Revisiting LeBron James-Kevin Durant's Thrilling Playoff Matchups

LeBron James and Kevin Durant's postseason rivalry might conclude with their next matchup.

A Potential Final Showdown As the Houston Rockets face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, it might mark the final postseason matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. The Lakers' season has been marked by significant developments, with Dave McMenamin noting that 48 hours changed their season in a way that might have been underestimated. Meanwhile, the 2026 NBA playoffs have seen numerous predictions made, including series projections and a potential Finals outcome, as reported by Zach Kram. Brian Windhorst has also highlighted the next chapter in the LeBron-KD rivalry, which is still going strong even at this stage of their careers. ## A Look Back at Their Postseason Matchups Despite being 41 and 37 years old, respectively, James and Durant have continued to perform at a high level in the regular season. James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games, while Durant achieved 26 points per game, marking his 19th consecutive season with at least 25 points. Notably, he also tied James with 13 seasons scoring at least 25 points per game on over 50% shooting from the field. Their playoff matchups have been limited to three instances, all of which occurred in the NBA Finals. ## 2012 NBA Finals In the 2012 NBA Finals, James and the Heat faced off against Durant and the Thunder. The Thunder had made a remarkable run to the Finals, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games. Durant was instrumental in their success, standing in the way of James' first championship win. The Heat ultimately emerged victorious, winning the championship in five games. James earned Finals MVP honors, averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game, while Durant averaged 30.6 points and six rebounds. ## 2017 NBA Finals The 2017 NBA Finals saw a highly anticipated matchup between James and Durant. The Warriors had gone 12-0 en route to the championship round, while the Cavaliers dropped just one game on their run through the Eastern Conference playoffs. The series received significant hype due to the previous year's comeback by James and the Cavaliers. Golden State ultimately won the series 4-1, with Durant averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists to win Finals MVP. James averaged 33.6 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists per game, becoming the first player in NBA Finals history to achieve a triple-double. ## 2018 NBA Finals In the 2018 NBA Finals, the Warriors swept James and the Cavaliers in a thrilling series. The Cavaliers had finished fourth in the East and endured two seven-game series on their way to the Finals. James had arguably his best postseason run, averaging 34 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in 41.3 minutes per game. The Warriors, on the other hand, had to win a Game 7 on the road against the Rockets to continue their quest for consecutive titles. The series was marked by a chaotic Game 1, which went into overtime due to a viral gaffe by JR Smith. Golden State ultimately won the series 4-0, with James putting up 51 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in Game 1.