LeBron James and Kevin Durant renew a two-decade rivalry as the Los Angeles Lakers face the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day

LeBron James and Kevin Durant have been on the same quest for almost 20 years, often getting in each other's way. Since they first faced off in the NBA during the 2007-08 season, they've met 43 times, mixing intense rivalry with a respect that's hard to find among the elite. Their history in the Finals really highlights this.

James snagged his first title back in 2012 against Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder, but Durant came back years later to take down James twice with the Golden State Warriors, earning Finals MVP honors both times. Even with all their achievements, both players feel like there’s still some unfinished business. James recently mentioned that they think they should have more rings, but they don’t because of each other. With a total of 73,630 career points and their elite performance still going strong, this Christmas Day matchup isn’t about what happened before. It shows that longevity, preparation, and a love for the game still count.

Kevin Durant admires LeBron James for his dedication to practice and love of the game

LeBron James and Kevin Durant's rivalry kicked off early, with their first official NBA game against each other in the 2007-08 season. Over almost twenty years, they've faced off 43 times, mixing mutual respect with intense competition.

The highlight was in the NBA Finals, where they met three times. In 2012, James' Miami Heat took down Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder in five games, marking James' first championship win.

Durant turned the tables in 2017 and 2018, joining the Golden State Warriors and leading them to victory over James' Cleveland Cavaliers in both series earning Finals MVP honors each time.

Reflecting on this history last summer during the Olympics, James told reporters, "We both think we should have more rings, but don't because of each other." During a Team USA press conference with Durant, the comment highlighted how their legacies are connected, James has four titles while Durant has two, both shaped by each other's influence. In that same moment, Durant expressed admiration for James' steadfast dedication.


LeBron constantly highlights the importance of focusing on what truly matters. He still manages to wake up and hit the gym at 6 a.m., aiming to take 1,000 shots daily. He continues to have a passion for the game, despite all the distractions that come his way.

To deal with the high expectations from everybody being thrown at you. To keep that joy and love for the game first is something I admire. That's what keeps me going, that love of the game. When you see him as a teammate and you see how he prepares, it brings a smile to my face."

Their scoring together is simply incredible: 73,630 career points in total, which is a record for any superstar duo in a single game. James, the all-time leading scorer, is putting up an average of 25.7 points per game this season, and Durant is shooting a solid 50.9% from the field and 42.9% from three for Houston.

As Durant noted last year in an interview with ESPN, "We're at the point where we've got guys that were kids when we were first in the league and we inspired them. And now we're playing against them."

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