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Basketball

Compare Stephen Curry Vs Lebron James Head to HEAD: Who is Better NBA Player

by Jon 15 Jul 2024
Compare Stephen Curry Vs Lebron James Head to HEAD

Comparing Stephen Curry and LeBron James is a difficult task, as they are both incredible players in their own right. However, here are some points to consider:

LeBron James is a versatile player who can score, rebound, pass, and defend at a high level. He is a four-time NBA champion, four-time MVP, and 17-time All-Star. He is known for his size, athleticism, and basketball IQ.

Stephen Curry is a dominant shooter who can score from anywhere on the court. He is a three-time NBA champion, two-time MVP, and seven-time All-Star. He is known for his shooting ability, ball-handling skills, and leadership.

In terms of head-to-head comparisons, LeBron James has a winning record against Stephen Curry in their respective matchups. However, it is important to note that basketball is a team sport, and individual matchups do not necessarily determine overall greatness.

Stephen Curry Vs. Lebron James

In this blog, we will be comparing the two basketball superstars - Stephen Curry and Lebron James. Both players are considered to be among the best in the world and have had amazing careers thus far. However, there can only be one true King of the court. So, who comes out on top when these two greats go head-to-head?

NBA Championships

NBA Championships
  Stephen Curry LeBron James
NBA Championships 4   4
NBA Seasons 13   19
Playoffs Played 8   15
All-Star Games 8   18
  • LeBron James - 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
  • Stephen Curry - 4 (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022)

In terms of winning championships at the top level, neither LeBron James nor Stephen Curry has an advantage. James won four titles with three different clubs, including numerous Finals appearances with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Of course, he won the title in the 2020 "Bubble" alongside Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2016 title with the Cleveland Cavaliers is without a doubt the most meaningful ring James has earned. Down 3-1 against Stephen Curry's Warriors, James had a fantastic Finals run in which he averaged 29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 8.9 APG and accomplished a historic comeback to win Game 7.

Meanwhile, Stephen Curry won four rings as a member of the Golden State Warriors. His debut in 2015 was excellent, but Andre Iguodala transformed the series by preventing LeBron James from taking control and pushing his Cleveland Cavaliers to an upset. Curry also won titles with Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018, when the superstar small forward made one of the most shocking free agency moves in NBA history. Of course, Curry won the 2022 title, his most meaningful yet.

Winning rings is the single most crucial aspect of a superstar's career, yet neither player has an advantage. LeBron played with legends such as Anthony Davis, Dwyane Wade, and Kyrie Irving, but he was always the best player on the field. Curry was the greatest player on the team for his first and fourth titles, but he had Kevin Durant for the past two and was not the top player for the Warriors during any of their Finals appearances with the superstar small forward. However, there is no clear victor in terms of the total number of titles won.

Advantage: Even

Finals MVP Awards

stephen curry and lebron
  • LeBron James - 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
  • Stephen Curry - 1 (2022)

In terms of being the greatest player on the team, LeBron was the indisputable best player on the court throughout his four titles. Even if Davis topped the regular season in scoring in 2020 or Kyrie Irving scored the greatest shot of the 2016 Finals in Game 7, LeBron was the Finals MVP each and every time. It's incredible how James can instantly become the top player for a club wherever he goes since he is just the most dominant personality in basketball today.

Looking back on his career, there was never a moment when James was not the greatest player on the court for his team, especially in any of his NBA Finals appearances.

Stephen Curry, on the other side, eventually broke through and was named Finals MVP. For years, skeptics have come out of the woodwork to dismiss Curry's accomplishments since he had never earned a Finals MVP title before this season.

 Even though he was the greatest player on the team for the Golden State Warriors in 2015, it was swingman Andre Iguodala who earned Finals MVP, averaging 16.3 PPG and 5.8 RPG while playing superb defense on LeBron James. But Steph did it in 2022, and there was no doubt he earned it. Good things come to those who wait, and Steph had to wait until his fourth title to win it.

But, in the end, James had a huge advantage in Finals MVP selections. There was never a time when James was outperformed. Whenever James performed well, his team won the NBA Finals, and this pattern continued throughout his career. There is a clear winner, and it belongs to The King, who has four Finals MVPs to Curry's one.

Advantage: LeBron James

MVP Awards

ebron vs steph curry
  • LeBron James - 4 (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
  • Stephen Curry - 2 (2015, 2016)

In terms of regular-season MVP Awards, no player will be able to stay up with LeBron James. In terms of domination on the court, LeBron James may be the best regular-season player ever. His MVP seasons were in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. With the Cavaliers in 2009, he averaged 28.4 PPG and 7.6 RPG, followed by 29.7 PPG and 8.6 APG the next year. His back-to-back MVPs with the Heat culminated in NBA titles, averaging 27.1 PPG and 7.9 RPG, followed by 26.8 PPG and 8.0 RPG.

Stephen Curry earned the first-ever unanimous MVP in 2016, with 30.1 PPG and 6.7 APG. Curry led the Warriors to the best record in NBA history with a 73-9 record, and he cemented himself as the finest shooter we've ever seen. However, Curry had earned MVP with the Warriors as well as the NBA title the year before. He averaged 23.8 PPG and 7.7 APG for the Warriors, solidifying himself as the finest point guard in the NBA. But, as of the 2022 season, Curry has yet to win another MVP award.

Finally, LeBron James has the upper hand, and it isn't close. Again, James has been the best player in the league, at least since the 2012 season, when he won his first title, and he had had two MVP honors before that season began. Similar to the Finals MVP honors, James holds a clear advantage in MVP awards. Time will tell if Stephen Curry can match LeBron's four-ring haul since the point guard will be 35 at some point next season.

Advantage: LeBron James

All-NBA Teams

All-NBA Teams
  • LeBron James: 18 (13 First Team, 3 Second Team, 2 Third Team)
  • Stephen Curry: 8 (4 First Team, 3 Second Team, 1 Third Team)

LeBron James is well-known for his longevity. He has played 19 seasons and made the All-Star Team 18 times, which is astounding and even more incredible given he played in an era packed with other excellent players with exceptional athleticism.

LeBron James has been a true superstar his whole career and is regarded as the greatest small forward of all time. Because of his extended reign of dominance, James has made a staggering 18 All-NBA teams, just missing one in his career. 13 of the 18 appearances have been with the First Team, which is a remarkable feat.

Stephen Curry has been named to eight NBA All-Star teams, including four First Team selections. Of course, playing alongside Kevin Durant for a few years reduced his visibility around the league.

He was always the top point guard, but he wasn't always regarded as the finest individual player, except in 2015 and 2016. Steph is sure to receive a couple more All-NBA Team choices as he reaches the age of 35. He will never catch LeBron, which is vital for our comparison. As things stand, Stephen does not have an advantage over LeBron James because he does not have anything like the number of All-NBA Teams that The King does.

Advantage: LeBron James

All-Star Selections

LeBron James - All-Star Selections
  • LeBron James: 18
  • Stephen Curry: 8

LeBron James is an 18-time All-Star, and he made every All-Star Team except his first season, which he missed. The superstar small forward has career averages of 27.1 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 7.4 APG on 50.5% FG, 34.6% 3-PT FG, and 73.4% FT. His stats and performance have been constant throughout his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.

Overall, James has been a continuous All-Star presence due to his excellent all-around skill. James has been an All-Star veteran and an explosive athlete with possibly the best basketball IQ in NBA history. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has more All-Star appearances (19), but James has a chance to match that total next year.

Meanwhile, Stephen Curry is approaching the age of 35 and has made a total of eight All-Star appearances. Early injuries to Curry limited the amount of All-Star Teams he may have made, but the reality remains that he has less than half the number of All-Star Teams as LeBron James. Making 8 All-Star Teams is nothing to sneeze at, and he has a chance to make a couple more before his career is through. However, Curry still has a long way to go if he wants to match LeBron James's record of 18 All-Star Team selections.

Advantage: LeBron James

NBA All-Defense Teams

NBA All-Defense Teams
  • LeBron James: 6 (5 First Team, 1 Second Team)
  • Stephen Curry: 0

LeBron James was a tremendous defender in his peak, but he has slowed down as he has gotten older. It might be claimed that while James was with the Miami Heat, he was the finest defender in his position.

However, James has frequently concentrated on the offensive end, which is where his numbers truly shined, but he was also an above-average defender due to his basketball IQ throughout his career. At 6'9" and over 260 pounds, James is a behemoth on the court, which is why he may be forced to defend many positions throughout a game. He can do it and has demonstrated that he is no pushover. Six All-Defensive Team honors is a significant edge over Curry.

Stephen Curry has never been and will never be a defensive stopper. The 6'3" point guard lacks the athleticism and natural talent to be a defensive force, which is why the opposition team's top players frequently attack him. What Curry produces on offense clearly outweighs his defensive shortcomings, but the defense must be considered when comparing careers. Over the course of their careers, it has become clear that James is by far the more consistent defensive defender than Steph. This one goes to The King by a big margin since 6 All-Defensive Team choices to zero is quite striking.

Advantage: LeBron James

Total Win Shares

Total Win Shares
  • LeBron James: 249.5
  • Stephen Curry: 120.2

Win Shares is a statistic that attempts to distribute a team's victories to each player on the roster. For example, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar set a single-season record for Win Shares with 25.4 in 1971-72 while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, who won 63 games. In terms of contributing to a winning team and assisting his team in routinely winning games, it is clear that LeBron James has a higher win share rating than Stephen Curry.

The Hall of Fame small forward is a statistics darling because he can do everything on the floor at an outstanding level. His scoring, rebounding, and assist stats are off the charts, and he is frequently a direct contribution to his team winning games. LeBron's victory totals rank second all-time, trailing only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

For whatever reason, this advanced statistic demonstrates that Stephen Curry was not as responsible for his team's triumphs as LeBron James was. While that narrative might be contested based on their teammates and overall skill in the league, LeBron James definitely blasts Curry out of the water in this area. It might be because Curry has been on a few terrible teams throughout his career and lacks the all-around brilliance that James possesses. At 6'3" and without LeBron's superior athleticism, Curry's offensive talent is unparalleled. Whatever the cause, Curry's win-shares rating is worse than LeBron James'.

Advantage: LeBron James

Career Player Efficiency Rating

curry versus lebron
  • LeBron James: 27.3
  • Stephen Curry: 23.8

Player Efficiency Evaluation, or PER, is a statistic developed by John Hollinger with the objective of providing a thorough rating to each NBA player. Hollinger's PER measure is unusual in that it considers both a player's positive and negative contributions on the court.

LeBron James has the second highest PER of all time (27.3). That is an astounding rating considering how few NBA players have had PER scores of at least 25. Micahel Jordan had the highest PER, as predicted, with a rating of 27.9.

Michael was able to score 30 points a game on 50% shooting, indicating that his PER will most likely always be the highest. But James comes close, and as one of the most influential and efficient superstars of all time, his PER rating is pretty astounding. Not to mention that it is significantly higher than Curry's.

Stephen Curry has a PER of 23.8, which ranks him 20th all-time. Curry clearly has an influence on winning since his offensive skill set is out of this world. Curry has a lifetime 24.3 PPG average and shooting splits of 47.3% FG, 42.8% 3-PT FG, and 90.8% FT. That is just outstanding on any level, and Curry is continually finding new ways to make his offense shine even brighter.

However, Curry does not contribute as well as LeBron James in other areas of the court, such as rebounding, which reduces his PER marginally. Curry is among the best of all time, but he will never face The King again.

Advantage: LeBron James

Final Score

lebron and steph- Final Score

In conclusion, when all of the above considerations are taken into account, LeBron James is the better all-around player with a better all-around career. What he accomplished as one of the most touted athletes in history is extraordinary, and he did it without ever causing himself problems off the court.

With all eyes on him, he outperformed expectations as a role model. In his first season, the King was already being compared to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, and he was genuinely a blend of both due to his domination with his play and excellent basketball IQ.

James has more MVPs, Finals, All-Star Teams, and honors than Curry. In comparison to 8-time All-Star and 8-time All-NBA performer Curry, LeBron has 18 All-Star Team selections and 18 All-NBA Team choices. Curry is the greatest shooter we've ever seen, but LeBron has done and accomplished more than Curry. In fact, except for Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, no player has done more on an individual level than James.

In defense of Curry, who will most certainly be Mr. Golden State until he retires. Curry transformed the game as a member of the Golden State Warriors, and he has been with the team from its inception. But Curry did not join the NBA as the league's best point guard; he earned it.

He had a terrific debut season, averaging 17.5 points per game, but by his third season, many people had written him off due to injury concerns. He didn't become an MVP or win an NBA title until 2015. Curry understood the Warriors gave him a chance, and he returned them handsomely with his commitment. Not to add, Curry is the finest shooter ever, and his 43.3% from deep ranks 12th all-time. Curry ranks first in 3-point attempts. His free throw shooting also ranks first all-time, ahead of Steve Nash and Mark Price.

But, as good as Curry's shooting is, LeBron has higher all-around numbers on both ends of the court, as well as many more awards. It's difficult to argue against four MVPs, four Finals MVPs, and a staggering 18 All-Star and All-NBA appearances.

Read more: 

LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry head-to-head

LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry head-to-head

In the regular season,

James and Curry have met 16 times. James' teams won nine of the 16 games. He averages 26.8 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Curry averages 21.1 points per game, 6.5 assists, and 3.6 rebounds.

Postseason

From 2015 through 2018, the Cavaliers and Warriors played in the NBA Finals four times in a row, with Golden State winning three of the four series. Cleveland, on the other hand, rebounded from a 3-1 hole to win the 2016 NBA Finals in their lone seven-game series. In those playoff games, Curry holds a 15-7 head-to-head lead against James.

During those 22 games, James averaged 33.0 points per game, 11.5 rebounds, and 9.3 assists. Curry averages 25.4 points per game, 6.3 assists, and 5.9 rebounds.

You can check the detail head to head Stephen Curry vs. LeBron James: https://stathead.com/tiny/pOww9

FAQs

1. How much are Stephen Curry's rings worth?

To a Golden State Warriors fan or a basketball enthusiast in general, Stephen Curry’s rings is a priceless possession, but to give a dollar value, in 2016, one of the championship rings was appraised at a value of $13,500.

2. How many championships has LeBron James won?

One of the important achievements to say the success of a basketball player is the NBA championship. So, how many rings does Lebron James have? King James has won 4 NBA titles with the three franchises he's in. These include the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers.

3. How many rings did LeBron lose?

Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-85 to sweep the series and give LeBron his sixth NBA Finals loss. That was also the fourth final loss for "The King" in five years.

Conclusion

In short, While both players are undeniably great, LeBron James has proven time and time again that he is the better player. His superior size and athleticism give him an advantage over Curry, and his experience and leadership make him a more well-rounded player. In head-to-head matchups, James has also consistently come out on top.

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