LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan NBA Finals Comparison

Michael Jordan and LeBron James will forever be linked together as the two greatest players of all time. Although they never played a single game against one another, James and Jordan have been the subject of great debate for a considerable amount of time now. No matter which side of the argument you fall on, there is no question about how great each of these players performed during their illustrious careers. The comparisons will never stop, and fortunately for you, there is a new one here today.

You have seen us compare LeBron James and Michael Jordan in numerous ways throughout the years, but we have never dived into their Finals performances at an in-depth level. Both of these giants of the game have performed extremely well at the highest level of competition in the NBA and have come out on top numerous times. James has been to 10 NBA Finals in his career with a record of 4-6. Jordan went to 6 NBA Finals in his career and has a perfect career record of 6-0. Jordan never even went to a Game 7 in a Finals series in his 15-year career. The time has come for us to show how they each performed in the Finals side-by-side, and conclusions can be drawn from there.

This is the comparison of LeBron James’ and Michael Jordan’s performances in the NBA Finals.

Points

LeBron James: 28.4 PPG (1,562 Total Points)

Michael Jordan: 33.6 PPG (1,176 Total Points)

There is no question that LeBron James and Michael Jordan are 2 of the best Finals scorers ever. James has played 20 more games than Jordan in the NBA Finals with 2 fewer series wins, so when looking at totals here, the context is essential. James has averaged over 30.0 PPG in 3 of his 10 Finals appearances, but all 3 came in series in which he lost. His best series came in the 2015 Finals against the Warriors when he averaged 35.8 PPG in 6 games. He shot just 39.8% from the floor overall in that series on over 32 shots per game.

Michael Jordan is the greatest overall scorer of all time. Jordan thrived in pressure situations which, includes his 35 games in the NBA Finals. Jordan averaged 30.0 PPG or more in 5 of his 6 NBA Finals series shooting over 50.0% from the floor 3 different times. His best series came in 1993 when the Bulls took on the Phoenix Suns in the Finals. Jordan averaged 41.0 PPG in the series and defeated the Suns in 6 games. He shot 50.8% from the floor in the series and 40.0% from beyond the arc.

Advantage: Michael Jordan

Rebounds

LeBron James: 10.2 RPG (561 Total Rebounds)

Michael Jordan: 6.0 RPG (211 Total Rebounds)

The fact that LeBron James averages a near-career triple-double in the NBA playoffs is a legendary feat to accomplish. Playing small forward and even in the frontcourt for most of his career has allowed James to dominate on the boards for his teams. That and the fact that the ball must be in his hands in order for his team to be successful contributed greatly over the years to his overall numbers. That is not a knock on James whatsoever but rather a telling observation of his impact. In 6 of his 10 Finals appearances, he averaged over 10.0 RPG, including his career-high 13.3 RPG in the 2015 Finals loss to the Warriors.

For Jordan, rebounds were not a big part of his game, and he still averaged 6.0 for his Finals career. Even with players like Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, and Scottie Pippen, who are all better rebounders, sharing the floor with him, Jordan was still able to get his on more than one occasion. In 3 of his 6 NBA Finals, Jordan averaged over 6.0 RPG, and his career-high came in 1992 against the Portland Trail Blazers with 6.5 RPG. There is no doubt that LeBron is a better rebounder than Jordan but let’s not forget that Jordan was more than decent, considering his 6’6’’ frame.

Advantage: LeBron James

Assists

LeBron James: 7.8 APG (430 Total Assists)

Michael Jordan: 6.0 APG (209 Total Assists)

I want to be clear on one thing during this next category that we break down. Do you see those numbers when it comes to passing the ball? Neither one of these guys should ever be considered as selfish basketball players. Now that is out of the way, Lebron James has been one of the better playmakers in NBA history for most of his career, and it was no different for him in the NBA Finals. James averaged 10.0 APG in back-to-back Finals losses in 2017 and 2018. He has averaged 6.5 APG or better in 9 of his 10 Finals appearances and led his team nearly every time on the court in assists.

Michael Jordan was no selfish basketball player, either. You may think he was because of the stories told in documentaries and the way he was obsessed with winning, but on the court, a different story was told. Jordan averaged 6.0 APG or more in 4 of his 6 Finals wins, with his best performance coming in his first-ever Finals appearance. During the 1991 series against the Lakers, Jordan averaged 11.4 APG to lead the Bulls to their first NBA title. He had 10 or more assists in Games 1,2, 4, and 5 while recording 9 in Game 3.

Advantage: LeBron James

Steals

LeBron James: 1.7 SPG (93 Total Steals)

Michael Jordan: 1.8 SPG (62 Total Steals)

Another great aspect of each of these players’ games is their defense. LeBron is a multiple-time All-Defensive Team selection, and his most iconic highlight in an NBA Finals is a defensive play. James has averaged over 2.0 SPG in 3 of his 10 Finals appearances in which his teams went 2-1 in those series. He has been a versatile defender as well, able to switch onto bigs and keep up with smaller and faster guards. His best defensive series when it came to steals was in the comeback win for the Cavaliers in 2016. He averaged 2.6 SPG in the most historic comeback in NBA history.

As for Jordan, his defensive abilities are well-documented. Jordan is a former Defensive Player of the Year as well as a 9-time All-Defensive Team selection. Jordan averaged over 2.0 SPG just once in the NBA Finals during the 1991 series against the Lakers and defensive assignments on Magic Johnson for most of the 5 games. Jordan has never averaged less than 1.0 SPG in a Finals series and averaged over 1.5 SPG 5 times.

Advantage: Michael Jordan

Blocks

LeBron James: 0.8 BPG (46 Total Blocks)

Michael Jordan: 0.7 BPG (23 Total Blocks)

The defensive effort from both of these superstars was not limited to disruption from a steals standpoint. James and Jordan are 2 of the best at blocking and altering shots at their respective positions as well. LeBron’s most iconic play in the NBA Finals is a chase-down block of Andre Iguodala in 2016. He averaged 2.3 BPG for the entirety of that 7-game series which is far and away his career-high in the Finals.

Before Dwyane Wade came along and shattered his record, Michael Jordan was the NBA’s all-time leader in blocks by a shooting guard. He was tough, physical, and relentless on the defensive side of the ball during his career, with the Finals being no different. His career-high for a Finals series in blocks also occurred in the 1991 series against the Lakers. Jordan averaged 1.4 BPG in those 5 games, including 2 blocks in Games 3, 4, and 5.

Advantage: LeBron James

Shooting Percentage

LeBron James: 48.4% FG, 35.2% 3P, 73.1% FT

Michael Jordan: 48.1% FG, 36.8% 3P, 80.6% FT

Efficiency when scoring the ball is a strength for both of these players throughout their NBA careers and even elevated in the NBA Finals. James has shot 48.4% for his career in the NBA Finals overall, just .3% better than Jordan. He has struggled from three, shooting under 36.0% and taking 5.2 shots from beyond the arc on average. Where James truly struggled is from the free throw line, where he shot just 73.1% for his career in the Finals. His most efficient series shooting the ball came in 2014 against the Spurs when he shot 57.1% from the floor in the series loss.

As for Jordan, his efficiency overall was the stuff of legend compared to his peers at the time. Jordan shot 48.1% overall but was more efficient than LeBron from three-point land and from the foul line. Jordan may have only attempted 3.3 3-pointers on average for his Finals career, but he knocked them down at a rate of 36.8%. Pretty good for a guy fans say couldn’t shoot the three-ball. Jordan’s game was at the rim and from the mid-range, where he mastered his craft and went to the highest levels a player can reach on the back of those skills.

Advantage: Michael Jordan

Finals Record

LeBron James: 4-6

Michael Jordan: 6-0

LeBron James has done what very few players have done when it comes to getting to the NBA Finals. James has gone to 10 NBA Finals in his career and has an overall record of 4-6 in those series. In his first NBA Finals in 2007, James was overwhelmed by the San Antonio Spurs dynasty in a 4-game sweep. He advanced to 4 straight Finals as a member of the Miami Heat, where he went 2-2 in those series with wins against the Thunder and Spurs and losses to the Mavericks and Spurs. With the Cavaliers from 2015 through 2018, James advanced to 4 Finals once again and went 1-3 in those series. The 1 win he recorded is one of the greatest Finals victories in NBA history.

It took 8 seasons for Michael Jordan to advance to his first NBA Finals with the Chicago Bulls. Once he did, winning was all he knew. Under the tutelage of Phil Jackson and alongside some premier talents, Jordan advanced to 3 straight NBA Finals, where he claimed all 3 Finals MVP awards, and the Bulls became the first team to 3-peat since the Celtics of the 60s. Then, 3 years later, Jordan and the Bulls would 3-peat once again as champions as Jordan claimed all 3 Finals MVPs to make it a total of 6 and give him a perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals. 

Advantage: Michael Jordan

Final Result

LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan 3-4

Who Was The Better Finals Performer: Michael Jordan or LeBron James?

Before I get into answering this question, I would like to note that I believe both of these players are elite Finals performers. However, when a player has won more and gone undefeated as opposed to having a sub-.500 record in the Finals, I believe the question answers itself. Now, you can point to the excuse of “better competition” for James if you wish, but it is just an excuse in my book. If a team is good enough to get to the NBA Finals, they are good enough to win the NBA Finals.

Michael Jordan never folded in an NBA Finals series. LeBron James’ biggest blemish is that he disappeared when it mattered most in 2011 against the Dallas Mavericks. Many point to say that if that never happened, James would be the undisputed GOAT. However, it did happen, and we cannot base our opinions on hypothetical situations. Whoever you feel is the greatest, that is an opinion I cannot change. Mostly because, at this point, you have probably already made up your mind. Both of these players are worthy of consideration, and their career resumes prove that to be true, especially in the NBA Finals.

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