December 26th 2024.
On a bright Christmas day in San Francisco, fans were treated to a classic match-up between two of the NBA's biggest superstars, LeBron James and Steph Curry. It was a scene that had played out many times before over the past decade, as the two Olympic teammates faced off once again. But this time, it could possibly be their last Christmas Day showdown.
The game was a close one, with the Lakers ultimately pulling out a 115-113 victory over the Warriors thanks to a clutch layup by Austin Reaves. As James sat in the visiting locker room after the game, he was asked about the recent decline in NBA ratings. His answer was simple: "LeBron and Steph."
And it's hard to argue with him. At 40 years old, James put up 31 points against the Warriors, while Curry had an impressive 38. But with retirement looming for James, how many more games like this will we see?
Despite the fact that the Lakers and Warriors will meet three more times during the regular season, this could very well be their last Christmas Day match-up. And James knows how special it is to be able to play against one of the greatest players in the game and one of the greatest franchises in the league.
As Lakers coach JJ Reddick pointed out, games like this should be cherished, especially with James hinting at retirement in the past year. But on this day, he was still able to put on a vintage King James performance, scoring 31 points and dishing out 10 assists. And he did it all without his teammate Anthony Davis, who left the game with a sprained ankle.
But James had help from Reaves, who stepped up in the absence of injured guard D'Angelo Russell. Reaves put up an impressive 26-point triple-double and scored the final four points to secure the Lakers' victory.
It was a game that lacked the stakes of their previous playoff battles, but it was still intense. And for a brief moment, it was a flashback to James' earlier days with the Lakers, when he didn't have the same level of support from his teammates. But in the end, Reaves and the rest of the Lakers stepped up to give James the help he needed.
As for Curry, he once again showed why he's one of the greatest shooters in NBA history with his impressive 3-pointers. Even James couldn't help but be amazed by his skills, despite feeling a little annoyed by them at times.
If this truly was the last time James and Curry would face off on Christmas Day, it was a fitting end to their long-standing rivalry. Both players have had a huge impact on the league and have helped to grow its popularity over the years.
As Reddick put it, they have carried the league just like Magic and Larry in the 1980s, MJ in the 1990s, and Kobe for a long time. Their legacies are ironclad, and this Christmas Day game will surely go down in history as one of their most memorable battles.
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