Kobe vs Harden vs Wade in Elimination Games

[Meticode]

Interesting when you compare different eras, different defenses and narratives...

Kobe Bryant in elimination games:
22.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.4% FG, 28.1% 3P, 77.2% FT, 50.3% TS

James Harden in elimination games:
22.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.5 APG, 41.7% FG, 31.6% 3P, 84.5% FT, 57.5% TS

Dwyane Wade in elimination games:
21 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 42.2% FG, 32.1% 3P, 84% FT, 51% TS

[ArbitraryWater]

All pretty much ass with the back against the wall.

Kobe the biggest tunnel vision, with the APG.


Harden at least remains a good QB/playmaker, and usually has the defense on its heels with that ability.

[warriorfan]

Obviously Kobe and Wade’s stats need a little inflation. I think what it boils down too is Wade and Kobe will disappear far less no matter how the game is going. Harden’s ball dominant, score first mentality coupled with the fact he does rely on calls, doesn’t have an off ball game, and doesn’t go hard on defense makes it so naturally once he gets more defensive attention and ref’s swallow their whistle….he really has no other option than to disappear.

[SouBeachTalents]

Other interesting ones


Guys with clutch reputations

Kawhi: 23/8/3 on 55%TS

Butler: 20/6/5 on 54%TS


Guys with mixed clutch reputations

Steph: 29/6/7 on 58%TS

KD: 30/8/4 on 59%TS


Guys with choking reputations

CP3: 21/6/9 on 58%TS

Embiid: 23/12/3 on 51%TS


In addition to Harden, CP3 & even Embiid produce at Kobe & Wade levels.

[Meticode]

Other interesting ones


Guys with clutch reputations

Kawhi: 23/8/3 on 55%TS

Butler: 20/6/5 on 54%TS


Guys with mixed clutch reputations

Steph: 29/6/7 on 58%TS

KD: 30/8/4 on 59%TS


Guys with choking reputations

CP3: 21/6/9 on 58%TS

Embiid: 23/12/3 on 51%TS


In addition to Harden, CP3 & even Embiid produce at Kobe & Wade levels.

Then if you look at players where people, fans and haters live in the moment players like LeBron and Luka who just had a bad stretch get pissed on even though their elimination game stats are elite overall.

LeBron for example: 33.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 50% FG, 36% 3P, 72% FT%, 58% TS%

[ArbitraryWater]

Then if you look at players where people, fans and haters live in the moment players like LeBron and Luka who just had a bad stretch get pissed on even though their elimination game stats are elite overall.

LeBron for example: 33.1 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 50% FG, 36% 3P, 72% FT%, 58% TS%

tbf everyone knows Bron is the GOAT player under these circumstances.


Kobe faded away the longer a series went on.


All of his biggest ever games came early.

The 45 against Spurs in 01 was Game 1. 48 against Kings was Game 4 up 3-0.
42 against Spurs in 04 was Game 4.
45 against Suns in 07 was Game 3.
49 against Jazz in 08 was Game 2.
40 against Rockets in 09 was Game 1.
40 and 41 point games against Nuggets in 09 in Game 1 and Game 3.
40 against Magic in 09 was Game 1.
40 against Suns in 2010 was Game 1.
In 2011 his best games were Game both series.
43 against Nuggets in 2012 in Game 5 and 42 against OKC in Game 5.
^His only 2 times he had a 40 point game after Game 4.

Kobe was a real Game 1 Warrior.

[999Guy]

Very interesting posts.

Harden also has a ton of non-prime years in here while Kobe stopped playing in the playoffs as soon as he left his prime.

Wade has some non-prime years here as well.

[ImKobe]

Interesting when you compare different eras, different defenses and narratives...

Kobe Bryant in elimination games:
22.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.4% FG, 28.1% 3P, 77.2% FT, 50.3% TS

James Harden in elimination games:
22.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.5 APG, 41.7% FG, 31.6% 3P, 84.5% FT, 57.5% TS

Dwyane Wade in elimination games:
21 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 42.2% FG, 32.1% 3P, 84% FT, 51% TS

Or you know, Kobe and Harden started their careers off the bench and played limited minutes in their first few elimination games, affecting the averages. Also this sample size is ~20 games you can have "bad" elimination games that don't matter, which was the case in quite a few of Kobe's where it was a blowout and he didn't chase stats in the 2nd half. Same with a guy like Jokic who "Only" had 16 in a Game 7 just a day ago.

[RRR3]

or you know, kobe and harden started their careers off the bench and played limited minutes in their first few elimination games, affecting the averages. Also this sample size is ~20 games you can have "bad" elimination games that don't matter, which was the case in quite a few of kobe's where it was a blowout and he didn't chase stats in the 2nd half. Same with a guy like jokic who "only" had 16 in a game 7 just a day ago.
50.3 ts%

[Meticode]

Or you know, Kobe and Harden started their careers off the bench and played limited minutes in their first few elimination games, affecting the averages. Also this sample size is ~20 games you can have "bad" elimination games that don't matter, which was the case in quite a few of Kobe's where it was a blowout and he didn't chase stats in the 2nd half. Same with a guy like Jokic who "Only" had 16 in a Game 7 just a day ago.

If you take away the two games when he came off theebench which was from his first two seasons and only include the games where he was a starter which is 1999 and later:

23.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.8 APG, 41.6% FG, 30.1 3P%, 76.9 FT%, 50.6 TS%

Point be told Kobe was very inefficient in elimination games. You mentioned 1 bad game can screw up the stats, Kobe had 8 games out of 17 in that list were he shot UNDER 40% from the field in those games. Eight out of 17. He was Chuckbe in those games man whether you think so or not...

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/what-is-kobe-bryant-record-in-elimination-games-1999-and-later

[Axe]

I don't think it's considered an elimination game but kobe's very last finals game against the celtics, which happened in game 7 almost 15 years ago, saw him going 6/24 (0 3pm) with 11ftm otw to ending up with 23 points. A bit atrocious for a first-option imo.

[ImKobe]

tbf everyone knows Bron is the GOAT player under these circumstances.


Kobe faded away the longer a series went on.


All of his biggest ever games came early.

The 45 against Spurs in 01 was Game 1. 48 against Kings was Game 4 up 3-0.
42 against Spurs in 04 was Game 4.
45 against Suns in 07 was Game 3.
49 against Jazz in 08 was Game 2.
40 against Rockets in 09 was Game 1.
40 and 41 point games against Nuggets in 09 in Game 1 and Game 3.
40 against Magic in 09 was Game 1.
40 against Suns in 2010 was Game 1.
In 2011 his best games were Game both series.
43 against Nuggets in 2012 in Game 5 and 42 against OKC in Game 5.
^His only 2 times he had a 40 point game after Game 4.

Kobe was a real Game 1 Warrior.


Game 6 vs Suns in '06 - 50/8/5/3 - his Playoff career high came in a Game 6, a must win game where his team failed him
Game 6 to close out Utah in '08 - 34/8/6
Game 5 to close out the Spurs in '08 - 39/3/3/2
Game 6 to close out Denver '09 - 35/6/10
Game 6 to close out Phoenix on the road in '10 - 37/6/2/2

Very convenient you left out his best scoring Playoff game in your post, accidental im sure.

Also Kobe's teams had a lot of sweeps and wins in 5 games I guess they should've lost more so he could have more chances of padding his stats in elimination games and Game 7s.

[SouBeachTalents]

I don't think it's considered an elimination game but kobe's very last finals game against the celtics, which happened in game 7 almost 15 years ago, saw him going 6/24 (0 3pm) with 11ftm otw to ending up with 23 points. A bit atrocious for a first-option imo.
You don't think Game 7 is considered an elimination game?

[Axe]

You don't think Game 7 is considered an elimination game?
I'm not sure if you're being serious or sarcastic lol.

Anyway, i'm not sure either if game 7 in the finals is considered one. But i guess it can be either.

[ArbitraryWater]

Game 6 vs Suns in '06 - 50/8/5/3 - his Playoff career high came in a Game 6, a must win game where his team failed him

Very convenient you left out his best scoring Playoff game in your post, accidental im sure.

Oh yea, I skimmed for 40 pt games, ofc thats a 40 pt game aswell.

But he had 38 after regulation, and padded with 2 useless 3s when the game was over. Obv that would be the creation of his only playoff 50 pt game.

Kobe failed his team.

He hit an airball for the series win.

[ArbitraryWater]

I'm not sure if you're being serious or sarcastic lol.

Anyway, i'm not sure either if game 7 in the finals is considered one. But i guess it can be either.

:biggums:

[Hey Yo]

I don't think it's considered an elimination game but kobe's very last finals game against the celtics, which happened in game 7 almost 15 years ago, saw him going 6/24 (0 3pm) with 11ftm otw to ending up with 23 points. A bit atrocious for a first-option imo.

:biggums:

:roll:

[HoopsNY]

Interesting when you compare different eras, different defenses and narratives...

Kobe Bryant in elimination games:
22.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 41.4% FG, 28.1% 3P, 77.2% FT, 50.3% TS

James Harden in elimination games:
22.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.5 APG, 41.7% FG, 31.6% 3P, 84.5% FT, 57.5% TS

Dwyane Wade in elimination games:
21 PPG, 5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 42.2% FG, 32.1% 3P, 84% FT, 51% TS

Not really a fair way of looking at things. The only thing that matters is peak/prime. If you adjust for those numbers, then Wade's stat line looks something like this:

'05-'12: 28/5/6/1/1 on 55% TS%

[ArbitraryWater]

Not really a fair way of looking at things. The only thing that matters is peak/prime. If you adjust for those numbers, then Wade's stat line looks something like this:

'05-'12: 28/5/6/1/1 on 55% TS%

So Wade has what, 6 games here? :lol

Wades short prime is the reason he isnt any higher all time, though.