How Many Times Michael Jordan, LeBron James, And Other NBA Stars Have Been Swept In The Playoffs

No team or true competitor ever wants to lose in the NBA playoffs. It means that their season is over, and their fight for an NBA championship is over. The only worse situation than a regular loss in the NBA playoffs is a loss by way of a sweep. A sweep occurs when the winning team wins the series without suffering a single loss in a best-of-5 or best-of-7 series. Losing in this fashion is as embarrassing as it gets, no matter which round the sweep occurs in, and that includes the NBA Finals. 

We will not see a sweep in this year’s NBA Finals between the Nuggets and Heat, but we have seen plenty of them in NBA history. Today, we will take our list of the top 25 players in NBA history and dissect the number of times each has been swept while going into details of those particular series. You have already seen us describe how they performed in their rookie seasons. Now, let us take you on a journey through some of their biggest playoff mishaps. How much did these stars play a role in those sweeps? Did they outperform everyone on the court and were left behind by their teammates? Did they completely fall apart in the games that mattered most? These are all questions and then some that we plan on answering below. 

These are the number of times that Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and other NBA stars have been swept in the playoffs.

25. Charles Barkley – 1 Time

1988-89 Eastern Conference First Round: Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks 0-3

The great Charles Barkley is often openly mocked on his hit show Inside The NBA on TNT about how he finished his career without a championship ring. The 1993 MVP made it to the NBA playoffs 13 times in his career and advanced to the NBA Finals just once with the Phoenix Suns in 1993. Barkley’s only sweep in his playoff career came at the hands of the New York Knicks in the 1989 First Round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

In Game 1 of that series, Barkley had a very timid 22 points and 12 rebounds while the Knicks won by 6 points to take a 1-0 series advantage. In Games 2 and 3, Barkley led all scorers with 30 and 29 points, respectively, but the Knicks won each game by 1 point. The Sixers were swept by 17.0 PPG or better performances from Gerald Wilkins, Patrick Ewing, and Johnny Newman. Barkley averaged 27.0 PPG and 11.7 RPG, but it was not enough with just one other 20.0 PPG scorer to get past the Knicks in a tight series.

24. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 0 Times

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s greatest power forwards ever, even at just 28 years old and in the prime of his career. The Milwaukee Bucks star has been a two-time MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, NBA champion, and Finals MVP in his career thus far and has never been handed a sweep during the NBA playoffs in his eight trips to the postseason over the last 10 years. Giannis has suffered embarrassing losses, though. In 2023, his first-seeded Bucks were defeated in five games by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat, who used that momentum to make their way to the NBA Finals this season. Still, the brooms have yet to be brought out for Giannis, and I know he would like to keep it that way.

23. David Robinson – 1 Time

2000-01 Western Conference Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers 0-4

“The Admiral” David Robinson was one of the most athletically gifted and most talented two-way centers in NBA history. He helped turn around the San Antonio Spurs franchise during the early 1990s, becoming a Defensive Player of the Year in 1992, scoring champ in 1994, and an MVP in 1995. Unfortunately for Robinson, he and the Spurs enjoyed little success in the playoffs until they drafted a man named Tim Duncan first overall in 1997.  

Despite all of their playoff shortcomings, Robinson was only ever dealt a sweep once, which came when Duncan was entering his peak as a player. In 2001, the Western Conference Finals came down to the Spurs and defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. By this time, Robinson was much older and slower than he had been at his best and played 29.3 minutes per game still. He averaged just 14.3 PPG and 10.8 RPG in the four-game sweep, with Games 3 and 4 ending in blowout fashion. For the Lakers, it was the tale of Kobe and Shaq as Bryant averaged 33.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 7.0 APG, and O’Neal averaged 27.0 PPG and 13.0 RPG.

22. Elgin Baylor – 2 Times

1958-59 NBA Finals: Minneapolis Lakers vs. Boston Celtics 0-4

1966-67 Western Division Semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Francisco Warriors 0-3

Elgin Baylor is still considered to be one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history despite his abysmal 0-8 record in the NBA Finals at the hands of the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. One of those losses to the Celtics was a result of a sweep during the 1959 NBA Finals. In Game 1, things were made close by Baylor, who had a 34-point night, but the Lakers fell by 3 points. In Games 2 and 3, Baylor was awful, shooting a combined 8-40 in the two games for a total of 27 points. He gave it another valiant effort in Game 4 with 30 points and 14 rebounds, but again, Boston’s powerful attack was just too much for the Lakers.

The next time that Baylor would feel the shame of a sweep would not be for another eight years. This time it came during the Western Division Semifinals, or the first round for lack of better terms. The San Francisco Warriors were set to take on the Lakers in a best-of-5 series led by Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond. Baylor would have a terrible series in which he still averaged 23.7 PPG but on 36.8% shooting overall. Teammate Archie Clark averaged over 25.0 PPG for the series as well. Still, the Warriors cruised to a three-game sweep behind 28.0 PPG from Barry and 19.3 PPG, and 21.7 RPG from Thurmond.

21. Dirk Nowitzki – 1 Time

2011-12 Western Conference First Round: Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 0-4

It is no secret that before their miraculous run to the NBA championship in 2011, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks had their fair share of playoff struggles. There was a meltdown in the 2006 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat led by Dwyane Wade. There was also the 2007 debacle when Nowitzki was named MVP, but his first-seeded Mavericks were upset by the eighth-seeded We Believe Warriors. Nowitzki was tabbed as a great regular-season player who folded in big moments. Again, that all changed in 2011 when he led Dallas to their first and only NBA title. 

The season following that championship was an up-and-down one for Nowitzki and the Mavericks. They finished with a 36-30 record on the season and drew a first-round matchup with the powerful Oklahoma City Thunder led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The first two games were close, with the Thunder taking Games 1 and 2 by a combined total of 4 points. In Game 3, Dirk shot just 6-15 from the field, and the Thunder cruised to a 16-point win. Down 3-0, Dallas fought valiantly as Dirk went for 34 points but failed to save Dallas’ season. The Thunder would sweep Dallas and go on to advance to the NBA Finals that season against the Miami Heat.

20. Julius Erving – 0 Times

Julius Erving is one of the most iconic figures in ABA and NBA history. With his signature afro and feats of athleticism that defied gravity, Erving captivated audiences around the world and inspired many future NBA legends to pick up a basketball. One thing about Erving that was universally respected was that he never went down without a fight. In his NBA career, Erving was never swept from 1977 through 1987 but did win an MVP and NBA championship with the Sixers during that time. Erving was also never dealt a sweep in the ABA, making this accomplishment that much more impressive. 

19. Kevin Garnett – 2 Times

1996-97 Western Conference First Round: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets 0-3

2001-02 Western Conference First Round: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Dallas Mavericks 0-3

Another one of the great power forwards in NBA history is Kevin Garnett. His intensity and energy on the court were unmatched, and getting into a war of words with him most likely would have ended very badly for whoever tested that. In 1997, Garnett’s first playoff appearance, Garnett would get his Welcome to the NBA moment, however. In a best-of-5 series against the Houston Rockets, Garnett and the Timberwolves were embarrassed in a three-game sweep at the hands of Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Mario Elie who all averaged over 18.0 PPG to lead the Rockets to victory.

The next time that Garnett would be swept would be in the 2002 NBA playoffs, again with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garnett would lead the way for Minnesota with 24.0 PPG, 18.7 RPG, 1.7 SPG, and 1.7 BPG. Teammates Wally Szczerbiak and Chauncey Billups also contributed over 20.0 PPG in the series as well. It was not enough to overcome Dallas and fellow power forward Dirk Nowitzki’s big series, though. Dirk finished the three-game set with 33.3 PPG, 15.7 RPG, and 3.0 SPG to seal Minnesota’s fate.

18. Dwyane Wade – 1 Time

2006-07 Western Conference First Round: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls 0-4

Universally, Dwyane Wade is recognized as the third-greatest shooting guard in the history of the game. In 2006, just his third year in the NBA, Wade led a Miami team to their first championship in NBA history over the Dallas Mavericks in a comeback victory. Wade received Finals MVP honors for his performance and the stage was set for the rest of his career. Unfortunately, Wade and the Heat would fall flat in their encore.

The 2006-07 season as defending NBA champions was decent for the Heat. They finished 44-38 and drew the matchup of the Baby Bulls out of Chicago in the first round. There was nothing baby about these Bulls as they came in and destroyed the Heat in four straight games. Chicago got over 25.0 PPG from each of Luol Deng and Ben Gordon in the series, with Deng and Ben Wallace serving important roles defensively as well. Wade finished the four games with 23.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 6.3 APG on 42.9% shooting. Only one other teammate of Wade’s, Shaquille O’Neal, finished with over 15.0 PPG in the series as their quest for back-to-back titles was thwarted.

17. Moses Malone – 3 Times

1978-79 Eastern Conference First Round: Houston Rockets vs. Atlanta Hawks 0-2

1979-80 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics 0-4

1986-87 Eastern Conference First Round: Washington Bullets vs. Detroit Pistons 0-3

Moses Malone is one of the most undervalued and underappreciated players in NBA history. The three-time MVP and Finals MVP is the NBA’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds and one of the toughest players that ever graced the hardwood. He suffered his first sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks when he was still with the Houston Rockets in 1979. The first round was a best-of-3 series then and the Hawks took care of business in two games behind 20.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG by John Drew as well as 18.0 PPG and 15.0 RPG from Dan Roundfield. Malone did his best with 24.5 PPG and 20.5 RPG, but no other teammate reached the 15.0 PPG mark.

Malone would not wait long for the agony of being swept to come around once again. In the 1980 NBA playoffs, Malone and the Rockets were able to get past the Spurs in the first round, setting up a meeting between them and the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, the Rockets would lose the first four games of the series quite handily as Larry Bird and Cedric Maxwell led the charge for Boston. Malone averaged 25.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG in the series loss, while teammate Robert Reid gave 20.0 PPG.

The next time we would see Moses Malone fall in a sweep would be seven seasons later when he was with the Washington Bullets, where he was still an All-Star player for two seasons in 1987 and 1988. Malone and the Bullets ran into a buzzsaw known as the Pistons, led by Adrian Dantley and Isiah Thomas. In the series, Thomas and Dantley would each average 21.3 PPG to lead the way for Detroit, while Thomas dished out 9.0 APG and Dantley grabbed 6.0 RPG. Malone’s 20.7 PPG and 12.7 RPG led Washington but were not enough to muster even one win against the Pistons that season.

16. Karl Malone – 1 Time

1988-89 Western Conference First Round: Utah Jazz vs. Golden State Warriors 0-3

For obvious reasons, Karl Malone is not a well-liked figure in the eyes of NBA fans and many media pundits these days. He is respected by many peers who seem to be able to separate the human being from the basketball player, however. On the court, Karl Malone was as tough as nails on the defensive end and wasn’t afraid to lay you out if he felt it was necessary. On offense, he was the perfect weapon for point guard John Stockton as he utilized his finishing skills around the rim and a beautiful mid-range jumper.

Malone and the Jazz were only swept once during his entire 19-year tenure with the team. It happened in the first round of the 1989 NBA playoffs when the Jazz took on the Golden State Warriors, led by Chris Mullin and Mitch Richmond. During this series, each game was a close one and a hard-fought battle, but ultimately, the Jazz could not muster even one win. Mullin averaged 32.7 PPG for the Warriors, while Richmond added 25.7 PPG. Malone would lead Utah in scoring with 30.7 PPG while grabbing 16.3 RPG but him and Stockton were not enough to overcome Golden State’s fast-paced offensive attack.

15. Jerry West – 1 Time

1966-67 Western Conference First Round: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors 0-3

Jerry West, aka The Logo, is one of the greatest overall scorers and playoff performers in NBA history. He helped the Lakers advance to nine different NBA Finals series in his career, winning one championship in 1972 and a Finals MVP award in 1969, the inaugural season in which the award was handed out. With all of his playoff appearances and falling short so many times, you would think that West was swept numerous times in his career, but that is not the case.

As a matter of fact, West has only been swept once in his career during the 1966-67 playoffs. West was injured for the first two games of their best-of-5 first-round matchup with the San Francisco Warriors. He even tried to give it a go during Game 3 but lasted just one minute on the court before heading back to the bench. Can I really credit a sweep against a player that only saw one minute of action? Not really, no. Does it still technically count, so we have to talk about it? Absolutely.

14. Oscar Robertson – 0 Times

Oscar Robertson was a pioneer in the game of basketball for 14 seasons from 1961 thru 1974. Robertson was the first man to average a triple-double in a season in 1962 and still finished fifth in the MVP voting despite that. Robertson led some underwhelming Cincinnati Royals teams to the playoffs and still never allowed them to be swept in a playoff series. In 1971, Robertson was finally able to get over the proverbial championship hump, winning an NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Robertson retired as a former MVP, 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA Team selection, and six-time assists champ.

13. Kevin Durant – 1 Time

2021-22 Eastern Conference First Round: Brooklyn Nets vs. Boston Celtics 0-4

As one of the most talented offensive players ever, Kevin Durant has had his fair share of opportunities to play in the NBA playoffs. The 2014 MVP has helped his teams advance to four NBA Finals in his career and has accumulated two wins and two losses in those series. He collected two Finals MVP awards with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018 while also suffering losses in the Finals in 2012 and 2019.

As for being swept, it has only occurred one time in Durant’s career, which came just last season when he was still with the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn took on Boston in the first round of the playoffs after a disappointing season left them with a lower seed than expected. In the series, Boston completely frustrated Durant and teammate Kyrie Irving to cruise to a four-game sweep and eventually the NBA Finals. Durant averaged 26.3 PPG in the series but shot a horrendous 38.6% overall in the series and 33.3% from three-point land. It is perhaps the biggest stain on Durant’s playoff resume and yet another loss early in the playoffs without the benefit of playing alongside Stephen Curry as he did in Golden State.

12. Hakeem Olajuwon – 2 Times

1990-91 Western Conference First Round: Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers 0-3

1995-96 Western Conference Semifinals: Houston Rockets vs. Seattle SuperSonics 0-4

Hakeem Olajuwon is the NBA’s all-time leader in blocked shots and is considered to be one of the best defenders in NBA history. He was also a highly-skilled offensive player who devastated opponents with his patented Dream Shake and elite footwork in the post. Both times that Olajuwon was swept in the playoffs, his opponent advanced to the NBA Finals. In 1991, it was the Lakers led by Magic Johnson and James Worthy, who would take him down in three straight games to sweep the series. In a close three games, Magic and Worthy each averaged over 21.0 PPG, while Magic dished out 12.7 APG. Olajuwon fought hard with 22.0 PPG, 14.7 RPG, and 2.7 BPG but to no avail.

The next and final time we would see Olajuwon swept in the NBA playoffs would be in 1996 against eventual Western Conference Champions, the Seattle SuperSonics. Olajuwon had slowed a bit and averaged just 18.3 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 2.0 BPG. Seattle would sweep their way to victory behind 20.0 PPG or more from each of Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, and Detlef Schrempf, with Payton adding 7.8 APG and 2.0 SPG to seal the deal.

11. Wilt Chamberlain – 1 Time

1960-61 Eastern Division Semifinals: Philadelphia Warriors vs. Syracuse Nationals 0-3

Wilt Chamberlain is statistically the most dominant player we have ever seen in the NBA. He is a close second to Michael Jordan for the highest career scoring average with 30.0 PPG as well as the only man to average 50.0 PPG in a single season, along with a host of records for the amount of time he spent on the court. Chamberlain dominated the 1960s and early 70s with four MVP awards and two NBA championships, along with a Finals MVP in 1972 with the Lakers.

Just like many NBA superstars, Chamberlain had to go through some playoff growing pains before finally reaching the mountaintop as an NBA champion. In 1961, one season before he averaged 50.4 PPG, Chamberlain and his Philadelphia Warriors found themselves in a playoff battle with the Syracuse Nationals. In the series, Chamberlain would dominate as always with 37.0 PPG and 23.0 RPG, while teammate Paul Arizin also added 22.3 PPG. Unfortunately, Larry Costello and Hal Greer had different ideas and led Syracuse to a sweep of the Warriors. Costello led the way with 24.0 PPG, while Greer added 23.0 PPG and 8.0 APG.

10. Stephen Curry – 0 Times

From when he was drafted seventh overall in 2009 until the present day, Stephen Curry has never been swept in a playoff series. As he developed into the greatest shooter in NBA history and one of the game’s greatest point guards, there were, of course, times that Curry had moments in which he fell short, but never by way of the dreaded sweep. Instead, Curry has led the Warriors to four NBA championships from 2015 thru 2022 and captured one Finals MVP award in 2022. The fact that he is one of the few superstars who has never been swept in the NBA playoffs is one of his more impressive feats.

9. Tim Duncan – 2 Times

2000-01 Western Conference Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers 0-4

2009-10 Western Conference Semifinals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns 0-4

Tim Duncan is one of the most curious cases in NBA history. He is universally seen as the greatest power forward in the history of the game and a five-time NBA champion, amongst a host of other accolades. Yet, he still gets underlooked on all-time lists. Duncan was swept twice in his NBA career, with the first coming at the hands of the 2001 Lakers, the eventual NBA champions, and in the second season of a three-peat. Duncan and the Lakers were no match for the Kobe and Shaq tandem that averaged 60.3 PPG combined. Duncan fought hard with 23.0 PPG, 12.3 RPG, and 4.3 BPG, but it was not enough to even grab one victory from a team that would lose just one game the entire playoffs.

The next time we would see Duncan and the Spurs get swept would be nine years later, in 2010. This time, it was a second-round matchup with the Phoenix Suns that led to a sweep at Duncan’s expense. The Suns had one of the most potent offenses in the NBA, led by the duo of Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire. Nash would lead the Suns with 22.0 PPG and 7.8 APG, while Stoudemire added 20.5 PPG and 9.3 RPG. Duncan struggled in Games 3 and 4 more than in Games 1 and 2, with just 32 points between the two games shooting less than 43.0% from the field.

8. Shaquille O’Neal – 6 Times

1993-94 Eastern Conference First Round: Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers 0-3

1994-95 NBA Finals: Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets 0-4

1995-96 Eastern Conference Finals: Orlando Magic vs. Chicago Bulls 0-4

1997-98 Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz 0-4

1998-99 Western Conference Semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs 0-4

2006-07 Eastern Conference First Round: Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls 0-4

For a man that needs no introduction, Shaquille O’Neal has been swept a whopping six times in his NBA career. The first three sweeps of his career occurred when he was with the Orlando Magic early on in his career. In 1994, as a second-year player, O’Neal and the Magic were handed a first-round sweep at the hands of Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers. Behind 29.7 PPG from Miller, the Pacers won their first two games by a combined total of 3 points before closing it out in Game 3 in blowout fashion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VSy3MkfeR4

The very next season, O’Neal was on a mission with his Orlando teammates as they maneuvered through the Eastern Conference playoffs. They reached the NBA Finals in a surprising fashion by defeating the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan in the Semifinals before beating the Pacers in the Conference Finals. Despite their big wins, they met Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals, who were defending champions and ready for more. They aptly swept the Magic in four games despite 28.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, and 2.5 BPG from O’Neal. The very next season, the Bulls would get their revenge on the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, destroying the Magic in four games to move on and earn their fourth NBA title. Of course, this was the greatest team ever assembled, so can we really fault Shaq?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iKU6SObZQQ

O’Neal would suffer the next two sweeps of his career as a member of the Lakers in 1998 and 1999. In 1998, O’Neal moved on to Los Angeles and helped them advance to the Western Conference Finals to take on the Utah Jazz. O’Neal would average 31.8 PPG and 9.8 RPG, but it was not enough. Karl Malone led the Jazz to victory with 30.0 PPG and 10.3 RPG. In 1999, the Lakers led by O’Neal would meet a similar fate at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. The Lakers were no match for Tim Duncan, who averaged 29.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 2.0 BPG to sweep L.A. and go on to win their first NBA title.

The final sweep of O’Neal’s playoff career would come in 2007 on the heels of his fourth NBA championship and only one with the Miami Heat. In the first round, O’Neal and Dwyane Wade found themselves in an uneven matchup against the Baby Bulls of Chicago. In the series, O’Neal kind of fell flat with 18.8 PPG and 8.5 RPG. Meanwhile, both Ben Gordon and Luol Deng averaged over 25.0 PPG to down the defending champions and sent them home in an embarrassing fashion.

7. Larry Bird – 2 Times

1982-83 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 0-4

1988-89 Eastern Conference First Round: Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons 0-3

Larry Bird was the type of player who was never going to let you get the best of him more than once unless you were Magic Johnson and the Lakers. The last winner of three consecutive MVP awards, Bird was the consummate winner and was sure to let you know about it too. As a member of the Celtics, Bird led the team to three NBA championships with two Finals MVP awards to boot. However, even Bird suffered the wrath of one playoff sweep in his career.

The Celtics were just two years removed from their first NBA championship of the Larry Bird era when they met the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 1983 playoffs. During this series, Bird was clearly hobbled and grimacing, limited to a shell of himself. He averaged 18.7 PPG and 11.7 RPG over the first three contests but was done by Game 4. Sidney Moncrief and Marques Johnson would each take advantage and average over 22.0 PPG to lead the Bucks to a sweep of the Boston Celtics.

After their reign in the 1980s was over, it was time for a new Eastern Conference team to take the reins. This is where the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons enter the picture. Detroit was the defending Conference champions looking to get back to the Finals to finally achieve championship glory. The first step was to take down Bird and the Celtics, which they did fairly easily 3-0 in the first round behind a big series from Mark Aguirre, Joe Dumars, and Vinnie Johnson.

6. Bill Russell – 0 Times

Bill Russell is another one of the all-time greats in NBA history who was never swept in his NBA playoff career. Russell played 13 seasons in the NBA with the Boston Celtics and led them to 11 NBA championships, suffering just one loss in the Finals in his career. Surely, this is an unbreakable record at this point. Russell showed mastery on the court with his defense, rebounding, and elite athleticism, which helped the Celtics become one of the greatest dynasties in sports history.

5. Kobe Bryant – 3 Times

1997-98 Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz 0-4

1998-99 Western Conference Semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs 0-4

2010-11 Western Conference Semifinals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks 0-4

As a global icon and one of the greatest players ever, Kobe Bryant took the torch from the greats before him that donned the Lakers’ uniform. He helped them win five NBA championships in his career, with two Finals MVP awards and one MVP award. Just like many others, there were some growing pains as well. In his first sweep, Bryant came off the bench against the Utah Jazz in 1998 for less than 22.0 minutes per game. He averaged 10.0 PPG as he could do nothing but sit and watch as a 19-year-old kid as Utah went on to the NBA Finals.

In 1999, Bryant and the Lakers would find themselves in another tough matchup, this time with Tim Duncan and the Spurs. Bryant would start all four games with him and Shaq, each averaging over 21.0 PPG in the series. Kobe added 6.5 RPG and 1.8 SPG but still, Duncan and the Spurs took care of business in four games and went on to win the NBA championship over the New York Knicks.

The final sweep of Kobe’s career would come on the heels of back-to-back NBA titles in 2009 and 2010. In the 2011 NBA playoffs, Bryant and the Lakers would have the unfortunate task of running into the team of destiny that season, the Dallas Mavericks. Despite their previous success, the Lakers stood no chance against Dirk and company. Bryant averaged just 23.3 PPG on less than 46.0% shooting from the field as the Lakers watched their chances at a three-peat slip away in rough fashion.

4. Magic Johnson – 2 Times

1982-83 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers 0-4

1988-89 NBA Finals – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons 0-4

Magic Johnson set the NBA world on fire when he entered the league in 1979–80, leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals and championship while becoming the youngest Finals MVP in NBA history. Of course, the expectations were astounding from that point on as he led the Lakers to five NBA titles during the 80s. There was adversity for Magic, however, as he faced both of his career sweeps on the NBA Finals stage. In 1983, the Lakers would fall victim to Moses Malone and Julius Erving of the 76ers in the NBA Finals. Malone dominated the series with 25.8 PPG and 18.0 RPG to win Finals MVP honors.

The next time Magic would be swept in the NBA playoffs would be the final time in his career. It would come in the 1989 Finals against the Detroit Pistons, who they had defeated in 1988 for the title. Magic would struggle with injuries and play just three games of the series averaging 11.7 PPG and 8.0 APG, which was not the typical Magic performance we were used to. In turn, the Pistons took advantage and took down the Lakers in four games behind Finals MVP Joe Dumars’ 27.3 PPG and Isiah Thomas’ 21.3 PPG.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 3 Times

1976-77 Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers 0-4

1982-83 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers 0-4

1988-89 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons 0-4

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of three players in NBA history to have a case to be considered the GOAT. Kareem held the NBA’s scoring record for 36 years and is the NBA record holder for most MVPs won with six. During his time with Milwaukee, Kareem didn’t get swept once and delivered an NBA title in 1971. 

That did not hold up with the Lakers. In 1977, the Lakers met Bill Walton and the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals. In the series, Kareem would have two 40-point games and a 30-point game but with no results for his team. Maurice Lucas would average 23.0 PPG, while Walton added 19.3 PPG and 14.8 RPG to sweep the series.

The next time that Kareem would be swept in the NBA playoffs would be in the 1983 Finals against Moses Malone and the Sixers. Although he led the playoffs in total points with 406, he averaged just 23.5 PPG in the Finals against Malone and fell victim to his second sweep. Malone grabbed Finals MVP honors with 25.8 PPG and 18.0 RPG. Kareem famously vowed revenge and got it with three more NBA championships before the next time we would see them get swept.

The final time we saw Kareem get swept in his career would be the last time we saw him on the court as an NBA player. It was the 1989 NBA Finals, and after a 20-year career, he was ready to call it quits. Kareem and the Lakers were set to take on the Bad Boy Pistons, who they had defeated in the NBA Finals the year prior. This series would be the opposite, with Kareem averaging just 12.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG in the series. Joe Dumard and Isiah Thomas each averaged over 21.0 PPG in the series and led Detroit to their first NBA championship in team history.

2. LeBron James – 3 Times

2006-07 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs 0-4

2017-18 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors 0-4

2022-23 Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets 0-4

Regardless of his personal opinions and his losses in the NBA Finals, LeBron James is still undoubtedly a top-three player in NBA history. All three of James’ sweeps he has been dealt in his career came in the Conference Finals or NBA Finals, making it a pretty big accomplishment in itself. 

His first sweep came at the hands of the Spurs, led by Tony Parker’s Finals MVP performance, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili in 2007. James averaged just 22.0 PPG on 35.6% shooting from the field, which was never going to be enough to capture an NBA championship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbhtEAFPakM

In his second Finals sweep, LeBron James was arguably the best player on the planet. The only problem was he was going against a monster Golden State Warriors squad that featured Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. James put up a valiant effort with 34.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 10.0 APG on 52.7% shooting from the field. Still, it was not enough to defeat the combined effort of Durant and Curry in an overpowering and dominant sweep of the Cavaliers for their second straight championship.

The final time we saw LeBron James swept in the NBA playoffs came this past season with the Lakers against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. James and the Lakers had all the momentum in the world heading into the series after taking out the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately for him, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic had other ideas. Murray averaged 32.5 PPG, while Jokic averaged 27.8 PPG, 14.5 RPG, and 11.8 APG to complete the sweep. In the end, the story was still about LeBron and his future despite Denver’s overwhelming dominance in the series.

1. Michael Jordan – 2 Times

1985-86 Eastern Conference First Round: Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics 0-3

1986-87 Eastern Conference First Round: Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics 0-3

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls saw Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in their nightmares before they went on to become a dynasty in the 1990s. Jordan and the Bulls were not very deep during the 1985-86 season, and Jordan was limited to just 17 games with a broken foot. They still managed to sneak into the playoffs but drew a matchup with the powerhouse Celtics. The Celtics made easy work of the Bulls, but not before Jordan left his mark on Bird. Larry claimed “That’s God disguised as Michael Jordan” following a 63-point masterpiece in a Game 2 loss.

The following season, the Bulls were once again underwhelming in the regular season and drew a matchup with the Celtics in the first round. Game 1 was a close contest, with the Celtics picking up a 4-point win despite 35 points from Jordan. In Game 2, Jordan would have another all-time performance with 42 points, but the Bulls fell once again by nine. Game 3 was a lot less close as Boston pulled out a double-digit win 105-94, with Bird leading all scorers with 32 points and Jordan battling him with 30 of his own. 

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