LeBron James' top 5 opponents of all time
LeBron James is a top-5 NBA player of all time and is consistently involved in conversations about who the G.O.A.T of basketball should be. To earn such a stature in the game, James has had to battle his way past countless opponents, all of whom would love to claim that they stopped one of the best.
Few have succeeded, however. Instead, NBA fans have witnessed some great battles between LeBron James and other stars of the league, mostly during his time in the Eastern Conference when he played in nine Finals series with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat.
In this article, we will look at James' top 5 opponents of all-time. Some are not necessarily the most talented opposition he has faced but with whom he has had famous duels with over the years.
Listing the top 5 opponents of LeBron James' career
#5 Paul George
Only 11 players have faced LeBron James in more playoff fixtures than Paul George. During his time with the Indiana Pacers, he faced and lost to James' teams four times, twice in the Eastern Conference Finals during agonizing six and seven-game series.
A young, athletic George was one of LeBron James' greatest threats to his throne in the East from 2012 to 2017, during which time the Pacers guard earned four All-Star appearances. He played without the burden he currently has from years of success and was explosive at the rim. In the 2014 Conference Finals, he outscored James with 24 points per game but had less effect on the overall outcome of the series.
After moving to the Western Conference to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Paul George became LeBron James' opponent on the court on fewer occasions. With the pair both playing in LA, however, there is an opportunity for a renewal of their rivalry in the playoffs this season, which fans have missed out on for the past two years.
#4 Joakim Noah
Despite being among the most dominant teams in the East from 2009 until 2015, the Chicago Bulls were consistently thwarted by LeBron James' teams. Even in Derrick Rose's MVP season, the Bulls lost to James' Miami Heat 4-1 in the Conference Finals before losing again to them two years later in the semifinals.
Joakim Noah was at the peak of his abilities while playing for Chicago during this time. He earned two All-Star appearances, the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014 and making three All-NBA teams. However, in his 52 battles with LeBron, Noah lost on 32 occasions, including 16 of 21 playoff fixtures.
The two had considerable beef with one another that all began in 2010 during LeBron's first stint with the Cavaliers. In a blowout loss for the Bulls, James was seen dancing and mocking his opposition on the side of the court, which Noah took exception to. Although the 6-11 center had immense respect for his opponent over the years, it didn't mean he had to like him.
On multiple future occasions, the pair butted heads with Noah calling LeBron's Miami Heat side 'Hollywood as hell', despite trying to recruit the four-time champion to the Bulls before he made his move to Florida. He would also get ejected in game two of the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals after an altercation with James.
Joakim Noah and LeBron James' battles were certainly some of the best in the East over the past decade. However, the latter would have the final say in the 2015 playoffs when he posterized the Bulls center in a comfortable 4-2 series win.