A Head-To-Head Look As LeBron Passes Duncan In Postseason Scoring

By: Dan Ferrara, NBA International

With his 11th point of Eastern Conference semifinal Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James scored his 5,147th point, passing Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs for 5th place on the NBA’s All-Time playoff scoring list.

It’s a special moment for The King, and not just because of the stats. The pair have long had a unique rivalry, crossing paths many times and influencing each other’s careers in interesting ways.

James, just 31 years old, has now leaped into the Top 5 in playoff scoring, trailing only Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal – three players currently in the Hall of Fame, with Bryant just waiting for his time – and four of the greatest winners in NBA history, with a combined 21 championships between them. For Duncan’s part, he’ll finish his career as arguably the greatest power forward of all-time, with five rings of his own.

LeBron James has often earned comparisons to Michael Jordan, but has rarely had light shed on his connection with Duncan, with the two inevitable Hall of Famers facing off in three NBA Finals thus far with a potential fourth looming in a few weeks.

Here’s a look at how LeBron and Duncan have fared against each other in the postseason:

 

Head-To-Head: LeBron vs. Duncan
LeBron James Statistic Tim Duncan
1 Series Wins 2
5 Total Wins 11
25.4 Points Per Game 17.6
8.9 Rebounds Per Game 11.3
6.0 Assists Per Game 2.2
1.9 Steals Per Game 0.8
0.6 Blocks Per Game 1.4
8 Double-Doubles 10
2 Triple-Doubles 0

 

Statistically, James has the advantage in points, assists and steals while Duncan takes rebounds and blocks. Duncan has two series wins (2007 Finals and 2014 Finals) to LeBron’s one (2013 Finals), holding a 2-1 edge in head-to-head rings as well.

Though each Finals matchup left a mountain of memories, the 2007 Finals may have completely altered the path that James took in the following years.

The 2007 postseason was the second in the midst of five straight playoff appearances for LeBron’s Cavaliers under head coach Mike Brown, but the only time they reached the Finals. The Spurs swept the Cavs in four games, demolishing LeBron’s chance to bring the Cavaliers their first championship in franchise history.

James has always been a player who has been judged by his championship rings, which may have pushed him to signing with the Miami Heat as a free agent in the summer of 2010. If he had beaten the Spurs in the 2007 Finals, LeBron would have undoubtedly had a different legacy and may have never needed to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach in the pursuit of that elusive championship ring. LeBron’s career narrative could have been the story of a hometown kid who brought a championship back to his city and crafted a dynasty for the only franchise he ever played for. 

On the other side, the 2013 Finals could have marked a significant shift of power in the NBA. When the Heat came back from down 3-2 to stun the Spurs in seven games, that could have marked the end of the Spurs’ dynasty. Instead, Duncan and the Spurs came back the next season and incredibly improved their record from 58-24 to 62-20 and exacted revenge on the Heat, winning the 2014 Finals in five games. In a way, LeBron James and the Miami Heat may have rejuvenated Duncan and the Spurs, keeping them afloat as a superpower in the Western Conference.

Revisionist history is always fun to examine, but the simple fact is that LeBron passing Duncan on the scoring list is more than just numbers on a page or statistics in a column. These two legends have a rich history together and their matchups have impacted each other’s careers in remarkable ways.

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