Michael Jordan vs. Karl Malone
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You didn’t see Malone and Jordan matched up against each other on the court very often. Dennis Rodman and a host of other defenders had to check Malone, whereas Byron Russell and several helpless wing defenders tried to slow MJ. Regardless, the back-to-back Finals series revolved around these two juggernauts.
The rivalry exists in terms of the two teams. At the time, Utah and Chicago were the best of the bunch. Malone was a scoring machine on the block, and few to this day had his ability to carry a team on his back. With these two playing in a series, you saw playoff greatness every night.
Patrick Ewing vs. Hakeem Olajuwon
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Oh do we miss ’90s basketball. The collective group of big men in the NBA during this time was ridiculously good. Two of the hallmark group members included Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon and the effervescent Patrick Ewing. Aside from facing off against one another in the 1994 NBA Finals, there was a natural rivalry at stake during the regular season.
Olajuwon and Ewing were both excellent defenders in their own right. Ewing gobbled up buckets around the rim, whereas Olajuwon could score from farther away with an excellent touch. Each had their strengths, and the head-to-head battles between both were sublime. In the Finals, Olajuwon averaged 26.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 3.9 BPG (!) in the seven-game triumph (on .500 from the floor). Ewing wasn’t a slouch — averaging 18.9 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 4.3 BPG (on .364 from the field).
Robert Parish vs. Bill Laimbeer
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No rivalry is complete without a little passing of the proverbial torch. The Boston Celtics ruled the Eastern Conference for much of the ’80s…until the Bad Boys from Detroit flew onto the scene. Parish was a stoic yet immensely intimidating force for the Celtics. He commanded the respect of virtually anyone he played with or against.
On the other side of the coin, Laimbeer — though a very good player in his own right — was an irritant. He got involved in more than a few scraps. It was only natural for Laimbeer to get under the skin of the man they called “Chief”. In Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals, Parish had enough of Laimbeer’s “dirty” play. The big man clocked Laimbeer in the face multiple times before only being called for a personal foul. Ah, the days of physical basketball.
Dennis Rodman vs. Karl Malone
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This matchup was a basketball junkie’s dream. You had the greatest scoring forward of all time squaring off against arguably the greatest defensive big man under 7 feet tall. Malone looked as if he was constructed from a block of granite. He had sharper shoulders than anyone to go along with an offensive repertoire his peers only dreamed of having.
While Malone certainly ‘got his’ in these head-to-head battles, Rodman didn’t make things easy. He aimed to beat Malone to spots on the floor — using both quickness and mental aptitude. Whenever a shot went up, a mini-war ensued as to who could secure the rebound. When factoring in the history between the two in multiple NBA Finals, we have to say this is without a doubt an elite rivalry between two awesome competitors.
Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James
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The bad blood between James and Pierce primarily stems from the Miami-Boston series. Pierce was not only an NBA Champion but also an exceptionally proud player. The culture built in Boston (with primarily a veteran group) was trying to resist the “Heatles” juggernaut featuring James, Wade, and Bosh.
Naturally, James and Pierce matched up with one another positionally on the floor. Some anecdotes insist that Pierce had a problem with the hoopla surrounding James’ entry into the league — which caused him to talk trash years before these series were even played. The 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinals in particular were tremendous. LeBron dropped 45 points in the defining game of the series (in which Pierce’s 41 led Boston to the Conference Finals). Even to this day, the two allegedly still don’t see eye-to-eye.
Kawhi Leonard vs. LeBron James
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The head-to-head battle between James and Kawhi Leonard is rather fascinating. In the postseason, each nabbed a title from one another. The Heat narrowly defeated the Spurs 4-3 during the 2013 NBA Finals. A year later, Kawhi’s Spurs won the 2014 NBA Finals in five games. He was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.
While the two aren’t necessarily mean towards one another, we do have to wonder about the relationship stemming from a very noteworthy offseason. LeBron had been reportedly courting Kawhi to join up with himself and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles. Kawhi did decide to come back home — though he opted instead to play with Paul George and the Clippers. Deep down, there’s surely some animosity there.
Reggie Miller vs. Spike Lee
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This one pits a player against one of the NBA’s most famous fans. The juxtaposition between Indiana and New York is fascinating. NYC proclaims to be the mecca of basketball — whereas Indiana is said to be the cradle of civilization as it pertains to the sport. You’ve got kids hooping it up on the blacktop in the city, and ones shooting on makeshift hoops on the side of barns.
This narrative helped fester a tremendously entertaining rivalry between Reggie Miller and Knicks’ super fan Spike Lee. A documentary was even made chronicling the rivalry between Miller and the Knicks. The former UCLA star wasn’t shy in vocalizing his emotion on the court — particularly when he was torching the Knicks. Lee — a proud New Yorker — also didn’t fold in the face of Miller’s taunting. He’d give it right back to him with essentially running commentary the entire game.
Larry Bird vs. Isiah Thomas
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Much like Jordan and Thomas, these two were fierce competitors throughout the entirety of the 1980s. Thomas has been consistent in praising Bird as both a player and an adversary. However, he did get into some hot water over 30 years ago for comments he allegedly made (which were then reported) about Bird being ‘just another good player’ if he were African-American. Thomas reportedly then addressed the comment later, saying that he was not being serious.
Kevin Durant vs. Russell Westbrook
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Teammates-turned-foes always make for an interesting storyline. A robust OKC team featuring Durant and Westbrook made it to the NBA Finals before bowing out. Many thought it would be only a matter of time until this young core of players would come away with a ring. Instead, Kevin Durant bolted from Oklahoma City for Golden State. Rumors swirled that Durant no longer wanted to play with Westbrook. Of course, Westbrook is a fiercely proud individual. While a healthy/mutual respect exists between the two, there’s also a noticeable edge whenever these two play one another.
Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell
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It doesn’t get much better than this. Even though both of these gentlemen played in the NBA more than 50 years ago, you can make a strong case that they’re both not only two of the best big men to ever have laced ’em up but also register as two of the top-10 players of all-time.
On one hand, you had Chamberlain — a freak of an athlete with the ability to score the basketball at will. Then, there’s Russell — the undisputed defensive guru who swatted shots away for fun, and essentially protected the rim at all costs. While Chamberlain still put up monster numbers against Russell, statistically they were considerably lower than against the rest of his peers. Russell has a 57-37 career record versus Chamberlain. He also has 11 rings to Chamberlain’s two.
Kobe Bryant vs. Bruce Bowen
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There were a few players who made Kobe Bryant work out on the basketball court. Raja Bell, Shane Battier, Tony Allen, Tayshaun Prince, and Ruben Patterson were a handful of those guys. However, the one that may have been the most annoying to Bryant over a long period is Bowen. There are reports which indicate that Kobe felt as if Allen was the best on-ball defender he faced.
With that said, the Lakers routinely saw San Antonio during the postseason. Bowen was virtually asked to do nothing other than to follow Bryant around the court (even if he was getting a drink of water during a timeout). Wiry and quick, Bowen had the ideal frame to try and attempt to stop Bryant. The two had countless battles in the postseason, with Kobe more often than not coming out on top.
Chris Paul vs. Scott Foster
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The Chris Paul-Scott Foster saga is very strange. At first, it was an ongoing joke that Paul-led teams could not win games when Foster was officiating. Then, as time went by, the humor turned to anger and suspicion. There was a stretch in which Paul-led teams had a 0-13 playoff record in games with Foster on the ref crew. At one point, that record became 2-17 in playoff games. This is a story that to this day remains utterly bizarre.
Patrick Beverley vs. Russell Westbrook
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This one is rather self-explanatory. Westbrook is one of the league’s best guards — and has been for over a decade. He plays with a chip on his shoulder dating back to high school when he was a recruit with practically zero offers until UCLA stumbled upon him at the last minute. Similarly, Beverley’s path to the NBA has been far from conventional. Growing up in West Chicago, he made his way through college at Arkansas before embarking on a career in Europe (Ukraine, Greece) before latching onto an NBA roster.
Beverley prides himself on being an irritant. He plays with tons of energy, and also attitude. Westbrook’s personality is similar to the point where they often butt heads with one another. In 2013, Beverley tore Westbrook’s meniscus after clumsily diving into his body when Westbrook tried to call a time-out. Years later, Westbrook has been very vocal in calling out Beverley for his supposed defensive prowess. Suffice it to say, but these two probably don’t like one another.
Walt Frazier vs. Jerry West
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The Knicks and Lakers shared a brief rivalry during the late ’60s/early ’70s. The headliners for both clubs included ‘The Logo’ Jerry West and the budding star Walt Frazier. Both filled up the score sheet with ease — making buckets from literally everywhere on the floor. It was a true spectacle watching these two throw proverbial haymakers at one another.
Time after time, one would hit a big shot — followed by the other answering resoundingly. Their two teams met in the Finals three times. The Knicks won two of the three series.
Tim Duncan vs. Shaquille O’Neal
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There were some absolutely brutal battles in the playoffs between the Spurs and the Lakers during the 2000s. Those two franchises effectively ran the NBA for more than a decade. If we put aside the perimeter brilliance of Kobe Bryant, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, the games were often won in the paint — where two of the best big men ever resided.
Shaquille O’Neal was understandably a true force of nature. We’ve never seen a more dominant athlete run the floor with his combination of skill, quickness, and sheer size. Duncan is widely revered as the greatest power forward to ever play the game. He was also an exceptionally talented defender. It was a joy to watch these two go about their business in completely different ways.
Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James
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We highly regret the fact that these two didn’t play against one another in the NBA Finals. There was somewhat of a crossover period where an in-prime Kobe played against an up-and-coming LeBron. However, we never saw those battles in the playoffs. There was a clear level of respect between the two, and LeBron in particular was quite effusive in his praise of Kobe. Behind the scenes, you can be sure Kobe was motivated by the fact that this new kid from Akron was coming into the NBA as the next MJ.
The closest thing we got to a real rivalry on the court was during an All-Star Game. In the 2013 All-Star Game, a then 35-year-old Kobe completely shut down LeBron defensively whenever he guarded him. Not only did Kobe smother him, but Bryant blocked him twice. He surely took the assignment personally.
LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant
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Though neither will be vocal about it, you’d have to guess that there’s a real rivalry brewing between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Both had been considered the top two players in the league for over a decade. LeBron had earned the unofficial title of the best player in the league once Bryant started aging.
We all know the historic 3-1 comeback from LeBron in the Finals versus Golden State. As a means to rebound from the embarrassment of blowing the lead, the Warriors then went out and got Durant as some legitimate insurance. Naturally, the Warriors won the title in ’17 by a 4-1 margin. We’re hoping Durant’s Suns will square off versus LeBron’s Lakers in this year’s Western Conference Playoffs.
Kobe Bryant vs. Paul Pierce
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The irony wasn’t lost on anyone. You had a kid from the East Coast (Bryant) representing the Lakers versus the hated Boston Celtics. Boston’s best player (Paul Pierce) grew up in Inglewood — the exact location of the Great Western Forum (where the Lakers had played for decades). Even better, both Bryant and Pierce were two of the most prolific wing players of their generation.
Boston won the 2008 NBA title — though the Lakers came back and nabbed the 2010 championship in a thrilling seven-game series. The theatrics between the two were fantastic. Kobe would taunt the Boston crowd regularly. Pierce even had his ‘wheelchair’ game (Game 1 of the ’08 Finals) which many think helped get Boston over the hump from a motivation standpoint.
LeBron James vs. Steph Curry
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Both guys met in the Finals four straight years from 2015-18. Curry ultimately won three of the four Finals matchups — though one can make a clear case that he had the most talented team in all four matchups. Although the two have always had a tremendous amount of respect for the other’s game (and now seem to be friends), it was a true battle for who was the face of the NBA throughout the 2010s.
Tim Duncan vs. Kobe Bryant
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We’ve all had those conversations in which we rank the top 10 NBA players of all time. Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan normally sit around the same positioning — somewhere between 6-10. The careers of both from a statistical standpoint are quite fascinating.
Both Bryant and Duncan won five NBA titles. Duncan has three NBA Finals MVP awards (Kobe has two). The San Antonio legend has two MVP awards, with Kobe only having one. Kobe made 18 All-Star Game appearances, while Duncan made 15. However, let’s look at the head-to-head matchups. The Spurs and Lakers often competed fiercely in both the regular season and in the postseason. When going head-to-head, Duncan has a slight 43-39 advantage. However, Bryant has an 18-12 advantage in the postseason.
Shaquille O’Neal vs. Kobe Bryant
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This is the biggest ‘what if’ in basketball history. Had Shaq and Kobe stayed together in Los Angeles, odds are they would’ve won more than three NBA Championships. It was a case where Kobe’s desire to prove himself singularly overtook the practicality of teaming these two together. There’s never been a more potent one-two punch in NBA history. In all likelihood, we probably will never see another pairing as good as the Shaq/Kobe combination.
Shaquille O’Neal vs. Yao Ming
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Shaq is known to have an immense amount of pride. He considers himself to be the top dog in the paint, and this was especially the case when he was in his prime. As such, it was a bit of a shock when Yao Ming came into the league. The 7-foot-6 center from China made Shaq look small on the court (which is no small feat).
At the time, Houston had a very good basketball team led by Yao, Cuttino Mobley, and Steve Francis. The Kobe/Shaq duo had to go through them en route to a three-peat. This included Shaq going toe-to-toe with the skillful center. Most of the time, Shaq’s physicality and agility were too much for Yao to deal with (though Yao’s length and shooting touch was effective versus Shaq as well).
Michael Jordan vs. Isiah Thomas
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You all saw it chronicled during The Last Dance docuseries. The Detroit Pistons posed a real problem to Michael Jordan’s career before he eventually broke through as a world champion. Specifically, we’re talking about Isiah Thomas — the diminutive guard out of (ironically) Chicago who was the proverbial thorn in the side of Jordan. The alleged incident to have put Jordan over the edge was when Thomas (and the rest of the Pistons) walked off the court without shaking hands when the Bulls beat Detroit in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals.
Well, when the famed Dream Team was selected for the 1992 Olympics, Thomas was curiously left off the team despite the fact he more than deserved a spot with the group. During the aforementioned docuseries, Jordan didn’t hold back when essentially taking more than a few shots at Thomas.
Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird
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This one is pretty self-explanatory. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were two of the fiercest competitors in the NBA. The rivalry between them began in college — when Magic’s Michigan State Spartans defeated Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores in the 1979 NCAA National Championship Game. At the time, it was the highest-rated college basketball game ever.
As fate would have it, Johnson and Bird’s careers paralleled with the Lakers and Celtics, respectively. Not only did the two teams hate each other, but their star players couldn’t stand one another, either. It wasn’t until after both finished playing that Johnson and Bird began a friendship.
