There is no doubt that LeBron James is one of the most famous and dominant athletes of all time. Known as “The King,” James came into the league with the most pressure ever on a rookie. Nearly 20 years later, he has certainly lived up to his reputation as the “next Jordan” because he has been the face of the NBA for so long. Capturing 4 NBA titles and 4 Finals MVPs, James has accomplished everything a superstar aims for, including the coveted championships with three different teams.
- Atlanta Hawks
- Boston Celtics
- Brooklyn Nets
- Charlotte Hornets
- Chicago Bulls
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Denver Nuggets
- Detroit Pistons
- Golden State Warriors
- Houston Rockets
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Miami Heat
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Pelicans
- New York Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
- Toronto Raptors
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
Everywhere LeBron went, his team won championships, and that has come as a result of the player’s ability on both ends of the floor. Very few players in NBA history can assist the ball like James, and it is widely believed that The King is arguably the greatest passer of all time behind Magic Johnson and possibly John Stockton. As great as LeBron has been with his passing, his scoring has been even better. Despite not being known as a score-first player, and James certainly prefers to pass the ball rather than score, his scoring acumen is unprecedently great.
LeBron’s career average of 27.2 PPG ranks 5th all-time behind 4 other dominant scorers (Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Kevin Durant). He is also on track to shatter Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record this season, and he will do it at age 38 when he is posting an incredible 30.2 PPG in the 2023 season. LeBron’s latest record came when he became the first player in NBA history to score 40 points against every team in the NBA, accomplishing it against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night (46 points).
There is no doubt that LeBron is one of the greatest scorers ever and deserves recognition for being on the level of some of the most iconic scorers, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Wilt Chamberlain. Since he has scored 40 points against every NBA franchise, here is LeBron James’ career-high against every NBA team. We have already deduced every elite scorer’s career-high, including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, and Shaquille O’Neal, and now it is LeBron James’ turn.
Atlanta Hawks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwC3O4LLJsI
Date: 12/30/2009
Stats: 48 Points, 10 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 2 Steals, 2 Blocks
The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business against the Atlanta Hawks in 2009, when James had Shaquille O’Neal by his side. Shaq was past his best, clearly, posting only 11 points and 5 rebounds in the game, but it was LeBron who took over by scoring 48 points to go along with 10 rebounds. No surprise, the Cavs won the game 106-101.
Boston Celtics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwKdJADv3Z0
Date: 2/15/2006
Stats: 43 Points, 12 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 2 Steals, 4 Blocks
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2006 season, with LeBron James dropping a massive triple-double with 43 points against Paul Pierce and the sub-.500 Celtics team that had little talent. LeBron was amazing, and he did have some help with Drew Gooden (19 points). Amazingly, Pierce dropped 50 points to lead all scorers but could not do much on the 113-109 loss.
Brooklyn Nets
Date: 3/12/2008
Stats: 42 Points, 11 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 1 Steal, 2 Blocks
The New Jersey Nets barely scraped out a victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers led by LeBron James and his 42-point performance on 12-23 shooting and 16-23 from the stripe. The game ended 104-99, so if James made a few more free throws, perhaps the game would have gone to OT. Regardless, Richard Jefferson’s 24-point performance was enough to get the job done against The King.
Charlotte Hornets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5PRGB1Khts
Date: 3/3/2014
Stats: 61 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron James has his career-high performance in points scored against the Charlotte Hornets in the 2014 season when he dropped 61 points on 22-33 from the field, 8-10 from three, and 9-12 from the line. The King was unstoppable with the Miami Heat, and this performance was his greatest ever, and no surprise, the Hornets fell to the Heat in a 124-107 loss. Out of all the spectacular offensive performances from LeBron James, this one was by far the most impressive, taking into account efficiency and volume.
Chicago Bulls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqTa-271bBs
Date: 11/5/2008, 11/8/2008
Stats: 41 Points, 9 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 4 Steals, 0 Blocks
Stats: 41 Points, 13 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron James managed 41 points on two occasions against Michael Jordan’s former team, the Chicago Bulls. His first performance came in 2008 on November 5th, when he dropped 41 points to go along with 9 rebounds. The second came only 3 days later when he posted 41 points again to go along with 13 rebounds. Both times, the Cleveland Cavaliers came out with the victory thanks to James’ scoring.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Date: 1/25/2021
Stats: 46 Points, 8 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 2 Steals, 2 Blocks
LeBron James is a Cleveland Cavaliers legend, but he did manage a 46-point performance against them as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The King was starting to come into his own as a Lakers legend, and he did enough by going 19-26 from the field and 7-11 from three. James is not the best shooter, but when he is on, he catches fire, and that is what happened when the Lakers beat the Cavs in January 2021.
Dallas Mavericks
Date: 3/29/2006
Stats: 46 Points, 5 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 3 Steals, 0 Blocks
On March 29th, 2006, LeBron James managed to score 46 points on 16-23 from the field against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. James was spectacular in 2006, as he posted his career-high in PPG during a season with 31.4 PPG. James was on a special tear offensively in 2006, and he proved that when the Cavs beat the Mavericks on March 29th, 2006.
Denver Nuggets
Date: 2/18/2010
Stats: 43 Points, 13 Rebounds, 15 Assists, 2 Steals, 4 Blocks
The Cleveland Cavaliers could not get a result against the Denver Nuggets in the 2010 season, with LeBron dropping a 43-point triple-double which included 13 rebounds, 15 assists, and 4 blocks. The King did everything on the court, and while he had some help with Shaq scoring 17 points and grabbing 8 rebounds, Carmelo Anthony’s 40 points proved to be the difference. No doubt, James needed more help than an old Shaq by his side.
Detroit Pistons
Date: 11/24/2004
Stats: 43 Points, 6 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals, 1 Block
The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, normally had their way with the Detroit Pistons, and the Pistons could not stop LeBron at his best. The King dropped 43 points and 6 rebounds against Detroit’s “Big Starting Five” led by Chauncey Billups and did it while going 15-22 from the field and 11-12 from the free-throw line. James did it by attacking the rim, finishing over Ben Wallace, and being near-perfect from the stripe.
Golden State Warriors
Date: 3/5/2022
Stats: 56 Points, 10 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 0 Steals, 1 Block
LeBron James’ battles with the Golden State Warriors are well-documented and historical, and The King had another amazing performance in the 2022 season last year when he went 19-31 from the field, 6-11 from three, and 12-13 from the stripe. LeBron was the best player in the game, overcoming 30 points by Stephen Curry to make the difference. James was not that interested in passing because his offense was surreal all game long.
Houston Rockets
Date: 1/16/2023
Stats: 48 Points, 8 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron James did not take much time in the New Year of 2023 to solidify his stance as the most incredible player in NBA history when it comes to longevity. The King dropped 48 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists against the lowly Houston Rockets in a very high-scoring game. The Lakers, below .500, defeated the Houston Rockets, also sub-.500, 140-132 in a competitive and hard-fought game.
Indiana Pacers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svOkh8tnC9Q
Date: 2/10/2009
Stats: 47 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 Block
Prime LeBron James in 2009 was amazing offensively because he could not be stopped on a physical level. The King dropped 47 points on 71.4% from the field, 57.1% from three, and 92.9% from the stripe. James demolished Indiana’s defense all game long, and the Cleveland Cavaliers surprisingly came out with a 96-95 loss with the Pacers barely scraping by thanks to 5 players posting double-digits in scoring while James’ team only had 3 players above 10 points.
Los Angeles Clippers
Date: 1/24/2023
Stats: 46 Points, 8 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block
LeBron James’ record-breaking performance came Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers when the Lakers lost to the Clippers. James became the first player in NBA history with 40 points against every franchise, and his 46-point performance against the Clippers was also iconic because James made 9 threes which was also his career-high. Somehow, the Lakers lost 133-115 because The King did not have the appropriate help against the Clippers team that had 5 players score at least 17 points.
Los Angeles Lakers
Date: 1/27/2008
Stats: 41 Points, 9 Rebounds, 4 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Blocks
Even if LeBron is a current Los Angeles Lakers star, he competed against them historically. In a superstar showdown in January 2008, James and the Cavaliers took on Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe held his own with 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists, but James was special by scoring 41 points on 16-32 from the field, 1-5 from three, and 8-12 from the stripe. We were robbed of a LeBron vs. Kobe showdown in the NBA Finals because we could have seen more performances from both guys like this.
Memphis Grizzlies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7kd2FzBhi0
Date: 1/15/2008
Stats: 51 Points, 8 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 3 Steals, 1 Block
LeBron James seems to enjoy the month of January after New Year’s because he had another career performance against a franchise. The King managed 51 points and 9 assists against Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and the Memphis Grizzlies. Conely scored 20 points, Gay managed 30 points, but LeBron was the difference-maker with his 51-point outburst on 18-28 shooting from the field.
Miami Heat
Date: 11/18/2018
Stats: 51 Points, 8 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block
As a member of the Los Angles Lakers, LeBron James scored 51 points against a Miami Heat team that was devoid of any talent. The best player on the roster was Hassan Whiteside, a shot-blocking center who posted only 6 points and 7 rebounds in the game. Without much talent across from him, James went ballistic from the floor (19-31 FG, 6-8 3-PT FG) and led the Lakers to a 113-97 victory.
Milwaukee Bucks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-z4zrVQ-c0
Date: 2/20/2009
Stats: 55 Points, 5 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 0 Steals, 0 Blocks
The Milwaukee Bucks were not that great in 2009, especially against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009 season. James was fantastic in a February showdown against the Bucks, scoring 55 points to go along with 9 assists. The best player on the Bucks was Charlie Villanueva, who managed 26 points and 13 rebounds, but he could not stop The King from attacking the rim and getting whatever he wanted.
Minnesota Timberwolves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIDW_eQyAI8
Date: 11/21/2007
Stats: 45 Points, 8 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals, 2 Blocks
LeBron James was on a tear early on in his career, and he had his way against the average Minnesota Timberwolves side that only had Al Jefferson as the go-to star. Jefferson dropped 30 points and 8 rebounds, but he could not stop James from scoring inside and also finding his groove from three (6-10 from three). Watching young LeBron was an honor because his athleticism was simply off the charts.
New Orleans Pelicans
Date: 3/28/2005
Stats: 44 Points, 6 Rebounds, 3 Assists, 4 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron James scored 44 points against the New Orleans Hornets, a team that was led by JR Smith (22 points) and Jamaal Magloire (15 points, 8 rebounds). Despite not having any distinct star players, the Hornets managed to keep the game very close but ultimately lost the game 109-108 against the Cavs. James went 16-29 from the floor and was only interested in scoring because he knew that would be the key to victory.
New York Knicks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viL2x9ZQt9w
Date: 2/4/2009
Stats: 52 Points, 9 Rebounds 11 Assists, 0 Steals, 2 Blocks
The elite superstars of the game always find a way to go off against the New York Knicks. Perhaps it’s because the Knicks are the supposed “America’s team” much like the Dallas Cowboys, although that is highly debatable. Regardless, James managed at least 50 points against the Knicks on two occasions, with his career-high coming in 2009 when a young James dropped 52 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists on 17-33 from the floor and 16-19 from the free-throw line. Unsurprisingly, the Cavaliers won the game.
Oklahoma City Thunder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-dV6PVSLVo
Date: 12/13/2009
Stats: 44 Points, 7 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 4 Steals, 1 Block
LeBron James and Kevin Durant went to battle on so many occasions, with the King going 15-6 in all those showdowns. One of those victories came in 2009 when James scored 44 points and added 7 rebounds and 6 assists to get a 102-89 win. Durant managed 29 points, and Jeff Green scored 26 points, but LeBron’s 44 points and Mo Williams’ 22 points were too much to handle. This game was a sign of things to come from the iconic LeBron James.
Orlando Magic
Date: 2/3/2011
Stats: 51 Points, 11 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 1 Steal, 1 Block
LeBron James completely dismantled the Orlando Magic in the 2011 season, his first year with the Miami Heat. The King dropped 51 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists while overwhelming the Magic team led by star Dwight Howard (17 points, 16 rebounds). James was relentless, going 17-25 from the field and 14-17 from the stripe, with Dwight not having the desired impact despite being a 3-time Defensive Player of the Year. This is an indication of how dominant James can be because when he wants to score, nobody can stop him, and that includes a legendary defensive player.
Philadelphia 76ers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm2PkOHEbNs
Date: 4/6/2018
Stats: 44 Points, 11 Rebounds, 11 Assists, 2 Steals, 1 Block
LeBron James managed 44 points in 40 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 season, going 58.6% from the floor, 50.0% from three, and 54.5% from the line. LeBron’s poor free-throw shooting did not help the Cleveland Cavaliers because the team lost the game 132-130. Ben Simmons was exceptional, posting a triple-double with 27 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists to squeeze out a victory against an established superstar in LeBron James.
Phoenix Suns
Date: 1/14/2006
Stats: 46 Points, 7 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 1 Steal, 0 Blocks
Yet again, LeBron James went ballistic in the month of January as he scored 46 points against the Phoenix Suns in a 115-106 loss. Most times, when LeBron managed a career-high against a franchise, his team normally wins. But the Suns were fantastic in 2006, led by MVP Steve Nash, and they squeezed out a victory with the point guard dropping 20 points and 15 assists. They held off LeBron enough because only 7 players on the Cavs scored in the game. The strategy of letting LeBron dominate and nobody else seemed to work that day.
Portland Trail Blazers
Date: 1/09/2011, 11/14/2018
Stats: 44 Points, 13 Rebounds, 6 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Blocks
Stats: 44 Points, 10 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 1 Steal, 3 Blocks
LeBron James managed 44 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on two occasions, the first coming in 2011 and the second coming 7 years later in 2018. The King’s longevity is unprecedented, and his 44 points came in his first season with the Miami Heat when he also pulled down 13 rebounds. In 2018, LeBron came close to a triple-double against Damian Lillard and the Trail Blazers and ended up with a 126-117 victory.
Sacramento Kings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPooiYya1AI
Date: 3/13/2009
Stats: 51 Points, 4 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 2 Steals, 3 Blocks
On March 13, 2009, James managed his career-high performance against the Sacramento Kings. The King dropped 51 points, 9 assists, and 3 blocks in a victory over the Kings, and he was fouled constantly. Sacramento could not stop the young man from attacking the basket, as he went 15-17 from the stripe and played 47 minutes in a scintillating performance. Watching LeBron go off on offense is a thing of beauty because he is simply unstoppable on a physical level.
San Antonio Spurs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnt0_Nr9khM
Date: 2/13/2006
Stats: 44 Points, 3 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 4 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron had some iconic battles against the San Antonio Spurs, especially during his stints with the Miami Heat. But early on, James managed to drop 44 points and 5 assists against the Spurs in a victory. The Cavs won 101-87, and The King was iconic from the floor by going 19-33 from the field, 1-3 from three, and 5-8 from the stripe. James did not get fouled enough or make threes, it was pure inside dominance from The King.
Toronto Raptors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmRZVfBzvI
Date: 3/20/2005
Stats: 56 Points, 10 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Blocks
LeBron James, The King, posted an incredible 56 points and 10 rebounds on 50% FG, 50% 3-PT FG, and 93.3% FT. There was no stopping LeBron from feeding inside and outside because he got anywhere he wanted on the court. But somehow, the sub-.500 Toronto Raptors got the job done against the Cavaliers with a 105-98 victory. It is hard to imagine a player who scores 56 points can’t lead his team to victory, but James did not have help outside of Drew Gooden (24 points).
Utah Jazz
Date: 1/21/2006
Stats: 51 Points, 5 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 2 Steals, 0 Blocks
In the New Year of 2006, James was spectacular in his third NBA season when he posted 51 points and 8 assists against the Utah Jazz. The young man was faster, stronger, and more athletic than everybody, and that showed itself in the 108-90 blowout, with the Cavaliers leaving the game as the victors.
Washington Wizards
Date: 11/3/2017
Stats: 57 Points, 11 Rebounds, 7 Assists, 3 Steals, 2 Blocks
LeBron James’ second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers was iconic because The King was at his best on a physical and mental level combined. LeBron was more athletic during his first stint with the Cavs and with the Heat, but he was still dominant with the Cavs and was ultimately far smarter. The King proved that by scoring 57 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in a dominant victory against the Washington Wizards in 2017.