LeBron James and Stephen Curry collide once more.
LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry: Inside the head-to-head NBA playoff record for Lakers, Warriors stars – Two of the greatest players of all time will compete for a berth in the Western Conference Finals in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Both the Lakers and Warriors played upsets to get here, defeating the No. 2 seed Grizzlies and No. 3 seed Kings in the first round, respectively.
James averaged 22.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in six games against the Grizzlies. Curry was nothing short of brilliant in the seven-game series against the Kings, averaging 33.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists.
Curry saved his best for last, scoring a game-high 50 points in Game 7.
If the presence of James and Curry isn’t enough of an attraction, history suggests it may be a classic.
LeBron James record vs. Stephen Curry in NBA Playoffs
James and Curry will meet for the fifth time in the playoffs in 2023, in the second round. Each of the previous ones occurred in the Finals in consecutive seasons during James’ time with the Cavaliers.
While James has the better overall numbers, Curry has won 15 of the 22 games and three of the four series they have played. This does not include the 2021 Play-In Tournament, which James won with a triple-double and clutch 3-pointer over Curry.
Here are their playoff stats from their previous meetings:
Head-to-head: LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry (NBA Playoffs)
| LeBron James | Stephen Curry | |
| Series won | 1 | 3 |
| Games won | 7 | 15 |
| Points per game | 33.0 | 25.4 |
| Rebounds per game | 11.5 | 5.9 |
| Assists per game | 9.3 | 6.3 |
| Steals per game | 1.7 | 1.5 |
| Blocks per game | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Turnovers per game | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Field goal percentage | 48.1 | 42.2 |
| 3-point percentage | 34.9 | 39.7 |
| Free throw percentage | 71.9 | 91.6 |
In the 2015 NBA Finals, the Warriors overcame the Cavaliers to win their first championship in 40 years. Andre Iguodala was voted the series’ Finals MVP. The Cavaliers exacted their vengeance the following season, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to capture Cleveland’s first championship in 52 years.
The Warriors signed Kevin Durant in the 2016 summer and defeated the Cavaliers in back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. In both series, Durant was awarded Finals MVP.
When the Lakers defeated the Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals, James won his fourth championship and fourth Finals MVP. Curry won his fourth championship and his first Finals MVP when the Warriors defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals in 2022.