James has had his most team and individual success in 'elimination' games against the Boston Celtics, his Cavaliers and Heat going 5-2 against them with him averaging 37.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.
LeBron James has the highest per-game scoring average in NBA history in elimination post-regular-season games (minimum of 13 such games played) with 33.5 points a game in 28 outings (937 points), leading Michael Jordan (31.3 points per game, 407 in 13 games). James’ teams are 15-13 in those games (Jordan’s teams were 6-7 in such games). Next up by points per game are Wilt Chamberlain (31.1, 715, 23, 12-11), Kevin Durant (29.9, 479, 16, 6-10) and Steph Curry (28.9, 433, 15, 9-6). The Mavericks’ Luka Doncic has averaged 35.0 points per game in elimination games, but has played in only six of them, with the Mavericks going 3-3.
May 21, 2006: PISTONS 79, Cavaliers 61 (Game 7, Eastern Conference semifinals)
27 points (11 for 24 field goal attempts), 8 rebounds, 2 assists
June 14, 2007: Spurs 83, CAVALIERS 82 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
0 wins, 2 losses; 24 points (10 for 30), 6 rebounds, 10 assists (Per-game: 25.5 points per game (51 total points), 38.9 field goal percentage (21-54), 7 rebounds per game (14 total rebounds), 6 assists per game (12 total assists))
May 16, 2008: CAVALIERS 74, Celtics 69 (Game 6, Eastern Conference semifinals)
1-2; 32 points (9 for 23), 12 rebounds, 6 assists (Per-game: 27.7 ppg (83), 39.0 FG% (30-77), 8.7 rpg (26), 6.0 apg (18))
May 18, 2008: CELTICS 97, Cavaliers 92 (Game 7, Eastern Conference semifinals)
1-3; 45 points (14-29), 5 rebounds, 6 assists (Per-game: 32.0 ppg (128), 41.5 FG% (44-106), 7.8 rpg (31), 6.0 apg (24))
May 28, 2009: CAVALIERS 112, Magic 102 (Game 5, Eastern Conference finals)
2-3; 37 points (11-24), 14 rebounds, 12 assists (Per-game: 33.0 ppg (165), 42.3 FG% (55-130), 9.0 rpg (45), 7.2 apg (36))
May 30, 2009: MAGIC 103, Cavaliers 90 (Game 6, Eastern Conference finals)
2-4; 25 points (8-20), 7 rebounds, 7 assists (Per-game: 31.7 ppg (190), 42.0 FG% (63-150), 8.7 rpg (52), 7.2 (43))
May 13, 2010: CELTICS 94, Cavaliers 85 (Game 6, Eastern Conference semifinals)
2-5; 27 points (8-21), 19 rebounds, 10 assists (Per-game: 31.0 ppg (217), 41.5 FG% (71-171), 10.1 rpg (71), 7.6 apg (53))
June 12, 2011: Mavericks 105, HEAT 95 (Game 6, NBA Finals)
2-6; 21 points (9-15), 4 rebounds, 6 assists (Per-game: 29.8 ppg (238), 43.0 FG% (80-186), 9.4 rpg (75), 7.4 apg (59))
June 7, 2012: Heat 98, CELTICS 79 (Game 6, Eastern Conference finals)
3-6; 45 points (19-26), 15 rebounds, 5 assists (Per-game: 31.4 ppg (283), 46.7 FG% (99-212), 10.0 rpg (90), 7.1 apg (64))
June 9, 2012: HEAT 101, Celtics 88 (Game 7, Eastern Conference finals)
4-6; 31 points (9-21), 12 rebounds, 2 assists (Per-game: 31.4 ppg (314), 46.4 FG% (108-233), 10.2 rpg (102), 6.6 apg (66))
June 3, 2013: HEAT 99, Pacers 76 (Game 7, Eastern Conference finals)
5-6; 32 points (8-17), 8 rebounds, 4 assists (Per-game: 31.4 ppg (346), 46.4 FG% (116-250), 10.0 rpg (110), 6.4 apg (70))
June 18, 2013: HEAT 103, Spurs 100 (Game 6, NBA Finals)
6-6; 32 points (11-26), 10 rebounds, 11 assists (Per-game: 31.4 ppg (378), 46.0 FG% (127-276), 10.0 rpg (120), 6.8 apg (81))
June 20, 2013: HEAT 95, Spurs 88 (Game 7, NBA Finals)
7-6; 37 points (12-23), 12 rebounds, 4 assists (Per-game: 31.9 ppg (415), 46.5 FG% (139-299), 10.2 rpg (132), 6.5 apg (85))
June 15, 2014: SPURS 104, Heat 87 (Game 5, NBA Finals)
7-7; 31 points (10-21), 10 rebounds, 5 assists (Per-game: 31.9 ppg (446), 46.6 FG% (149-320), 10.1 rpg (142), 6.4 apg (90))
June 16, 2015: Warriors 105, CAVALIERS 97 (Game 6, NBA Finals)
7-8; 32 points (13-33), 18 rebounds, 9 assists (Per-game: 31.9 ppg (478), 45.9 FG% (162-353), 10.7 rpg (160), 6.6 apg (99))
June 13, 2016: Cavaliers 112, WARRIORS 97 (Game 5, NBA Finals)
8-8; 41 points (16-30), 16 rebounds, 7 assists (Per-game: 32.4 ppg (519), 46.5 FG% (178-383), 11.0 rpg (176), 6.6 apg (106))
June 16, 2016: CAVALIERS 115, Warriors 101 (Game 6, NBA Finals)
9-8; 41 points (16-27), 8 rebounds, 11 assists (Per-game: 32.9 ppg (560), 47.3 FG% (194-410), 10.8 rpg (184), 6.9 apg (117))
June 19, 2016: Cavaliers 93, WARRIORS 89 (Game 7, NBA Finals)
10-8; 27 points (9-24), 11 rebounds, 11 assists (Per-game: 32.6 ppg (587), 46.8 FG% (203-434), 10.8 rpg (195), 7.1 apg (128))
June 9, 2017: CAVALIERS 137, Warriors 116 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
11-8; 31 points (11-22), 10 rebounds, 11 assists (Per-game: 32.5 ppg (618), 46.9 FG% (214-456), 10.8 rpg (205), 7.3 apg (139))
June 12, 2017: WARRIORS 129, Cavaliers 120 (Game 5, NBA Finals)
11-9; 41 points (19-30), 13 rebounds, 8 assists (Per-game: 33.0 ppg (659), 47.9 FG% (233-486), 10.9 rpg (218), 7.4 apg (147))
April 29, 2018: CAVALIERS 105, Pacers 101 (Game 7, Eastern Conference first round)
12-9: 45 points (16-25), 8 rebounds, 7 assists (Per-game: 33.5 ppg (704), 48.7 FG% (249-511), 10.8 rpg (226), 7.3 apg (154))
May 25, 2018: CAVALIERS 109, Celtics 99 (Game 6, Eastern Conference finals)
13-9; 46 points (17-33), 11 rebounds, 9 assists (Per-game: 34.1 ppg (750), 48.9 FG% (266-544), 10.8 rpg (237), 7.4 apg (163))
May 27, 2018: Cavaliers 87, CELTICS 79 (Game 7, Eastern Conference finals)
14-9; 35 points (12-24), 15 rebounds, 9 assists (Per-game: 34.1 ppg (785), 49.0 FG% (290-592), 11.0 rpg (252), 7.5 apg (172))
June 8, 2018: Warriors 108, CAVALIERS 85 (Game 4, NBA Finals)
14-10; 23 points (7-13), 7 rebounds, 8 assists (Per-game: 33.7 ppg (808), 49.1 FG% (297-605), 10.8 rpg (259), 7.5 apg (180))
June 3, 2021: Suns 113, LAKERS 100 (Game 6, Western Conference first round)
14-11: 29 points (11-26), 9 rebounds, 7 assists (Per-game: 33.5 ppg (837), 48.8 FG% (308-631), 10.7 rpg (268), 7.5 apg (187))
May 22, 2023: Nuggets 113, LAKERS 111 (Game 4, Western Conference finals)
14-12: 40 points (15-25), 10 rebounds, 9 assists (Per-game: 33.7 ppg (877), 49.2 FG% (323-656), 10.7 rpg (278), 7.5 apg (196))
April 27, 2024: LAKERS 119, Nuggets 108 (Game 4, Western Conference first round)
15-12: 30 points (14-23), 5 rebounds, 4 assists (Per-game: 33.6 ppg (907), 49.5 FG% (336-679), 10.5 rpg (283), 7.4 apg (200)
April 29, 2024: NUGGETS 108, Lakers 106 (Game 5, Western Conference first round)
15-13: 30 points (11-21), 9 rebounds, 11 assists (Per-game: 33.5 ppg (937), 49.6% (347-700), 10.4 rpg (292), 7.5 apg (211)
