#3 LeBron James vs Kevin Durant (15-6)
Kevin Durant has till date been the NBA MVP just once, which happened just a season after LeBron last won the award. Durant produced 32 points and 7.4 assists, the best record for an NBA MVP with respect to points since Michael Jordan produced 35 ppg in 1988.
Since then, Durant and LeBron have come up against each other in 21 regular season encounters, with all of them coming before Durant won the MVP award in 2014. Since LeBron played for the Cavaliers the first time around and Durant played for the OKC Thunder, the two have been in different conferences, with LeBron having a clear edge with an overall 15-6 record. However, considering that the oldest Durant was during a regular-season match against LeBron was 24, the record holds little significance, especially because Durant had his best years playing for the Golden State Warriors, at least championship-wise.
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#2 LeBron James vs Giannis Antetokounmpo (16-5)
Giannis, along with Curry, has won back-to-back MVPs since LeBron won his last MVP award. He has been with the Bucks since the start of his career and as a result has come up against strong LeBron James teams over the years. Giannis’ Bucks have been against James’ Cavaliers or the Miami Heat a total of 21 times till date.
LeBron holds a clear advantage with 16 wins and five losses, making his record against Giannis the joint-best that he has with respect to other NBA MVPs. Despite Giannis winning the championship, the two are in different conferences and the overall record therefore should stay in LeBron’s favor for the time being.
#1 LeBron James vs Russell Westbrook (16-5)
Russell Westbrook will also not be playing against LeBron James in the regular season or otherwise anytime soon. However, he will be happy about it considering James’s healthy record against Westbrook’s teams. The two spent three seasons in the same conference, with Westbrook coming up against LeBron’s LA Lakers in the West and Miami Heat along with the Cavaliers in the East.
Westbrook won the 2017 NBA MVP award for the OKC Thunder and have lost 15 games out of 21. LeBron’s form over the years while facing Westbrook has been immense, with the 17-time All-Star going at a strong 28.1 ppg. Overall, LeBron’s record against Westbrook is as good as his record against James, with his numbers marginally better against his new teammate’s former teams.
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