Andre Iguodala – fittingly, though not deservedly – won NBA Finals MVP.
Iguodala had an impressive series, the culmination of a stellar and unselfish season. This is no knock on him.
But he doesn’t hold a candle to LeBron James’ production.
The Cavaliers forward became the first player to lead a Finals in points, rebounds and assists – averaging 35.8, 13.3 and 8.8 per game.
Really, it shouldn’t be a surprise LeBron broke that barrier. Nobody had come closer than him in 2012 and 2013 with the Heat.
In 2012, LeBron led the series against the Thunder in rebounds and assists but finished second in points to Kevin Durant. In 2013, LeBron led the series against the Spurs in points and assists but finished third in rebounds to Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard.
To measure how close a player came to leading the Finals in all three major stats, we’ll add the percentage of the leader in each per-game category. So, if a player led the series in a stat, it’s 100%. If he had 30 points per game to the leader’s 40 points per game, that’s 75%. Add the percentage for each category, so a perfect score is 300%.
Before his 300% this year, LeBron had 293% in 2012 and 290% in 2013.
In the years Basketball-Reference.com has Finals data for all three stats (1952, 1955-1958, 1960-2015), 18 players have cracked 250%. Here’s each with the player’s stats/leader’s stats (rank in the series):
| Player | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Total | |||
| LeBron James (2015 CLE) | 35.8/35.8 (1) | 100% | 13.3/13.3 (1) | 100% | 8.8/8.8 (1) | 100% | 300% |
| LeBron James (2012 MIA) | 28.6/30.6 (2) | 93% | 10.2/10.2 (1) | 100% | 7.4/7.4 (1) | 100% | 293% |
| LeBron James (2013 MIA) | 25.3/25.3 (1) | 100% | 10.9/12.1 (3) | 90% | 7/7 (1) | 100% | 290% |
| Magic Johnson (1987 LAL) | 26.2/26.2 (1) | 100% | 8/10 (3) | 80% | 13/13 (1) | 100% | 280% |
| Larry Bird (1986 BOS) | 24/25.8 (3) | 93% | 9.7/11.8 (2) | 82% | 9.5/9.5 (1) | 100% | 275% |
| Shaquille O’Neal (2001 LAL) | 33/35.6 (2) | 93% | 15.8/15.8 (1) | 100% | 4.8/6 (4) | 80% | 273% |
| Tim Duncan (2003 SAS) | 24.2/24.2 (1) | 100% | 17/17 (1) | 100% | 5.3/7.8 (2) | 68% | 268% |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1974 MIL) | 32.6/32.6 (1) | 100% | 12.1/12.1 (1) | 100% | 5.4/8.3 (3) | 65% | 265% |
| Shaquille O’Neal (1995 ORL) | 28/32.8 (2) | 85% | 12.5/12.5 (1) | 100% | 6.3/8 (3) | 79% | 264% |
| Larry Bird (1981 BOS) | 15.3/22.2 (3) | 69% | 15.3/16.3 (2) | 94% | 7/7 (1) | 100% | 263% |
| Michael Jordan (1991 CHI) | 31.2/31.2 (1) | 100% | 6.6/9.4 (6) | 70% | 11.4/12.4 (2) | 92% | 262% |
| Bill Walton (1977 POR) | 18.5/30.3 (4) | 61% | 19/19 (1) | 100% | 5.2/5.2 (1) | 100% | 261% |
| Hakeem Olajuwon (1995 HOU) | 32.8/32.8 (1) | 100% | 11.5/12.5 (3) | 92% | 5.5/8 (4) | 69% | 261% |
| Magic Johnson (1988 LAL) | 21.1/22 (3) | 96% | 5.7/8.9 (6) | 64% | 13/13 (1) | 100% | 260% |
| Scottie Pippen (1992 CHI) | 20.8/35.8 (3) | 58% | 8.3/8.7 (2) | 95% | 7.7/7.7 (1) | 100% | 254% |
| Dwyane Wade (2006 MIA) | 34.7/34.7 (1) | 100% | 7.8/10.8 (5) | 72% | 3.8/4.7 (2) | 81% | 253% |
| George Mikan (1952 MNL) | 21.7/21.7 (1) | 100% | 17.4/17.4(1) | 100% | 2.4/4.7 (5) | 51% | 251% |
| LeBron James (2007 CLE) | 22/24.5 (2) | 90% | 7/11.5 (4) | 61% | 6.8/6.8 (1) | 100% | 251% |
Of those 18 players, 14 won titles. LeBron in 2015 and 2007, Abdul-Jabbar in 1974 and Shaq in 1995 did not.
