Want to hear a disturbing possibility? The kind of sentence that’ll make even casual basketball fans feel pangs of sadness?
We might never see LeBron James and Steph Curry play against each other again.
One of them was sidelined in all four of their meetings this season, with James missing their first game because of sciatica and Curry out the last three games because of his balky knee, including missing the Lakers versus Warriors finale on Thursday.
This year, we were robbed of seeing two players whose clashes defined modern day basketball. And worse yet, the curtain could be closing permanently.
“That’s dark,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
James, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, doesn’t know if he’s going to retire or return for season 24. If he’s done, so is one of the most thrilling chapters of NBA history.
“We never know,” James said after finishing with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists in the Lakers’ 119-103 win over the Warriors. “We don’t know what the future holds. We don’t know if we get the opportunity to play against each other, or how many more times we get the opportunity to play against each other. It’s always a pleasure and it’s always an honor just to be in his presence, and be on the floor with him when we have in the past.”
The respect is mutual. Curry wore James’ Nike ID LeBron 10 shoes on Thursday, customized in the Warriors’ white, blue and gold colors. The superstars shared a long hug before the game.
James and Curry met in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-2018. In many ways, they defined their legacies against one another.
Curry led the Warriors to three championships over that period, establishing himself as the greatest shooter ever. James cemented himself as arguably the greatest player of all-time after leading the Cavaliers to storm back from a 3-1 series deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals.
James’ dunks and chase-down blocks were jaw-dropping. Curry’s scoring flurries were poetic. James was power. Curry was finesse. James was unstoppable. Curry was unreal. James was charisma. Curry was joy.
What rivalry compares? Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell? Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird?
“Steph and LeBron has to be up there near the top,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
“Steph has the greatest hand-eye coordination of anybody on earth,” Kerr said. “And LeBron is probably the greatest athlete, physical specimen, that I’ve ever seen. So you get those qualities combined and this is the result. There’s a reason they’re both still going. They love it. They’re obsessed with it.”
The 41-year-old James and the 38-year-old Curry are still superstars even though they’re playing against guys who are two decades younger than them. Thursday was supposed to be another one of their heralded meetings.
But seven hours before tipoff, news broke that Curry would miss the game, sucking all of the excitement out of the air on a beautiful 65-degree day in San Francisco.
The Warriors wanted to give Curry two days of rest after he returned Sunday following missing 27 games because of runner’s knee. It makes sense, especially considering the 10th-place Warriors will need to win two do-or-die play-in games next week to make the playoffs.
James and Curry defined the NBA over the last decade. They brought out the best in each other. Over their 28 playoff matchups, James averaged 31.1 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.5 assists. Curry averaged 25.6 points and 6.5 assists.
In an appearance on “The Shop” four years ago, James said if he could play with anyone in the NBA, it would be Curry. They got their chance to share the court during the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, winning a gold medal.
James was named MVP of the men’s basketball tournament. Curry’s scoring flurries instantly became legendary, with him finishing with 60 points over the last two games while shooting 17-for-26 (65.4%) from beyond the 3-point line.
“But just like the moment we stepped foot in Vegas [for Olympic training camp], that was just so cool that we were able to finally link up,” James said. “So, there’s a lot of memories and a lot of history between us.”
They’ve admired each other. They’ve tried to destroy each other. They’ve joined forces. Now, they’re just grateful that their courses have collided so many times, creating some of the most memorable moments in sports over the last decade.
It’s a travesty that we didn’t get to watch them share the court over the last seven months.
Whether or not this is the end, one thing is for sure.
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