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Ranking the top 5 NBA Finals games in LeBron James’s career

By Matthew Way

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after winning the 2020 NBA Championship over the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James
LeBron James Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Following LeBron James winning his fourth title, we look back at the five best NBA Finals performances of his legendary career.

Regardless of where you stand on LeBron James in the all-time rankings debate, you cannot deny that he has provided some truly iconic moments throughout his playoff career.

He scored 25 straight and 29 of his team’s last 30 against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals in just his fourth season. He hit an impossible fall-away three to even a series against the Orlando Magic. He played a near-perfect game to force a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. The list is endless.

Despite all of the huge moments leading up to the Finals and the heavy minutes required to accomplish those feats, LeBron still managed to save many of his best games for the biggest stage in June.

Ranking his many great Finals performances is a difficult task and inevitably leads to some outstanding performances being left out. This list, for example, was forced to cut out games involving closing out the OKC Thunder in 2012, dropping 54 points on the Golden State Warriors in 2015, and completing the 3-1 comeback against the 73-win Warriors in 2016.

But that’s what happens when you look back on an all-time great player’s all-time great performances. Sifting through all of LeBron’s great Finals performances brings even greater appreciation for what he has done for so long.

Ranking the very best of those games is equally as difficult. Statistical volume is relevant but must be weighed with the situational context and importance of the moment. Balancing all of those factors, we examine LeBron’s five best Finals games.