LeBron James is arguably the best basketball player in the world, having collected plenty of milestones and accolades throughout his NBA career. James is also considered to be one of the most successful players in the playoffs, having earned four NBA championships and Finals MVPs.
The King also holds the record for the most points and victories in postseason play. Here are the 10 greatest NBA players to never defeat LeBron James in a playoff series, ranked.
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1. Derrick Rose
At his peak, Derrick Rose rivaled LeBron James in the MVP race. In the process, Rose took NBA MVP honors in 2011, becoming the youngest in NBA history. However, Rose never actually cracked the code against James’ teams, with the latter holding a 12-4 record over Rose in postseason play. James’ Cavs and Heat teams seemed to have a number over Rose’s Bulls.
2. Jimmy Butler
Wherever Jimmy Butler played, LeBron James was always there to deny his teams in the playoffs. As early as his days with the Bulls, James’ teams always prevailed in the playoffs, the last of which saw Butler fail to lead the Miami Heat past James’ Los Angeles Lakers inside the NBA Bubble during the 2019-20 season. With Butler joining the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference, another collision course could happen in the near future.
3. James Harden
From his days as a sixth man for the Oklahoma City Thunder to becoming a star for the Houston Rockets, James Harden always had a hard time getting past James’ teams. The Beard had a disappointing Finals debut in their series against James’ Heat. They met again in the playoffs eight years later during the Western Conference Semifinals when James led the Lakers over Harden’s Rockets in five games.
4. Russell Westbrook
Coincidentally, like Harden, Russell Westbrook was on similar teams that James defeated. Westbrook was a rising star for the Thunder back in 2012, as they witnessed James capture his first NBA title. In the Western Conference Semifinals, James played a major role in showing Westbrook and the Rockets the door. In the process, Westbrook’s tenure in Houston soon came to an end.
5. DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan’s Toronto Raptors just couldn’t get past LeBron James’ teams in the East. Thus, this paved the way for the birth of “LeBronto.” For three straight years from 2016 to 2018, James’ Cavaliers reasserted their mastery over DeRozan and the Raptors. For some reason, The King kicks into a higher gear whenever he faced DeRozan’s Raptors in the postseason.
6. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James are great friends off the court. However, they also engaged in one of the most iconic rivalries during their peak. Melo and James first faced off in postseason play in the 2012 NBA Playoffs, which saw James’ Heat take care of business in five games. Eight years later, they met in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, as the Lakers spearheaded by James finished off Melo’s Blazers in the same number of games.
7. Jayson Tatum
Back in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, it looked like Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics were marching to the 2018 NBA Finals. However, James emerged as a major roadblock. The King found a way to kick into a gear like no other, putting up 12 points in the fourth quarter of the deciding Game 7 to earn his eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals.
8. Jaylen Brown
On that same Boston Celtics team was Jaylen Brown. Even when Brown can already call himself an NBA champion, to this day, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP continues to feel the emotions during James’ herculean Game 7 at the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals. The King finished with 35 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists to delay Brown’s first Finals appearance.
9. Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo was one of the breakout stars for the Miami Heat during the 2019-20 season inside the NBA Bubble. Adebayo’s rise was a welcome sight for Miami, as the team made it all the way to the NBA Finals as the fifth seed. However, Adebayo and the Heat eventually ran out of gas against James and the Los Angeles Lakers in six games at the championship stage.
10. Shaquille O’Neal
At the 2011 NBA Playoffs, James was forced to exorcise his demons against the team that haunted him the most during his first Cavs tenure, the Boston Celtics. With the Miami Heat, James had plenty of help this time against a Celtics squad reinforced by Shaquille O’Neal. It’s worth noting that O’Neal had just played with James in Cleveland a season prior. Nonetheless, James’ Heat were successful in getting past their Eastern Conference rivals en route to James’ first NBA Finals appearance with Miami.
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