Who are the two greatest players over the last decade? The answers are LeBron James and Stephen Curry, dominant superstars who have taken the game to new heights. LeBron James is known as The King for a reason he won a whopping 4 NBA titles over his career with 3 different franchises. He also has the title of being the longevity king, considering he is going nearly two decades at a superstar level and has not slowed down that much yet. He will also be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in short order.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry has to be recognized as one of the most accomplished players of all time for the way he changed the game and forced every team to shoot three-pointers consistently. Curry won 4 NBA titles as well and finally captured his Finals MVP award in the 2022 NBA season with the Golden State Warriors. Most importantly, he is the most devastating shooter we have ever seen, and he has shattered all three-point records.
It is time to compare the career-high comparisons between LeBron James and Stephen Curry to get an indication of which player performed best during their absolute peak performances. Some categories might surprise you because the ability of both players to compete at the highest levels does cause shocking results.
Points
LeBron James: 61 Points (Heat vs. Hornets, March 03, 2014)
Stephen Curry: 62 Points (Warriors vs. Trail Blazers, January 03, 2021)
The 2013–14 season was when LeBron James scored the most points of his career while playing for the Miami Heat. The superstar forward destroyed the Hornets’ defense by making 22 of 33 field goal attempts, including 8 of 10 three-point attempts and 9 of 12 free throws. It is amazing that James made 8 three-pointers on 66.7% from the three-point line because he is a career 34.6% shooter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5PRGB1Khts
LeBron’s offensive avalanche helped the Heat win 124-107. Although LeBron has had more than a few incredible scoring outbursts, his 61-point outburst must rank among the best games the offensive star has ever had and the single highest-scoring performance of his career.
Stephen Curry’s career-high in scoring came during the 2020-21 season as a member of the Golden State Warriors. The superstar point guard went ballistic on the Trail Blazers’ defense, nailing 18-31 shots from the field, including 8-16 from three and 18-19 from the free-throw line.
Anytime a shooter of Curry’s caliber nails 8 three-pointers, it is obvious that he will score over 50 points with ease, especially in today’s NBA. Thanks to Steph’s offensive explosion, the Warriors won the game 137-122. In the end, Curry has a slight edge over King James in career-high scoring by a slight 1-point margin.
Advantage: Stephen Curry
Rebounds
LeBron James: 19 Rebounds (Cavaliers vs. Hornets, January 11, 2008)
Stephen Curry: 14 Rebounds (Warriors vs. Kings, December 28, 2015)
Given that he is a 6’9″ small forward, LeBron James is a behemoth when he pairs his height with a weight of 250 lbs. The superstar forward recorded a career-high 19-rebound effort against the Charlotte Hornets on January 11, 2008. In reality, LeBron James is considered a very good rebounder for his height and position. His career average of 7.5 RPG is definitely impressive, and his best seasons came in 2017 and 2018, when he averaged 8.6 RPG. Without a doubt, LeBron is an all-time great player who can rebound the ball at a very consistent rate and has proven that consistently.
Stephen Curry is considered a miniature player, but that might not be true, considering he stands 6’3”. The point guard has an impressive career average of 4.6 RPG and managed a career-high 14-rebound performance against Sacramento Kings on December 28, 2015. The Warriors won the game 122-103, as Curry’s triple-double complemented Klay Thompson’s 29-point explosion. No doubt about it, Steph is a very capable rebounder for a point guard. But he does not have LeBron’s size, meaning James has an edge in crashing the boards.
Advantage: LeBron James
Assists
LeBron James: 19 Assists (Cavaliers vs. Hawks, February 9, 2018), (Lakers vs. Magic, January 15, 2020)
Stephen Curry: 16 Assists (Warriors vs. Suns, December 27, 2013), (Warriors vs. Jazz, April 06, 2014)
In 2018 and 2020, LeBron James piled up an incredible 19 assists in spectacular fashion, recording career-high performances in terms of creating shots for his teammates. James is regarded as a player that prioritizes playmaking and is renowned for his above-average passing skills. When a player of James’s quality feeds his teammates in that manner, the play of his teammates becomes incredibly impressive.
As expected, 5 of James’ teammates scored in double-figures, with backup guard Quinn Cook leading all scorers with 22 points. No doubt, James is a better passer than Steph despite occupying the small forward position for most of his career.
The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry had career-high performances in 2013 and 2014, putting up 16 assists in spectacular fashion on two separate occasions. Considered a score-first player, Curry is still known for his passing ability and is above-average in that aspect.
Anytime a score-first player of Curry’s caliber feeds his teammates like that, a win is normally ascertained, and that was what happened in the blowouts against the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns. Amazingly, despite Curry being a point guard, he does not have the career-high number of assists that James has. King James has to be known as one of the best passers of all time.
Advantage: LeBron James
Steals
LeBron James: 7 Steals (Cavaliers vs. Grizzlies, December 13, 2004)
Stephen Curry: 7 Steals (Warriors vs. Timberwolves, April 07, 2010), (Warriors vs. Clippers, December 07, 2016)
LeBron James has 6 All-Defensive Team selections, but he still managed career-highs in steals in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The game came in 2004 when he managed 7 steals and ended up winning the game thanks to The King’s 31 points as well. The superstar forward has a career average of 1.6 SPG, which could possibly dispute the image of him being a subpar defender because he was absolutely above average in his prime. Thanks to his basketball IQ, he is always a threat to come up with steals as well.
A man without a single All-Defensive Team selection, Stephen Curry had a career-high 7 steals in two different games over his career. The first came in 2010 when he managed 7 steals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The last time Curry did that was in 2016, when he managed 7 steals against the Los Angeles Clippers, once again proving he could play passing lanes effectively. The point guard has a career average of 1.7 SPG, which is certainly impressive, considering he is not a defensive stopper by any means. Still, Curry’s career-high in steals matches King James’ averages.
Advantage: Even
Blocks
LeBron James: 5 Blocks (Cavaliers vs. Hornets, February 23, 2004), (Cavaliers vs. Bulls, March 16, 2004)
Stephen Curry: 2 Blocks (25 times)
LeBron James, at 6’9”, was never required to be a consistent shot-blocker at any point of his career despite his size. That is mainly because James was more of a perimeter player in terms of position, and when he did block shots, it came through his patented chase-down blocks. He did block 5 shots, his career-high, 2 times, so he could extend his arms when challenging shots when necessary. Over his career, LeBron has a career average of 0.8 BPG. In terms of career-high in blocks, LeBron has a very solid advantage over the smaller Stephen Curry.
Stephen Curry, at only 6’3”, was never blessed to be a shot-blocker as a member of the Golden State Warriors. No point guard has ever been blessed with natural shot-blocking ability, which is why Curry never had more than 2 blocks in a single game over his career. He did accomplish this feat 25 times, so he could extend or recover when necessary. Over his career, Steph has a career average of 0.2 BPG and did not manage 5 blocks in a single game as James did.
Advantage: LeBron James
3-Pointers Made
LeBron James: 8 3-Pointers Made (Cavaliers vs. Bucks, February 20, 2009), (Heat vs. Bobcats, March 3, 2014), (Lakers vs. Grizzlies, December 29, 2021)
Stephen Curry: 13 3-Pointers Made (Warriors vs. Pelicans, November 07, 2016)
In three different games, while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James hit a career-high 8 three-pointers. The King is not a naturally great shooter, because he shoots under 35% from three over his career. But he has shown the ability to get hot when his rhythm is going and start making deep-range shots with a simple flick of the wrist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Y4EPKlKu8
James won’t always have a shooting advantage over other players because he is a drive-first player, but making 8 threes in a game is nothing to sniff at.
Stephen Curry made his career-high 13 three-pointers as a member of the Golden State Warriors in an iconic performance against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 07, 2016. It is unsurprising to see Curry rank 2nd all-time in threes made in a single game, with his teammate Klay Thompson holding the record with 14 3’s made.
Curry is the best shooter ever and will always have a shooting advantage over any other player. Overall, Steph has a career average of 3.8 makes from deep and is a far more efficient shooter than King James.
Advantage: Stephen Curry
Field Goals Made
LeBron James: 23 Field Goals Made (Cavaliers vs. Wizards, November 3, 2017)
Stephen Curry: 20 Field Goals Made (Warriors vs. Magic, February 25, 2016)
LeBron James’s career-high in field goals made came during a 57-point outing against the Washington Wizards. LeBron made 23 of his 34 shots from the field, including 2-4 from beyond the arc. James shot an unbelievably high percentage, mainly because he did not rely on outside shots and instead attacked the basket for most of the game. That is when James is at his best, and he had a magnificent effort, leading the Cavaliers to a 130-122 victory while also contributing 11 rebounds and 7 assists.
Stephen Curry’s career-high in field goals did not come in his 62-point performance. Rather, it came in a 51-point performance against the Orlando Magic. Steph shot 20-27 from the floor, including 10-15 from the three-point line. Obviously, making 10 three-pointers is an incredible thing to do, but Step somehow makes it look so easy. The point guard also chipped in 7 rebounds and 8 assists in a virtuoso performance, leading the Warriors to an easy 130-114 victory. Amazingly, James managed a greater number of field goals made over Steph and has another edge in a category.
Advantage: LeBron James
Free Throws Made
LeBron James: 24 Free-Throws Made (Cavaliers vs. Heat, March 12, 2006)
Stephen Curry: 18 Free-Throws Made (Warriors vs. Trail Blazers, January 03, 2021)
LeBron James is definitely not regarded as an excellent free-throw shooter in NBA history, holding an average of 73.4% from the stripe. But amazingly, James managed to usurp Stephen Curry in terms of career free-throw makes despite the Warriors guard averaging 90.9% from the stripe over his career. The superstar forward made his career-high 24 foul shots on March 2006 against the Portland Trail Blazers on 28 attempts. Unsurprisingly, James scored 47 points and led all scorers in the game. Not to mention, James was unable to guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to a victory as the game ended 98-92 for Miami. Quite surprisingly, LeBron does have the edge in a career-high statistical category when it comes to free throws.
Stephen Curry is a far better foul shooter than James, but somehow did not make more free throws in a single game. The point guard made 18 foul shots in January 2021 against the Portland Trail Blazers on 19 attempts. Unsurprisingly, Curry scored his career-high 62 points and led all scorers in the game. Not to mention, Curry guided the Golden State Warriors to a victory as the game was won 137-122. Still, James has an advantage over Curry in this free-throw category, even if he is a below-average free-throw shooter for a superstar.
Advantage: LeBron James
Turnovers
LeBron James: 11 Turnovers (Cavaliers vs. Pacers, January 26, 2018)
Stephen Curry: 11 Turnovers (Warriors vs. Clippers, October 31, 2013)
In terms of the defensive attention he has caused during his career, LeBron James is comparable to other all-time great offensive players with high usage rates, which is why he averages 3.5 turnovers per game over his illustrious career. James faced the Indiana Pacers in 2018 and committed a career-high 11 turnovers in a single game. Somehow, the Cavaliers overcame the loose handle of The King and actually won the game, 115-108. Amazingly, James had a quadruple-double with turnovers as he registered 26, points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists as well. James’s 11 turnovers, however, matched Stephen Curry’s personal career high.
Stephen Curry is similar to other all-time great offensive players in terms of the aggressiveness he has had to face over his career, a reason why he has an average of 3.1 turnovers per game. Curry had a career-high 11 turnovers in a single game against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2013. As expected, the Clippers were able to force Steph into uncomfortable positions and take advantage to earn a 126-115 victory thanks to a spectacular performance by Chris Paul. Still, Curry equaled James’ own career-high with 11 turnovers.
Advantage: Even
Final Score
LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry 5-2
Stephen Curry Is A Better Shooter Than LeBron James, But Clearly Not A Better Player
LeBron James is a better player than Stephen Curry, make no mistake about that. He is much larger at 6’9” and can do more on the court as a result. Unlike the miniature Curry, James can carry a team on his back through scoring, rebounding, and passing better than most players. We have seen that countless times when playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James has edges in some surprising categories, including free-throws made and field goals made because he is not the most efficient marksman. But when he gets hot, he can be impossible to defend because he can draw fouls and finish inside anytime he wants. His sheer athleticism makes him the greatest all-around player to have ever played.
Curry has the edge in three-point shooting, unsurprisingly, because he is the best to have ever done it. He also has a 1-point edge in scoring the ball over James, which can be quite significant in this comparison. Steph is a better shooter than LeBron, but he is not necessarily the better scorer. James can’t shoot 40% from three or 90% from the free throw line, but he can finish inside anytime he wants and get two points.
Overall, Curry is a far better shooter than LeBron but doesn’t have the King’s all-around game. He can’t rebound or pass on that level, and is a far worse defender. Some can argue Curry is more accomplished than James, but in terms of impact and all-around play, he cannot be placed at LeBron’s level, and quite frankly, he is not quite a top-10 player of all time.
