Lakers’ LeBron James, Warriors’ Stephen Curry adding another chapter to rivalry on Christmas Day
LOS ANGELES Considering how their seasons have ebbed and flowed so far, and the history between the stars leading their teams, its only appropriate that the Lakers and Golden State Warriors match up for a Christmas Day showdown on Wednesday at Chase Center.
Just a month ago, the Lakers and Warriors were sitting near the top of the Western Conference standings, opening the season with 10-5 and 12-3 records, respectively, entering Nov.
23.
How much a month can change things.
The Lakers (16-13) have gone 6-8 since then after dropping Mondays home game to the Detroit Pistons to end their three-game winning streak.
And the Warriors (15-13) have been even worse, winning just three of their last 13 games after starting the year at the top of the conference.
But Wednesday will be another matchup between Lakers star LeBron James and Warriors star Steph Curry two all-time greats whose careers have intersected to the point theyre considered by many to have one of the defining rivalries of the leagues modern era.
Anytime you get an opportunity to be on the court and compete versus one of the greats to ever play this game, you never take it for granted, James said.
I dont know how many more opportunities were gonna get to go against each other, so its always fun.
Wednesday will also mark the second time the Lakers and Warriors have played each other on Christmas in the past seven years, with the Lakers beating the Warriors on Dec.
25, 2018, in James first season with the Lakers.
In addition to the 2018 matchup , James and Currys teams squared off on Christmas for three consecutive seasons (2015-17) when James was on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Curry didnt play in the 2017 game.
But matchups between James and Curry have historically had more at stake than Christmas Day game bragging rights.
Their teams matched up in four consecutive NBA Finals (2015-18), with Currys Warriors winning the championship in 2015, 17 and 18 and James Cavaliers coming out on top in 16 after coming back from a 3-1 series.
For me, as a fan, it was an awesome stretch, Lakers coach JJ Redick said.
For me as a player, it wasnt a great stretch because I wasnt in those Finals.
But it was great to have two of the icons of this generation go head to head and have some for sure classic series and then just also some classic games and classic moments.
Throughout the history of the NBA, player and team rivalries have been good for the league and that sort of captured a moment in our generation.
The Lakers and Warriors also played each other in the 2021 Play-In Tournament and the second round of the 2023 playoffs, with the Lakers winning both matchups Its going to be good, Anthony Davis said.
We always have battles with them, weve seen them in the playoffs a couple of years.
Its going to be fun to go up to The Bay and try to get a win on Christmas Day.
Not including the Play-In Tournament game, Wednesday will mark the 53rd matchup between a team led by James and Curry.
Currys teams have a 29-23 record in those matchups, including a 17-11 record in the playoffs.
But the relationship between James, whos in his 22nd NBA season and will return 40 on Monday, and Curry, whos in his 16th NBA season and will turn 37 in March, has evolved over the years since consistently playing against one another in the Finals.
James and Curry teamed up this past summer, leading Team USA to a gold medal in the Paris Olympics.
Its a fun battle because of the longevity of how long weve been doing this, Curry said during an appearance on ESPNs NBA Today on Tuesday.
Theres more appreciation and respect than probably back in the day because there was a lot of pettiness and resentment.
The rivalry was real but it evolves and you still want to go at each other, but the respect is there.
When : Wednesday, 5 p.m.
Where : Chase Center, San Francisco TV/radio : ABC/ESPN, 710 AM.
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