LeBron James has done a whole lot of winning and not much losing in his NBA career.
Since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James has been a mainstay in the NBA's postseason. Over his 21 years in the league, he's missed the playoffs only four times, two of which came in his rookie and sophomore seasons.
When James does make the playoffs, he usually goes on competitive and deep runs, too, so 2024 is a bit of an anomaly. And if being at risk of losing to the Nuggets in the first round wasn't enough, his Lakers enter Game 4 of the series at risk of being swept.
It's not a position James has been in many times before.
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How many times has LeBron James been swept?
James has been swept three times in his NBA career.
In 2007, James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals for the first time in his career, but Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan were too much to handle, leading San Antonio to a 4-0 series win to sweep Cleveland.
James and the Cavaliers were swept in the NBA Finals again in 2018, this time by Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the Warriors.
James was swept for the third time in his career in 2023 when the Lakers fell to the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
| Year | Round | Opponent |
| 2007 | NBA Finals | Spurs |
| 2018 | NBA Finals | Warriors |
| 2023 | Western Conference Finals | Nuggets |
In total, James has played 54 playoff series, 41 of which have ended in victories for his team.
How many rings does LeBron James have?
James is a four-time NBA champion with four Finals MVP awards.
James has won a title with each team he's played with. He won two championships as a member of the Heat (2012 and 2013). He then ended Cleveland's 52-year championship drought in 2016 by leading the Cavaliers in a historic 3-1 comeback over the Warriors.
James won his fourth ring in 2020 with the Lakers.
James has been to the NBA Finals 10 times, including eight straight appearances between 2010 and 2018. Only Celtics legends Sam Jones (11) and Bill Russell (12) have been to the Finals more times.
LeBron James career playoff stats
- 28.4 points per game
- 9.0 rebounds per game
- 7.2 assists per game
- 1.7 steals per game
- 1.0 blocks per game
- 3.6 turnovers per game
- 49.6 percent field goal shooting
- 33.2 percent 3-point shooting
- 74.0 percent free throw shooting
