The Hoops Loop

Introduction & Criteria

LeBron James, arguably the greatest player in NBA history, has played an equivalent of 3.5 full NBA seasons worth of Playoff basketball, 287 games, good enough for first place in NBA history. Throughout his illustrious career he has seen both highs and lows, whilst providing the basketball community with unforgettable performances for the ages. Therefore, I have tasked myself with the impossible mission of ranking, specifically, his top 5 playoff performances.

To rank a player’s performance in the NBA, let alone, LeBron James, is no small task. Therefore, to assist in being able to categorise and create an objective ranking, a set of criteria will be utilised to meet the aim of creating an accurate ranking.

The criteria is as follows:

• Opponent difficulty
• Round of playoffs
• Offensive stats
• Defensive stats
• Legacy influence

Each facet will be measured out of a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the best and 0 the worst. The total will be ranked and measured out of a scale of 50.

5. 2020 Finals Game 5

Performance score: 44/50

In a closeout game with the Lakers looking to finish off the Miami Heat and lay claim to the 2020 NBA title, LeBron James was determined as ever to get another championship on his third team. The King poured in 40 points on an unbelievable 71.4 FG%, on top of this, he managed to pull down 13 rebounds and dished out 7 assists.

Playing out of his traditional Small Forward position that he has played throughout the majority of his career, and instead at the helm of the Lakers offense as the teams point guard. The high usage, touches and ultimately responsibility further emphasis how impressive of a performance he delivered in game 5, particularly, in respect to his overall efficiency.

In the end, Game 5 came down to the wire as the infamous playoff riser, Jimmy Butler, served the Lakers an ice cold 35-point triple double. The Heats defence, a Danny Green missed shot (wide open), coupled with Jimmy’s heroics put the Lakers away in the do-or-die game for the Heat. Thus, like many of LeBron’s iconic performances, the team could not match his level of effort to pull out the win.

4. 2007 ECF Game 5

Performance score: 46/50

At just 22 years old, willing a poorly constructed Cavaliers roster to heights beyond anyones expectations. This performance could be considered the genesis of the legend of LeBron, where he looked like a kid playing at the local park, a video game character, mythical, to say the least.

James’ performance against the rough and tough Detroit Pistons is defined by the staple closing period of the game, where James went unconscious by putting 25 straight points on the board to edge the Cavs over the Pistons, this would position the Cavs 3-2, in an eventual series win, proving to be the pivotal moment, not only in the game but the series.

The momentum changing game would provide the Cleveland Cavaliers with a franchise first NBA Finals appearance. A historical achievement, that in hindsight, adds further weight and significance to the feats LeBron reached during game 5.

It’s not common that young superstars display such dominance, maturity and responsibility in their game, but LeBron James was able to do just that in his showing during Game 5. A performance that has yet to be toppled by the rising stars of the NBA since.

3. 2012 ECF Game 6

Performance score: 47/50

At the time of Game 6, LeBron was down a 3-2 deficit to the dynastic Boston Celtics of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. This series was on the back of the disaster showing in the previous seasons final, where the Heat fell to the Dallas Mavericks.

It was a legacy game, a turning point in LeBron’s career. If they lost, would the Heat have to rethink things over and blow it up? Is LeBron capable of leading a team to the mountain top? All these questions and much more loomed over the team like a dark cloud.

Unrelenting, and defiant in preserving the Miami Heat, who were on a lifeline at this point in the series. LeBron, as seen in the thumbnail image above, had a look in his eye, only comparable to a lion stalking its prey. He attacked the Boston Celtics with brute force, finesse fadeaways from the mid-post and athletic finishes around the rim.

He silenced the Celtics superteam and the raging home crowd with 45-points on 73.1% shooting, along with 15 rebounds and 5 assists. A performance that turned down the volume on the critics within the media and NBA fanbase, and proved that nothing was going to deter LeBron from getting his first ring.

This infamous game lives on as one of the most iconic games of his career, and arguably one of the greatest performances of all time.

2. 2016 Finals Game 7

Performance score: 49.5/50

Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, arguably the greatest NBA game of all time, the historic series comeback by the Cavaliers, scratching and clawing their way back into the series after being knocked down 3-1, against the greatest regular season team of all time.

The unquantifiable pressure emanating from Oracle Arena on June 19, 2016 could be felt through television screens halfway around the world. The stakes couldn’t get any higher, it was up to the stars to prove to the world whether they could step into the limelight. An underlying narrative was that LeBron had promised to raise a banner for the city of Cleveland, in his return from his Miami Heat stint. More pressure than ever was on Jame to deliver.

And deliver he did. The King produced an all around masterclass, a 27 point triple-double. Additionally, an amazing stat to put into perspective just how important James was during the crucial game is that he contributed to 50% of the Cavaliers points directly, either by assist or scoring (27 points, 19 points created from assists). The unreal offensive control was complemented by stellar defense, which birthed the iconic and arguably greatest highlight of LeBron’s career “The Block”.

It was a difficult decision to not place this as the greatest game of his career due to the unreal performance on both sides of the floor, the stakes and ultimately, the outcome of the iconic game.

1. 2018 Finals Game 1

Performance score: 50/50

In a series that perfectly emulates the biblical story of David versus Goliath, LeBron James established a new precedent with his Game 1 performance. Before the series began, many within the media and broader NBA community assumed that the Golden State Warriors would trample over the one man army Cavaliers in dominant and blown-out fashion. Despite the series ending in a sweep, it was held much closer than pundits anticipated, largely due to James’ historic play.

In Game 1, LeBron showed utter offensive domination, with balanced inside-out scoring throughout the competition. He finished the game with a jaw-dropping 51 points (playoff career high), to go along with a near triple double of 8 rebounds and 8 assists. On top of this, he shot 43% from the 3-point range and 59% as a whole from the field. It was the cherry on top of the cake in terms of performances during his historical 2018 playoff season run.

Therefore, this performance ranks as his best in my opinion, and the greatest NBA Finals performance of all time because:

• The adversity he faced with the four-headed monster of the 2018 Warriors with Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green
• The high stakes of being game 1 of the NBA Finals
• The outstanding and dynamic offensive execution and efficiency
• All the while being tasked to guard one of the greatest offensive threats of all time in Kevin Durant and giving it his all to the very end.