Better Bet in the NBA Playoffs? Kobe Bryant or LeBron James?
Which NBA superstar has performed better Against the Spread throughout the playoffs? Kobe Bryant or LeBron James?
The perception among many sports fans is that Kobe Bryant, with six rings (five championship rings and one apology ring) is clutch during the NBA Playoffs.
Conversely, LeBron James, who disappeared in last year’s NBA Finals more quickly than Warren Sapp’s assets, has always been seen as a player who can’t close big games.
While this is certainly up for discussion, there is no debating which of these superstars has been more clutch for sports bettors wagering on the NBA Playoffs.
The table below shows playoff Against The Spread (ATS) records for both Kobe and LeBron since the start of 2006 NBA playoffs.
| Player | ATS Record | ATS Percentage | Units Won |
| Kobe Bryant | 44-44 | 50.0% | -0.95 units |
| LeBron James | 55-35 | 61.1% | +17.3 units |
* Pinnacle’s closing lines were used to determine ATS records and Units Won.
** All games that ended as Pushes were not included.
As you can see in the table above, someone betting $100/game would have made $1730 wagering on LeBron’s team in the playoffs while Kobe’s backers would be slightly below the break-even point.
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