships, but the King has undoubtedly cemented his own great legacy.