2018 was the most miraculous carry job in NBA history. LeBron accumulated 100% of the team’s playoffS’ Value Over Replacement Player (VORP). A replacement player is equivalent to a 12th man scrub or someone straight from the G-League. This means what LeBron did in these playoffs is lead a team that played like a G-League team to the Finals. He also had the most single season playoff VORP in playoff history this year.
You only see this type of number when a great player plays a single series in the playoffs and loses (see below). No player who has been to the Finals has ever come close to this number.
Conclusion: Jordan has gotten much more help than LeBron and that’s true if you look at LeBron’s first stint in Cleveland, stint in Miami sans 2011 when Wade was still in his prime, and his second stint here. In fact, Pippen had a higher playoff VORP than Jordan in two different playoffs. LeBron has been the clear-cut best player on his team in the playoffs every year sans 2011 and even then he was better overall in the playoffs.
% of a team’s playoffs VORP through the NBA Finals
1. LeBron, 2018, 100%
2. Kareem, 1974, 62.5%
3. LeBron, 2007, 60%
4. LeBron, 2014, 55.8%
5. Bird, 1984, 50.9%
6. Duncan, 2003, 49.3%
7. Drexler, 1990, 48.6%
8. Barkley, 1993, 46.8%
9. Kidd, 2002, 46.2%
10.LeBron, 2015, 45.8%
11. LeBron, 2012, 44.4%
12. Shaq, 2003, 44.4%
13. Hakeem, 1994, 44.4%
14. Magic, 1980, 43.9%
15. Jordan, 1991, 43.8%
16. Bird, 1987, 43.5%
17. Wade, 2006, 43.3%
18. LeBron, 2017, 43.1%
19. Magic, 1991, 42.9%
20. LeBron, 2016, 42.6%
Other famous “Carry” performances:
Iverson, 2001: 39.5%
Walton, 1977: 35.6%
Dirk, 2011: 17.4%
% of team playoffs VORP (played at least two series)
Jordan:
1985: 66.7% (played only one series, lost 3-1 in first round)
1986: 100% (played only one series, lost 3-0 in first round)
1987: 133% (played only one series, lost 3-0 in first round)
1988: 93.3% (lost in 5 in the ECSF)
1989: 71.1% (lost in 6 in ECF)
1990: 70% (lost in 7 in ECF)
1991: 43.8% (Pippen, 26.6%, Grant, 17.2%)
1992: 37% (Pippen, 30.1%; Grant, 26%—a highly underrated player)
1993: 40.3% (Grant, 19.4%; Pippen, 16.1%)
1995: 39.1% (Pippen, 34.8%; Kukoc, 26.1%)
1996: 25.7% (Pippen, 28.4%; Rodman, 12.2%; Harper, 12.2%)
1997: 32.8% (Pippen, 20.9%; Harper, 14.9%)
1998: 25.7% (Pippen, 27.1%, Kukoc, 15.7%)
LeBron:
2006: 63.6% (Donyell, 13.6%) (lost in 7 in ECSF)
2007: 60% (Boobie, 12.5%) People talk about this carry job, but players contributed more here than this year. But Boobie as your second biggest VORP player? JFC.
2008: 53.3% (lost in 7 in ECSF)
2009: 64.4% (Delonte, 11.1%) (lost in 6 in ECF)
2010: 75% (Jamario Moon, 10%) (lost in 6 in ECSF)
2011: 42.6% (Wade, 37%; Bosh, 5.6%—not third but wanted to post that)
2012: 44.4% (Wade, 19.4%)
2013: 42.1% (Wade, 14.3%; Bosh, 12.9%)
2014: 55.8% (Bosh, 16.3%; Wade, 9.3%)
2015: 45.8% (Shump, 13.6%; Kyrie, 13.6%)
2016: 42.6% (Kyrie, 17.8%; J.R., 16.4%)
2017: 43.1% (Love, 13.8%; Kyrie, 8.6% due to shit defense and crappy offense against Indy and sub 50% TS shooting against Toronto.
2018: 100% (Nance, 13.5%, Love, NEGATIVE 2.7%, Hood, NEGATIVE 5.4%Clarkson, NEGATIVE 13.5%
Kobe:
1999: 25% (Shaq, 37.5%)
2000: 20.7% (Shaq, 39.7%)
2001: 24.2% (Shaq, 24.2%)
2002: 19.6% (Shaq 28.6%)
2003: 22.2% (Shaq, 44.4%)
2004: 28.6% (Shaq, 33.9%)
2006: (played only one series but 7 games):33.3% (Odom, 44.4%)
2007: played only one series but 60%
2008: 30.6% (Gasol, 24.2%; Odom, 16.1%)
2009: 30.1% (Gasol, 27.4%; Ariza, 17.8%; Odom, 16.4%)
2010: 32.2% (Gasol, 32.2%)
2011: 18.8% (Gasol, 25%; Metta World Peace, 25%)
2012: 42.8% (Gasol, 31.3%; 31.3%, then a few negative players)
Shaq:
1995: 31.9% (Penny, 25.5%)
1996: 30.3% (Penny, 30.3%)
1997: 37.5% (Horry, 20.8%)
1998: 36.4% (Eddie Jones, 27.3%, Horry, 24.2%)
1999: 37.5% (Kobe, 25%)
2000: 39.7% (Kobe, 20.7%)
2001: 24.2% (Kobe, 24.2%)
2002: 28.6% (Horry, 26.8%, Kobe, 19.6%)
2003: 44.4% (Kobe, 22.2%)
2004: 33.9% (Kobe, 28.6%)
2005: 4.9% (Wade, 29.3%)
2006: 11.7% (Wade, 43.3%)
Magic:
1980: 43.9% (Kareem, 36.6%)
1982: 40% (Kareem, 17.5%)
1983: 39.4% (Kareem, 30.3%)
1984: 34.6% (Kareem, 30.2%, Worthy, 18.9%)
1985: 24.1% (Kareem, 22.4%, Worthy, 17.2%)
1986: 40.5% (Kareem, 18.9%, Cooper, 13.5%)
1987: 35.7% (Worthy, 22.8%, Cooper, 15.8%, Kareem, 10.5%)
1988: 34.6% (Worthy, 28.8%, Scott, 17.3%)
1989: 29.3% (Worthy, 26.8%)
1990: 36% (Divac, 20.8%, Scott, 16.7%)
1991: 42.9% (Divac, 22.4%, Perkins, 22.4%)
Bird:
1980: 30.4% (Maxwell, 30.4%, Cowens, 17.4%)
1981: 40.8% (Maxwell, 26.5%, Parish, 12.2%)
1982: 32.3% (Maxwell, 25.8%, McHale, 22.6%)
1983: 54.5% (Maxwell, 36.4%)
1984: 50.9% (Maxwell, 15.8%, McHale, 10.5%)
1985: 32.7% (Mchale, 22.4%, Parish, 12.2%)
1986: 38.7% (Ainge, 22.6%, McHale, 21%)
1987: 43.5% (McHale, 18.2%, Parish, 18.2%)
1988: 47.1% (McHale, 41.2%)
1990: 25% (Parish, 37.5%, McHale, 25%), one series
1991: 18.2% (McHale, 22.7%, Lewis, 18.2%)
Kareem:
1970-1973: No VORP #s available
1974: 62.5% (Dandridge, 17.5%, Oscar, 12.5%)
1975: Missed playoffs
1976: Missed Playoffs
1977: 90.9% (Tatum, 9.1%) Lost in WCF
1978: 66.7% (Only one series and 3 games played)
1979: 81.8% (Wilkes, 18.2%)
1980: 36.6% (Magic, 43.9%)
1982: 17.5% (Magic, 40%)
1983: 30.3% (Magic, 39.4%)
1984: 30.2% (Magic, 34.6%, Worthy, 18.9%)
1985: 22.4% (Magic, 24.1%, Worthy, 17.2%)
Duncan:
1998: 25% (DRob, 29.2%)
1999: 34.6% (DRob, 28.8%, Elliot, 15.4%)
2001: 46.4% (DRob, 28.6%)
2002: 44.4% (Bowen, 14.8%, Rose, 14.8%)
2003: 49.3% (Manu, 15.5%, Bowen, 11.2%, DRob, 11.2%)
2004: 29.6% (Manu, 25.9%, Horry, 14.8%)
2005: 21% (Manu, 33.9%, Horry, 22.6%)
2006: 38.7% (Manu, 19.4%, Bowen, 16.1%)
2007: 30.4% (Manu, 19.4%, Bowen, 16.1%)
2008: 26.3% (Manu, 21.1%, Parker, 18.4%)
2010: 25% (Manu, 43.8%)
2011: 12.5% (only played one series)
2012: 19.5% (Diaw, 17.1%, Kawhi, 14.6%)
2013: 11.3% (Kawhi, 24.2%, Green, 21%, Parker, 14.5%)
2014: 14.5% (Kawhi, 19.3%, Manu, 15.7%, Green, 14.5%, Splitter, 14.5%)
Hakeem:
1986: 36% (Sampson, 26%, McCray, 18%)
1987: 73.3% (McCray, 40%, three with negative VORPs)
1988: 85.7% (only played one series)
1989: 50%, only played one series
1990: 42.9%, only played one series
1991: 60%, only played one series
1992: Missed Playoffs
1993: 59.3% (Thorpe, 24.1%)
1994: 44.4% (Horry, 23.8%)
1995: 27.4% (Drexler, 27.4%, Horry, 25.8%)
1996: 35.7% (Horry, 42.9%, Drexler, 35.7%)
1997: 41.9% (Drexler, 25.6%, Barkley, 23.3%)
Barkley:
1985: 32.5% (Cheeks, 32.5%)
1986: 50% (Cheeks, 20%)
1987: 40%, played only one series
1988: Missed Playoffs
1989: 80%, played only one series
1990: 111% (Hawkins, 44.4%, multiple negatives)
1991: 57.9% (Hawkins, 42.1%)
1992: Missed Playoffs
1993: 46.8% (Majerle, 29.8%)
1994: 64.7% (KJ and A.C. Green, 17.6%)
1995: 29% (KJ, 29%)
K. Malone
1988: 4.2% (Stockton, 41.7%)
1989: Team has 0 VORP due to negatives, Malone with .1 and Stockton with .3; played only one series
1990: 25%, played only one series
1991: 24% (Stockton, 37.5%)
1992: 42.9% (Stockton, 22.9%)
1993: 22.2% played only one series
1994: 42.4% (Stockton, 24.2%)
1995: 20% played only one series
1996: 24.6% (Hornacek, 24.6%, Russell, 18.1%)
1997: 14.5% (Stockton, 25.8%, Russell and Hornacek, 19.4%)
1998: 34.6% (Russell, 21.2%, Stockton, 19.4%)
1999: 36.4% (Russell, 22.7%, Hornacek, 20.8%)
2000: 63.6% (Russell, 36.4%, Stockton, 18.2%)
2001: 12.5% (Stockton, 50%, Russell, 37.5%)
Dirk:
2006: 35.3%
2011: 17.4% (Kidd, 21.7%, Terry, 17.4%, Chandler, 15.9%)
Wade:
2006: 43.3% (Posey, 13.3%, Shaq, 11.7%, Walker, 11.7%)
Walton:
1977: 35.4% (Gross, 29.2%)
Iverson:
2001: 39.1% (Mutombo, 28.2%)
Ewing
1994: 30.9% (Oakley, 27.3%)
Isiah Thomas
1988: 34.3%
1990: 33.3%
Drexler
1990: 48.6%
1992: 36.5%
Robert Reid
1981: 43.2%
Unseld and Dandridge
1979: 40.6%
Dave Cowens
1976: 43.2%