LeBron James Passes Michael Jordan as All-Time NBA Finals Free-Throw Leader

Featured ColumnistJune 10, 2017

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 4: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw during the game against the Golden State Warriors during Game Two of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on June 4, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

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Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James didn't waste much time surpassing Michael Jordan in another statistical category Friday during his team's 137-116 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, in the first quarter, James became the all-time made free-throw leader in NBA Finals history, passing Jordan in the process.

James passed Jordan in another category Friday as well. ESPN noted the Cavaliers forward moved into third place on the all-time NBA Finals scoring list, behind only Jerry West (1,679 points) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,317):

ESPN @espn
LeBron now has more points in the NBA Finals than Michael Jordan. Jordan played 35 Finals games. This is LeBron’s 44th. https://t.co/1iBR6OsUq5

He also passed Jordan as the NBA's all-time leading playoff scorer during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics:

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
LeBron passes MJ for most postseason points in NBA history. https://t.co/jS4UvKbvxq

Jordan is widely considered the greatest player in NBA history, but James' place among the all-time greats is secured. Even though he has just three titles to Jordan's six, the King continues to pass the former Chicago Bulls great in a number of individual categories in these playoffs.

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The free-throw record is a nod to his ability to drive through the lane and absorb contact, and he will likely have more Finals games to add to the mark given recent history. This is the seventh straight season James has been on the Eastern Conference representative in the Finals, and the Cavaliers lost just one game in the East playoffs before the series with Golden State.

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Even if Cleveland can't overcome a 3-1 deficit against the Warriors after Friday's win, it is positioned to challenge for another spot in the Finals next year, giving James a chance to bolster his record.