LeBron vs Curry looking only at 14-15 season to now

[zimpy27]

Starting a comparison form the year that Curry wins a championship gives him a leg up but is it enough to favour his career from 2014-15 compared to LeBron 2014-15.

Which player ranks higher all-time between these 2 players just including what was done from 2014-15 onwards?

Curry: 4 championships, 2 finals losses, 2 MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, 8 All NBA
LeBron: 2 championships, 3 finals losses, 2 Finals MVPs, 9 All NBA

RS Curry: 27.3ppg @ 64% TS, 5.1rpg, 6.4apg, 1.6spg, 0.2bpg, 3.1topg
RS LeBron: 26.7ppg @ 60% TS, 7.9rpg, 8apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg, 3.7topg

PO Curry: 27.5ppg @ 61% TS, 5.6rpg, 5.9apg, 1.5spg, 0.3bpg, 3.3topg
PO LeBron: 29.1ppg @ 59% TS, 9.8rpg, 8apg, 1.6spg, 1.1bpg, 3.9topg

[Cavsfansince84]

Starting a comparison form the year that Curry wins a championship gives him a leg up but is it enough to favour his career from 2014-15 compared to LeBron 2014-15.

Which player ranks higher all-time between these 2 players just including what was done from 2014-15 onwards?

Curry: 4 championships, 2 finals losses, 2 MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, 9 All NBA
LeBron: 2 championships, 3 finals losses, 2 Finals MVPs, 9 All NBA

RS Curry: 27.3ppg @ 64% TS, 5.1rpg, 6.4apg, 1.6spg, 0.2bpg, 3.1topg
RS LeBron: 26.7ppg @ 60% TS, 7.9rpg, 8apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg, 3.7topg

PO Curry: 27.5ppg @ 61% TS, 5.6rpg, 5.9apg, 1.5spg, 0.3bpg, 3.3topg
PO LeBron: 29.1ppg @ 59% TS, 9.8rpg, 8apg, 1.6spg, 1.1bpg, 3.9topg

Steph is 8x all nba, 4x 1st
LeBron is 9x, 5x 1st in this time frame

Having said that, I think it's very close but the lost season gives this to LeBron as does his overall playoff performances.

[zimpy27]

Starting a comparison form the year that Curry wins a championship gives him a leg up but is it enough to favour his career from 2014-15 compared to LeBron 2014-15.

Which player ranks higher all-time between these 2 players just including what was done from 2014-15 onwards?

Curry: 4 championships, 2 finals losses, 2 MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, 9 All NBA
LeBron: 2 championships, 3 finals losses, 2 Finals MVPs, 9 All NBA

RS Curry: 27.3ppg @ 64% TS, 5.1rpg, 6.4apg, 1.6spg, 0.2bpg, 3.1topg
RS LeBron: 26.7ppg @ 60% TS, 7.9rpg, 8apg, 1.3spg, 0.7bpg, 3.7topg

PO Curry: 27.5ppg @ 61% TS, 5.6rpg, 5.9apg, 1.5spg, 0.3bpg, 3.3topg
PO LeBron: 29.1ppg @ 59% TS, 9.8rpg, 8apg, 1.6spg, 1.1bpg, 3.9topg

Steph is 8x all nba, 4x 1st
LeBron is 9x, 5x 1st in this time frame

Having said that, I think it's very close but the lost season gives this to LeBron as does his overall playoff performances.

Are either ranked higher than Kobe's full career?

[GSP]

I dont know how this isnt easily Bron...............Far better playoff performer and i mean they met in the playoffs 5 times in this span and Steph was outplayed in every single one

[Cavsfansince84]

Are either ranked higher than Kobe's full career?

I'd have to lean towards no. Lebron also has 3 seasons in there where he plays 50-60 games and misses the playoffs or has a 1st rd exit so I think you'd have to go back to 2013 to make a case for LeBron over Kobe.

[Ainosterhaspie]

Curry better in 2019, 2021, 2022.
LeBron every other year.
2023 TBD.

That's the most generous assessment that can be made for Curry.

[LukaTheGOAT]

I would go Bron, because that 16-18 peak in particular. I think that is a level that Curry never reached in terms of PS play. Also, Curry virtually not having a 2020 season hurts a bit, but I do think he makes up ground with a 5-4 year advantage of being better Lebron in my estimation:

15-Steph
16-Lebron
17-Lebron
18-Lebron
19-Steph
20-Lebron
21-Steph
22-Steph
23-Steph

From 15-22 in the PS (6 PS), Lebron's impact metrics look like the following:

Backpicks BPM-8.3

PS AuPM/G-5.8

BPM-10.4


For reference,

Steph in half-time that time (3-year time span) during this span, has 3-year peaks of the following:

Backpicks BPM-6.9

PS AuPM/G-5.2

BPM-8.5

Lebron over that sample, outperformed Curry's best 3-year stretches on a per-possession basis. I think that is notable, and shows how Lebron was able to sustain a higher level of play over a longer period.

It's hard to get numbers for the exact time period in play (15-23), but I think that gives you a decent starting point for where the belief of Lebron>Steph would come from.

Some other additional numbers:

2015-2020 PS PIPM

Lebron-7.37 (#1 over this span)

Steph-3.95 (#8 over this span)


14-18 RAPM

Lebron-5.18 (#2 over this span)

Steph-3.62 (#5 over this span)


15-19 RAPM

Lebron-4.96 (#2 over this span)

Steph-3.84 (#7 over this span)

Overall, Lebron lead offenses peaked higher as well during this period, and with his defense being generally being elite, I will side with him.

If you look at shorter peak PS stretches such as single year or 3-year PS stretches, I think once again, Lebron comes out looking stronger. According Backpicks, the 2015-17 Cavs have the 3rd best unique offensive PS stretch for relative offensive rating, and keep in mind Lebron did not have a healthy Kyrie or KLove for much of the 2015 PS. This once surpasses the Warriors offensive performance.

If you don't like using relative offensive rating to judge playoff offense, there is another method called common offensive rating.
Common offensive rating is comparing a team’s postseason play to other teams against that same given opponent (for that particular PS). The rORTG is also listed on the side too for those who, where a team’s playoff offensive rating is compared to it’s opponent’s regular season defensive ratings. The Cavs have the best common offensive rating of the time period.

The best 3-year offenses and defense (minimum of 20 games played across three postseason trips), we see the following unique team peaks in playoff offense per common offensive rating (cORTG) via Backpicks since 1984 (but only other potential contenders would be if you go back to Mikan days).

Team Year cORTG rORTG
CLE 2015-17 13.0 9.5


MIA 2012-14 9.7 8.7

LAL 1987-89 9.4 9


CHI 1991-93 8.8 8.4

CHI 1994-96 8.3 6.9

Lebron's offenses come out looking better under this approach as well. The 2016 Cavs (+15.3 cORTG) and 2017 Cavs (+14.6) have the two highest single-season offensive marks using this approach. Under the 3-year guise, the Cavs would be at least #1 going back to 1984.

[TheGOATRises007]

LeBron still. As said by Luka, that 16-18 stretch just makes it clearly in his favor.

And Curry has a season of essentially zero value with 19-20.

[NbaAllDay]

If we go on accolades/impact and offense I think Lebron edges Curry out. If you include defense It gives Lebron a larger advantage. Does Lebron always play better D? No, however the 'plays no D memes' have been completely debunked when you look behind the narrative and he has more impact on that end purely based on his size/athleticism. Let alone him being just a better instinctual defender as well.

[The Master]

This is insane you can exclude 11 seasons of LeBron (4x MVP, 2x Finals MVP) in the best days athletically of him and it's still very arguable that he was better than borderline top10 player ever (Curry) impact-wise.

Just longevity stats some people say...

Curry better RS performer, LeBron better PS performer is a comfortable assessment to make here.

[ardee]

If you look at it through the years:

2015: Curry (by a bit)
2016: LeBron
2017: LeBron
2018: LeBron (huge margin)
2019: Curry
2020: LeBron (huge margin)
2021: Curry
2022: Curry (by a fair bit)
2023: undecided but likely LeBron

I think LeBron has a fair bit more value in these seasons combined, and the 3 best seasons of the bunch period (2016-18).

[ceiling raiser]

2015: Curry
2016: Curry
2017: Curry
2018: Curry
2019: Curry
2020: LeBron
2021: Curry
2022: Curry
2023: Curry

[ShotCreator]

15 - Curry(easily)
16 - LeBron(very close)
17 - Curry(very close)
18 - LeBron(very close)
19 - Curry
20 - LeBron(extra super duper easy)
21 - Curry(Very close)
22 - Curry
23- Curry


LeBron has this thing of having fringe MVP RS, and then outrageous playoff seasons that make these things closer.

This is a very difficult comparison and I think what you value would decide this.

I truly don't know who was better in 2016. Who I would assume to play better full season basketball in 1986 and 2006. I don't have a strong idea. I would imagine Curry could possibly be better though. I know 16 Curry blows away nearly every RS ever. And I don't find it to be a fluke or gimmick. But LeBron played some of the best basketball ever in the end of those finals. And that's a crazy nuclear option I don't know how to judge. Though, I don't believe 16 LeBron is having that kind of defensive performance at-will against any team he wants.


This is one of those things I would have to come back to.

[Colbinii]

15 - Curry(easily)
16 - LeBron(very close)
17 - Curry(very close)
18 - LeBron(very close)
19 - Curry
20 - LeBron
21 - Curry(Very close)
22 - Curry
23- Curry


LeBron has this thing of having fringe MVP RS, and then outrageous playoff seasons that make these things closer.

This is a very difficult comparison and I think what you value would decide this.

I truly don't know who was better in 2016. Who I would assume to play better full season basketball in 1986 and 2006. I don't have a strong idea. I would imagine Curry could possibly be better though. I know 16 Curry blows away nearly every RS ever. And I don't find it to be a fluke or gimmick. But LeBron played some of the best basketball ever in the end of those finals. And that's a crazy nuclear option I don't know how to judge. Though, I don't believe 16 LeBron is having that kind of defensive performance at-will against any team he wants.


This is one of those things I would have to come back to.

If 15 is Curry easily, what is 2020 LeBron vs Curry? Extra Super Duper Easy?

[MyUniBroDavis]

2015: Curry
2016: Curry
2017: Curry
2018: Curry
2019: Curry
2020: LeBron
2021: Curry
2022: Curry
2023: Curry

Jesus Christ

[No-more-rings]

I’m still inclined to give it to Lebron overall, even though it’s clearly Curry just looking at 2021-2023. Lebron’s 2016-2018 level is cleanly above any Curry stretch imo.

[Doctor MJ]

So I'm going to post some raw +/- stuff. Take it for what you will:

Regular Season cumes for this period:

1. Curry +5103
2. Green +4075
9. LeBron +2683

Playoffs:

1. Green +971
2. Curry +894
3. LeBron +654

All-Season:

1. Curry +6005
2. Green +5044
7. LeBron +3336

[Doctor MJ]

I suppose I'll do the year-by-year.

'14-15: Curry
'15-16: LeBron
'16-17: Curry
'17-18: Curry
'18-19: Curry
'19-20: LeBron
'20-21: Curry
'21-22: Curry

Big point of conversation here is how we judge '16-17 & '17-18. Understandable why people would pick LeBron here, but Curry did win the title. That doesn't clinch the comparison obviously, but it's not something I brush aside lightly.

[ceiling raiser]

I suppose I'll do the year-by-year.

'14-15: Curry
'15-16: LeBron
'16-17: Curry
'17-18: Curry
'18-19: Curry
'19-20: LeBron
'20-21: Curry
'21-22: Curry

Big point of conversation here is how we judge '16-17 & '17-18. Understandable why people would pick LeBron here, but Curry did win the title. That doesn't clinch the comparison obviously, but it's not something I brush aside lightly.

Doc - How close is 16 for you? LeBron closed strong in the Finals, but hard to ignore Curry’s season there. Also the controversy of the Draymond suspension tints valuation for me.

[Heej]

16-18 makes up too big of a difference here. Those titles don't move me, even a little. Especially considering the fact that LeBron was the clear cut best player on the floor in every single series. I think Steph won some of those years after (excluding bubble and injury season) but LeBron got him this year. Straight up outplayed him overall in their matchup once again, even if Steph was arguably a bit better offensively. And even that point is closer than people comfortably want to admit