LeBron James vs. LeBron James-Kevin Durant will be played in the regular season for the first time since December 25, 2018.
This is indeed happening. Kevin Durant and LeBron James will share the same court for regular season games. It’s been five years since the last time two of the all-time greats faced off against each other in three NBA Finals, a time that was severely delayed by injuries.
Their teams have gone 13 games without LeBron and KD going head-to-head. They also missed opportunities against each other in three All-Star Games. They last met on Christmas Day 2018, Durant’s final season with the Warriors and LeBron’s first with the Lakers, and the Lakers won by 26 points.
Their history is rich: LeBron leads the way 15-6 In the regular season, Durant performed well 9-5 In the playoffs. Durant beats LeBron twice in a row (LeBron did win the championship) 51 points in Game 1 of 2018); Ten years ago, LeBron defeated Durant and the Thunder.
In their games together, Durant averaged 29.8 points and LeBron 29.6 points per game.
Since that Christmas meeting, Durant has changed teams twice. Both players are clearly getting older, but somehow they haven’t fallen victim to Father Time. So here’s a date, Thursday at Crypto Arena (10 Eastern Time, TNT), Suns VS Suns-Lakers, Durant and LeBron.
Here’s a look back at what they (we) missed in LeBron James vs. LeBron James five years ago. Kevin Durant Series.
2018-19 season, 3 potential games
- LeBron out with groin strain, rest, load management
In that Christmas game, LeBron suffered his first semi-serious injury in his career. The injury forced him to miss the next game against Durant, while rest and load management contributed to others. The Lakers’ season was also ruined by health issues, and there was no chance of a playoff appearance. Remember, the Lakers are building young players — Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram.
Meanwhile, Durant and the Warriors are making steady progress, with three consecutive championships in sight. They are the top seed in the West and the overwhelming favorite to keep their dynasty alive.
as a result of: Durant was limping with a calf injury in the Warriors’ semifinal series, missed the entire Western Conference Finals, and returned to the team for one game in the NBA Finals against the Raptors, in which he Suffered a torn Achilles tendon. Without Durant, the Warriors don’t have a championship.
2019-20 season, 2 potential games
- Durant misses game due to Achilles tendon rehab
Durant obviously didn’t get a chance to play against LeBron or anyone because he was plagued by injuries throughout his first season with the Nets.
LeBron’s fate is exactly the opposite. Buoyed by generally good health and compelling new partner Anthony Davis, he and the Lakers have thrived in a pandemic-interrupted season and bounced back in the bubble. LeBron wins his fourth championship with his third different team.
as a result of: The offseason was shortened due to the epidemic, and Durant’s recovery progressed smoothly. He returned on December 22, 2020, and scored 22 points against his old teammate Warriors to help the Nets win.
2020-21 season, 2 potential games
- LeBron misses game with ankle
- Durant misses game with hamstring
LeBron’s ankle sprain caused him to miss 26 of the final 30 games of the COVID-shortened season. Coupled with the fact that Davis missed half the season, LeBron did not have first-round home court advantage for the first time in his career. Then, he experienced another first: a first-round exit.
Durant suffered a hamstring strain five days before the Feb. 18 game against LeBron but recovered well. With the addition of James Harden, the Nets became the dominant team in the Eastern Conference at the beginning of the playoffs.
as a result of: The only problematic part of Durant’s body was his feet – he touched the three-point line, thereby erasing the series-clinching shot in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Bucks. Milwaukee rallied and then defeated Phoenix in the Finals. Brooklyn will never be the same again.
2021-22 season, 2 potential games
- Durant out due to knee, health and safety protocols
Bad injury luck plagues Durant again. In mid-December, he canceled a Christmas meeting on New Year’s Eve due to health and safety concerns, resulting in a sprained knee 10 days before a game against LeBron and the Lakers. At this point, the Nets were in disarray and their dream of a superteam was shattered.
However, LeBron was the most frustrated player. Speaking of superteam predictions – after acquiring Russell Westbrook, the Lakers had visions of winning a championship, but ultimately fell apart and missed the playoffs entirely. When their “Big Three” play together, they have a record of just 11-10.
as a result of: Losing confidence in the team’s direction, Durant requested a trade in the summer of 2022. The Lakers fired head coach Frank Vogel, replaced him with DaVine Hamm, and began plotting a way to move Westbrook.
2022-23 season, 4 potential games
- LeBron misses game with abductor strain, ankle and foot
- Durant misses game with knee, ankle and rest
For the first time, injuries to two players have caused them to miss not one but two games (January 30 and March 22).
That game on January 30 was Durant’s last chance with the Nets against LeBron and the Lakers. Brooklyn shipped him to Phoenix shortly thereafter, putting the two players in the same division. But LeBron suffered a tendon injury. The strangest thing was Durant’s ankle, which he sprained while going for a layup before a game in March.
But that wasn’t to be, as the Suns rested Durant before the playoffs and missed the April 7 finals. If the rules regarding load management were in effect this season, Durant would miss that game.
as a result of: Both players led teams to rejuvenate — midseason trades from the Lakers helped — and into the playoffs. Another potential meeting disappeared when the Suns lost to the Nuggets in the semifinals. Denver then swept LeBron and the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
And now, the showdown begins again.
What’s encouraging is that Durant and LeBron are still star stars capable of leading the team. LeBron has shown off his athleticism in his 21st season and remains a top-10 scorer and excellent passer. He was strong at times in the playoffs last spring and is once again deep in the postseason.
When Durant is on the court and healthy, he’s also a respectable and demanding player. Durant remains a lethal scorer with consistent efficiency and an underrated rebounder and defender who has the Suns realistically considering a championship.
Assuming health, Durant and LeBron could meet multiple times, not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs. The past five years suggest otherwise, but the Western Conference Finals will be an interesting addition to their record.
** **
Sean Powell has been covering the NBA for more than 25 years.You can email him here , find his profile and follow him here Twitter.
The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Warner Bros. Discovery Channel.