LeBron James vs Steph Curry Finals record-Taking a closer look as the two GOATs face each other again
LeBron James and Steph Curry will meet in the playoffs for the first time since their 2018 NBA Finals matchup. James' LA Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 4-2 in the 2023 playoffs first-round series, while Curry's Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings 4-3 to clinch a conference semis berth.
The two former MVPs have never played against each other in a conference playoffs series. James joined the Lakers in 2018, making his maiden appearance in the Western Conference. Since then, the Lakers and Warriors have won championships in 2020 and 2022, respectively.
However, they never happened to make the playoffs at the same time. The Lakers didn't qualify in 2019 and 2022, while the Warriors missed a postseason trip in 2020 and 2021. Along with this, Steph Curry and LeBron James' history makes this an even more exciting clash.
Curry holds a 3-1 advantage over LeBron in the NBA Finals. The Warriors won in 2015, 2017 and 2018. They were the better team on all four occasions, especially in 2018. However, their one series loss against James and the Cavs in 2016 was arguably the most disappointing result in franchise history.
The Warriors came off an NBA record 73-9 season and held a 3-1 advantage over the Cavaliers. However, James put Cleveland on his back as they overturned their deficit and defeated the Warriors to script arguably the greatest comeback in league history.
This LeBron speech after Game 6 of the 2016 Finals is one for the books. https://t.co/cyhzd6lCKI
LeBron James has individually outplayed Steph Curry
LeBron James and Steph Curry have thrived when playing against each other. They have a 10-10 head-to-head record in the regular season, while Curry holds a 15-7 advantage over LeBron in the playoffs. Curry has the obvious advantage when it comes to collective success.
However, James has been the more dominant player regarding their individual stats. Across the 43 games they have played against each other (regular season and playoffs combined), James has averaged 30.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists, while Curry has tallied 24.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
James has outscored Curry 30-11 times in a game, held a 38-2 advantage in rebounds and dished out more assists 28 times to Curry's 13. The Warriors had a better team than James' Cavaliers when the two clashed in four straight finals series.
That won't be the case for the Warriors against the Lakers. The two contenders seem evenly matched. Golden State has championship experience and the longest-tenured core, while the Lakers have been the most in-form team in the Western Conference.
This interaction between Bron, Steph and Klay in the 2018 NBA Finals 👀
Warriors-Lakers gonna be a movie 🍿 https://t.co/DUuMFUSBPw
They have gone 13-4 in their past 17 games, including the playoffs. The Lakers also have a well-balanced roster and better defense. The series will likely come down to the performances of Steph Curry and LeBron James. It will be interesting to see which superstar comes out on top and prevails in what could be their final playoff series against each other.