How Many NBA Finals Did Lebron James Play In?

Lebron James has played in a total of 10 NBA Finals.

Lebron James’ NBA Finals History

Lebron James is one of the most decorated basketball players in history. He has played in a total of ten NBA Finals, winning three of them. He has also been named the NBA Finals MVP on three occasions. Let’s take a look at Lebron’s NBA Finals history.

2010 NBA Finals

The 2010 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s championship series for the 2009–10 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers (who were also defending NBA champions), and the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics. The Lakers defeated the Celtics, four games to three, to win their 16th NBA championship. The 64th edition of the tournament culminated with Game 7 of the series on June 17, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, in which Lakers forward Ron Artest made a clutch three-point shot to give the Lakers a four-point lead with seconds remaining. Kobe Bryant was named Most Valuable Player of the finals for his second consecutive year.

This was the last NBA Finals played before both teams moved to new homes; Staples Center and TD Garden respectively. This was also Celtics coach Doc Rivers’ final game as head coach of the Celtics, as he would leave for Los Angeles Clippers after being frustrated over not receiving enough support from management to improve his team.

2011 NBA Finals

In his first season with the Miami Heat, James reached the NBA Finals, where Miami lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. James averaged 17.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists during the series. The Mavericks were able to limit James’ impact on the game by using a defending strategy called “TheLeBron Rule”, which involved double-teaming James whenever he got the ball near the basket or putting a physical defender on him to stop him from getting to the basket.

2012 NBA Finals

The 2012 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2011–12 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder 4 games to 1 to win their second NBA title. This marked the Heat’s third consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. It was also the first finals appearance for the Thunder franchise since 1996, when they were still based in Seattle.

James recorded his tenth triple-double in Game 2, becoming the first player in NBA Finals history to do so multiple times. He also became the first player in NBA history to accumulate 150 points, 30 rebounds, and 30 assists through five games of an NBA Finals series. He was named MVP of both the 2012 Eastern Conference finals and the 2012 NBA Finals, becoming only one second player ever—after Jerry West—to be name MVP twice during one single postseason run. In Game 5, with 32 points on 11-for-20 shooting, James helped lead Miami back from a fourth-quarter deficit and eventually defeat Oklahoma City 101–93; he finished with a triple double, Marquee Matchup game high scoring total of 26 points and game high 11 assists as well as 13 rebounds for his 12th career playoff triple double.[4] The victory made James only one among many to have won back-to-back championships with two different teams (including Hassell who did so with three different teams). It also marked him as one of only nine players to have won championships with two franchises in their careers; Robert Horry has done so seven times (with Houston Rockets twice, Los Angeles Lakers three times and San Antonio Spurs twice), while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, John Salley, Danny Green (with both San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors), David West (with both New Orleans Pelicans/Norfolk Hornets and Golden State Warriors), Ron Harper (with both Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers) won it six times each. The Thunder appeared in their second consecutive Finals after representing the Western Conference for a second straight year.[5] They had previously advanced to this stage after defeating seasons’ reigning champions Dallas Mavericks 4 games to none in conference semifinals (‘sweeping’ them) followed by a conference finals victory against Memphis Grizzlies 4 games to 1.[6][7] This marking became only fifth time since 1983 that one team from each conference swept their way through playoffs without any defeats en route to meeting each other for a championship berth as well as being sixth time in last seven years such thing happens.[8]

2013 NBA Finals

The 2013 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2012–13 NBA season and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat defeated the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs to win their second consecutive title. The Finals began with Miami as the two-time defending champions, having defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals; and San Antonio, who were appearing in their fifth Finals since 1999.

This was a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, which was won by Miami in six games. Including their triumph in 2006, it was the Spurs’ fifth trip to the NBA Finals since 1999 (and their fourth straight), while it was Miami’s third finals appearance since 2006 (and their second straight trip).

San Antonio bowed out of the playoffs in 2012 after being swept by eventual Western Conference champions Oklahoma City Thunder, while Miami went on to beat the Eastern Conference champions Boston Celtics before facing off against Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals.

2014 NBA Finals

The 2014 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2013–14 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeated the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in five games (4–1) for the Spurs’ fifth NBA championship in franchise history. The Finals were played between June 5 and June 15, 2014, and is also notable for being one of only four NBA Finals where neither team ever led by more than 10 points during any point in any of the games during that series, with Game 1 serving as an exception. Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Lebron James played in his fifth consecutive NBA Finals, becoming only the third player ever to do so; joining Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only other players in league history to appear in at least that many consecutive Finals.

2015 NBA Finals

The 2015 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2014–15 season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers in six games (4–2) for their first title in 40 years and their fourth in franchise history, becoming the first team since the 1997–98 Chicago Bulls to win a championship after losing in the Finals the previous year. Golden State’s Andre Iguodala was named the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP).

LeBron James had played in five straight NBA Finals with the Miami Heat from 2011–2014, winning two championships. He reached his sixth straight Finals with Cleveland in 2015 after defeating the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, and reigning Eastern Conference champions, the Chicago Bulls. James previously played for Cleveland from 2003 to 2010, leading them to their only previous appearance in an NBA Finals in 2007, where they were defeated by Tim Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs. This was also Cleveland’s first ever 2-3-2 Finals format road trip.

James became only the fifth player ever to play in at least six consecutive NBA Finals with Jerry West, Sam Jones, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Duncan being the others. He also became only the second player (after Abdul-Jabbar) with 2+ Finals MVPs on multiple teams. James averaged 36.8 points per game during these NBA Finals, marking his seventh consecutive NBA Finals where he averaged at least 25 points per game; this is an ongoing NBA record that he shares with West.

2016 NBA Finals

The 2016 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA) 2015–16 season and the conclusion of the 2016 Playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the defending NBA champion and Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors 4–3 in a rematch of the 2015 NBA Finals. The series was played between June 2 and June 19, 2016, and was broadcast on ABC in the United States.

This was also the second straight finals rematch between Cavs and Warriors, making it only the third time in NBA history that the same two teams had faced each other in consecutive Finals (joining 1957–58 Boston-St. Louis and 1982–83 Philadelphia-L.A. Lakers).[1] It was also only the second time that a team came back from a 3–1 deficit to win an NBA Finals, after the Cavs did it against Golden State in last year’s finals (joining 1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics). It was also only the second time that two teams both came back from a 3–1 deficit to win league championships, after both Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals accomplished this feat during their Stanley Cup Final runs earlier this year.[2][3][4] Altogether, it was only then tenth time that two teams met for a Game 7 since 1984 (joining 1985, 1988, 1994, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2015)[5]

James became only then 10th player ever to amass triple digits total points-rebounds-assists in an NBA Finals series with his Game 7 stat line: 27 points/11 rebounds/11 assists.[6] He also became then first player since Jerry West to average a triple double over then entire course of an NBA Finals series.[7]

2017 NBA Finals

The 2017 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 2016–17 season and concluded the season’s playoffs. The Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers, four games to one. This marked the third straight Appearance by the Cavaliers and Warriors in the Finals, as well as their third straight matchup against one another.acle, becoming the third player in NBA history to have a perfect 12–0 record in NBA Finals series (joining Jerry West and Tom Heinsohn). Durant was named the Finals Most Valuable Player after averaging 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game for the series. Cavs forward LeBron James averaged 34 points per game for the series, making him only the sixth player in NBA history to average a 30-point triple-double for an entire postseason.[1][2]

The two teams met again in Cleveland on Christmas Day of that year (2017), with Golden State winning 109–108 on Durant’s buzzer beater; this was both teams’ first game since the previous year’s Finals.

Lebron James’ Legacy

When it comes to basketball, there are few names that resonate as much as Lebron James. Not only is he one of the greatest players of his generation, but he’s also one of the most polarizing. And while his legacy will undoubtedly be debated for years to come, there’s no denying his impact on the game. But how many NBA Finals did Lebron James actually play in?

Lebron James’ impact on the NBA

Lebron James is one of the most successful basketball players of all time. He has played in ten NBA Finals, winning three of them. He is also a four-time MVP and has been named to the All-Star team fourteen times. In addition to his individual accomplishments, Lebron has helped his teams to achieve great things. The Cleveland Cavaliers won their first ever NBA Championship in 2016, thanks in large part to Lebron’s leadership and talent.

Lebron’s impact on the game of basketball cannot be understated. He is one of the greatest players of all time, and has had a significant impact on the NBA.

Lebron James’ legacy

Lebron James is one of the most polarizing figures in the NBA. He has played in 9 NBA Finals, and has been on the winning team in 3 of those series. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, but his legacy is still being written. Some people think that he needs to win more championships to solidify his place as one of the greats, while others believe that his play throughout his career has been enough to cement his legacy. No matter what people think, there is no doubt that Lebron James is one of the most successful and talented basketball players of all time.