Entering the 2023-24 season, nearly five years have passed since the last time Kevin Durant squared off against LeBron James. Before the Phoenix Suns battled against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 26, 2023, the last matchup between two of the greatest small forwards of all time came on December 25, 2018. But this season, it's James who has gained the upper hand over Durant, with the Lakers winning all three of their matchups thus far against the Suns this season, with their most recent victory being a 106-103 win in the quarterfinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

Despite Durant's best efforts, the Suns simply cannot matchup against the Lakers' physicality this season. The Suns star's 31 points, seven rebounds and efficient shooting display (12-17 from the field, 4-7 from deep) weren't enough as the Suns bowed out of the NBA In-Season Tournament, and in doing so, Durant's drought against James is reaching ridiculous heights.

According to StatMuse, it has been 2,006 days since Kevin Durant's team last defeated LeBron James'. For one to find Durant's most recent victory over James, one would have to go all the way back to June 8, 2018, when the Golden State Warriors made quick work of the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sweep in the NBA Finals.

Between the 2018 NBA Finals and the 2023-24 season, Durant and James have only come up against each other only once, so it's not like that drought is as egregious as the number of days that have passed make it seem. As one would recall, both the Suns and Lakers stars have experienced a variety of injury woes over the past five seasons, and it didn't help that Durant played in the opposite conference as James, limiting the opportunities for them to match up against each other.

But the Suns will find it an especially annoying pain point, particularly for this season, that they can't seem to figure out the Lakers. LeBron James and company overwhelmed the Suns yet again, forcing Phoenix to cough up the ball 20 times. The Lakers also outscored them in the paint, 54-44, and they outrebounded them on the offensive glass by 13 (21-8).

Kevin Durant and the Suns have two more matchups against the Lakers on their schedule; Durant's next opportunity to snap his winless streak against James will come on January 11.