Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James’ top playoff achievements

LeBron James has quite the track record in the NBA playoffs.

LeBron James is now in his eighth straight NBA Finals and has a well-known record of 3-5 in The Finals. Before the 2018 NBA Finals tip off, let’s take a look at his top 10 playoff achievements.

10.) Winning his first playoff series

LeBron James and the Cavaliers did not make the playoffs in his first two seasons.That all changed in 2006 when the rivalry began with the Washington Wizards. The Cavaliers were the fourth seed and the Wizards were the fifth seed. This was at a time where the Wizards had Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison.

In his first playoff series, James averaged 35.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. He shot 51 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from three.

9.) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons, 2007 Eastern Conference Finals

The Pistons were one of the best teams at the time. They had a team that consisted of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace. The term super team was not around back then, but, you can probably put that Pistons team in that category for the years they dominated. The game that most sticks out is game five, where James just totally dominated and destroyed the Pistons on his own. That is still, the most dominant game I have seen by a single player. The Cavs would then defeat the Pistons in six games after James dominant performance in game five and Daniel “Boobie” Gibson breakout game in game six.

This would be James first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. James averaged 25.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 2.7 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. James shot 44.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three.

8.) 2018 first round vs. Indiana

The Cavs were struggling vs. Indiana, but they eventually pulled it out to advance to the next round. James was just unstoppable in this series. Hitting game winners, to just totally beating the Pacers on his own.

There was a lot of doubt from people the Cavs could get past the Pacers but James still has not lost in the first round of the playoffs. James averaged 34.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He shot 55.3 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three.

7.) 2018 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Boston

The Cavaliers went down 2-0 in this series and Boston was undefeated at home in the playoffs but struggled mightily on the road. The Cavs role players finally showed up in games six and seven to close out Boston. James played all 48 minutes in game seven where the Cavs handed Boston their first home loss in the playoffs.

The Cavs hit three’s and made great defensive plays when they needed too. James averaged 33.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He shot 52.4 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three.

6.) 2011 Eastern Conference Finals game six at Boston

LeBron James has never beaten the Boston Celtics duo of Rajon Rondo-Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett-Ray Allen until 2011. The Miami Heat were down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Everything was on the line for James and company. This is when James when full beast mode to tie the series at 3-3 and James and the Heat finally beat the Boston Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals.

James in this game six had 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists. He shot 73.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from three. In the series, he averaged 28.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals and blocks. He shot 47.2 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three.

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5.) James wins second title against the Spurs, Heat go back-to-back

This was a thrilling series, a series that went to seven games. This was the most thrilling finals series in a long time in 2013.

The Spurs team still had a young Tony Parker-Manu-Tim Duncan-Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs had the title locked up in game six in Miami, even their fans thought so too, who left early. However, the Heat made a crazy run towards the end of the game and eventually won that game. The fans that left early were shown on national television trying to come back in. This would start the short rivalry Miami had against San Antonio.

James in this series averaged 25.3 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. He shot 44.7 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three. James would be 2-2 in the NBA Finals.

4.) 2015 NBA Finals

This was LeBron James first season back with the Cavaliers, and this is the year the rivalry with the Golden State Warriors started.

The Cavs were without Kevin Love the entire series. They were also without Kyrie Irving after game one. With the other two superstars down, James led the Cavaliers that was Matthew Dellavedova, JR Smith, Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov. The Cavs at one point had a 2-1 series lead against the Warriors in the finals.

James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.3 blocks per game. He shot 39.8 percent from the field and 31 percent from three.

3.) 2017 NBA Finals, averaging a triple-double

This was the first year that the Warriors had Kevin Durant. This would be the last year the Cavs had Kyrie Irving. The games weren’t really competitive except for a couple, and the Cavs did win one game before eventually losing in five games. James was just on a whole other level. Averaging a triple-double in the NBA Finals is pretty insane.

James averaged 33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He shot 56.4 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three.

2.) James winning his first title against Oklahoma City Thunder

After losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2010 NBA Finals, James and the Miami Heat came back for revenge against the rising Oklahoma City Thunder. A team that consisted of Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook-James Harden.

The Thunder won game one in OKC, but the Heat won the series in five games. James finally gets his first NBA title and is 1-2 in the NBA Finals. This Miami Heat team was led by LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh. James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. James shot 47.2 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three.

1.) Capturing Cleveland’s first title in 50+ years, and coming back down from 3-1

These are the NBA Finals that Cleveland fans will not forget in a long time. 3-1 jokes are still going on today. The first two games were not even close at all.

Fans started to think, “Oh no, here we go again.”

The Cavaliers would win game three but lose game four and this is where things starts to get interesting. Draymond Green gets suspended for game five. The Cavs got the best performances by everyone, especially from Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, who both had 40+ points in an elimination game on the road. Green would come back in game six but it did not matter as the Cavs would win that game.

Game seven. Best two words in sports.

On Father’s Day.

Downtown Cleveland was closed, as fans watched from parking decks, outside the arena, in the streets and in The Q to watch the Cavs win their first championship. It was an unreal scene in downtown Cleveland that night. Green had the game of his life in game seven, erupting for 32 points, but it did not matter. JR Smith saved the Cavs in the start of the third quarter.

The big moments no one will forget — LeBron James block on Andre Iguodala (OH BLOCKED BY JAMES!) and then Kyrie Irving hitting the three over Stephen Curry to give the Cavs a three-point lead with under a minute remaining in the game. It was right then, the Cavs would finally seal the deal give Cleveland and its die-hard fans their first championship in 50+ years. James averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. James shot 49.4 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three.

All stats from Basketball-Reference

LeBron James top playoff achievements

By Simon Hannig | May 31, 2018

LeBron James has quite the track record in the NBA playoffs.

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