LeBron James vs Kobe Bryant: A Complete Comparison

Other Playoff Runs

Boston Celtics v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Four

Kobe has more rings, but LeBron is a more complete playoff performer. He hasn't been able to catch Kobe's championship count yet despite many tries, but should LeBron's six finals losses really be held against him?

The worst argument anyone uses when disrespecting LeBron is that he has lost in the finals six times. Sure, that stat isn't ideal, (and one specific loss was a big black mark on his career, but more on that later) especially when Kobe only lost in the finals twice, but why is losing in the finals worse than losing in the first round, or not even making the playoffs? We don't shame our Olympians when they bring home silver medals, in fact we celebrate them.

The East is typically weaker which is another excuse anti-LeBron people use, but that doesn't discount the fact that LeBron has continually for eight straight years whooped every single Eastern Conference playoff opponent he has faced.

In 15 full NBA seasons LeBron has:

• Missed the playoffs twice (his first two years in the league, finished ninth in the East both seasons).
• NEVER lost in the first round.
• Lost in the second round three times (all in his first stint in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas his best teammate through all of these runs).
• Lost in the Conference Finals once (also in Cleveland next to Ilgauskas).
• Lost in the finals six times.
• Won three championships.

In Kobe's 14-year stretch referenced earlier, he:

• Missed the playoffs once (34-48 record after making the finals the year earlier, the only major difference being Shaq no longer on the team).
• Missed one playoff run with injury (2012-13 after tearing his achilles in the famous Dwight Howard year, San Antonio defeated them in the first round, would have knocked them out even if Kobe had played).
• Lost in the first round twice (the two years directly after missing the playoffs).
• Lost in the second round three times.
• Lost in the finals twice.
• Won five championships.

LeBron clearly has an advantage in this department as he never lost in the first round, hasn't missed the playoffs since he was a teenager, and regularly advanced further than Kobe. Losing in the finals is unfortunate, but it's categorically more impressive than not making it.