LeBron James is arguably the GOAT of basketball, having won four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs, and the same number of league MVPs. He is also the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. But while James has had plenty of success, some NBA stars have surely made life difficult for The King in the playoffs. Without these stars, James probably would have more championship gold to his name. For this piece, let’s take a look at 10 NBA stars who gave LeBron James playoff trouble.
Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets had to exorcize some ghosts when they faced the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch from the 2020 Western Conference Finals in the NBA Bubble. With a chip on their shoulder, back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic didn’t disappoint. Jokic averaged a triple-double of 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists to help the Nuggets sweep James and the Lakers. This marked the first time in Nuggets history that the team successfully swept its opponent in the postseason.
Dirk Nowitzki
Who can forget how LeBron James had the worst Finals performance of his career against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks? Despite being huge underdogs against LeBron James and the Miami Heat, Nowitzki torched their defense with his unstoppable fadeaway jumper. In the Finals series, he averaged 26.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game to delay James’ first championship celebration.
Stephen Curry
Whether LeBron James suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Lakers, the Warriors were always a constant threat because of Stephen Curry. Although James and the Lakers recently eliminated the Warriors in this year’s Western Conference Semifinals, people will often remember that Curry and the Warriors denied James a championship in three out of four Finals series. Besides, he is considered to be the best shooter to ever play in the NBA.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is often considered one of LeBron James’ greatest adversaries. Although James and the Heat gave Durant a rude awakening in the latter’s first ever Finals appearance, Durant would go on to win back-to-back NBA championships and Finals MVPs at the expense of James and the Cavaliers during his time with the Warriors.
Andre Iguodala
Part of the reason James had a difficult time facing the Warriors was Andre Iguodala. The Warriors’ resident perimeter defender took Finals MVP honors in 2015 after restricting James’ individual dominance. Although he only scored 16 points per outing, the Warriors wouldn’t have won without Iggy’s lockdown defense.
Tim Duncan
The San Antonio Spurs were often one of LeBron James' biggest headaches, especially with Tim Duncan at the helm. Duncan and the Spurs first gave James a rude Finals debut in 2007. Although James got one over the Spurs in 2013, Duncan’s Spurs would re-assert their mastery over James’ squads in the following year.
Kawhi Leonard
Aside from Duncan, James also had to worry about Kawhi Leonard. With his elite defensive abilities, Leonard made life hard for The King during their Finals matchup in 2014. In fact, it was safe to say that his defensive play in the Finals made James leave South Beach. During the series, he registered 17.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per outing in the Finals to take Finals MVP honors.
Chris Paul
It’s not so often that LeBron James bumped into Chris Paul in the postseason. However, after James and the Lakers took care of business at the play-in tournament, they battled Paul and the Suns in the first round of the 2021 Playoffs. CP3 showcased his veteran leadership and All-Star playmaking by averaging 9.2 points and 7.7 assists per outing to destroy the Lakers’ title defense.
Rajon Rondo
During James’ first stint with the Cavaliers, he couldn’t seem to figure out how to get past the Boston Celtics. Although the Big Three was a huge reason, it was Rajon Rondo who played the x-factor responsible for eliminating the Cavs for two consecutive playoff campaigns. Before winning a championship together in Los Angeles, Rondo made life hard for James with his stellar all-around skills. Who could forget his 19-assist game in Game Two of the 2010 playoffs and a monster triple-double stat line of 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists to take Game Four. After that year, James departed Cleveland to form the Big Three in Miami.
Ben Wallace
The Detroit Pistons were a tough championship contender in the 2000s. In fact, they were also responsible for giving LeBron James a reality check when the latter made his playoff debut. Although James took the series to seven games, Ben Wallace surely made life difficult for The King in the shaded area. Moreover, Wallace ultimately controlled the boards to send James home in his first playoff appearance.
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