The Houston Rockets had already secured the No. 5 seed going into Sunday’s game, but the No. 3 and No. 4 spots were still undecided. That changed after the Denver Nuggets defeated the San Antonio Spurs, locking Denver into the third seed and confirming the LA Lakers as the fourth seed heading into the playoffs.
As a result, the Houston Rockets will face the LA Lakers in the first round, with the virtue of being the No. 5 and No. 4 seeds, respectively. Fans are especially excited about this series because it sets up a long-awaited playoff showdown between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, their first postseason meeting since the 2018 NBA Finals.
Kevin Durant vs LeBron James NBA Playoffs: Head-to-Head
Kevin Durant and LeBron James have spent most of their careers on opposite sides of the NBA.
Early on, LeBron played in the Eastern Conference with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat, while Durant was in the Western Conference with the OKC Thunder and later the Golden State Warriors.
In 2018, LeBron moved to the West to join the LA Lakers. Around that time, Durant eventually shifted to the East, playing for the Brooklyn Nets.
By the middle of the 2022-2023 season, both stars were in the Western Conference. LeBron stayed with the Lakers, while Durant joined the Phoenix Suns. Even then, they still did not face each other in the playoffs.
Because of how their careers lined up, every playoff meeting between them has happened in the NBA Finals. They have met three times at the grand stage. In 2012, the Heat beat the Thunder 4-1. Then in 2017 and 2018, the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 4-1 and 4-0.
Overall, Durant holds the edge in their Finals matchups, with a 9-5 record against LeBron.
Kevin Durant vs LeBron James NBA Playoffs: Stats
Kevin Durant, often regarded as one of the most lethal offensive players in league history, has an average of 29.3 points across 170 playoff games. He has also put up 7.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.2 ‘stocks’ (steals + blocks) per game.
LeBron James, on the other hand, has delivered equally incredible numbers across a much larger sample size of 292 playoff games. He averages 28.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 2.7 ‘stocks’ per game.
When comparing their overall playoff production, LeBron holds the edge in rebounds, assists, and defensive stats, and he stays right there with Durant as a scorer. Interestingly, their head-to-head playoff matchups tell an even tighter story.
In the 14 playoff games where they have faced each other, Durant has put up 31.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. LeBron has outperformed him across all three categories with 31.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, and an impressive 9.1 assists per game.
Read More: 2026 Lakers Playoffs Schedule: First-Round Matchup, TV, Date, Time and More
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