SAN FRANCISCO – LeBron James dribbled down the court docket on a one-man quick break earlier than ending by a number of Golden State defenders for an and-1 layup on the Warriors’ vibrant yellow court docket halfway by the third quarter.
The scene that Bay Space followers had seen play out dozens of instances over the course of the previous decade had unfolded but once more on Christmas Day, as James took on Olympic teammate Steph Curry and the Warriors.
After the Lakers withstood a last-second Curry bombardment and bought a clutch layup by Austin Reaves to win 115-113, James sat at his visiting locker and had a succinct reply as to why followers ought to tune into the NBA amid a scores disaster.
“LeBron and Steph,” James stated.
After James put in 31 factors and Curry had 38 as the celebrities on Christmas day, it’s troublesome to argue with the league’s all time main scorer. However how for much longer will that be true?
Although the groups will meet three extra instances throughout the common season, the Lakers received a sport that will go down within the historical past books as James’ ultimate Christmas Day showdown with Curry.
“Just enjoying the moment, being thankful,” James stated. “Lot of gratitude to be able to play the game I love and do it on such a beautiful day. Had the luxury, I think today was my 19th time playing on Christmas, so you know I don’t take it for granted to go against one of the greatest to ever play the game and one of the greatest franchises since I’ve been in the league.”
With James, who turns 40 years outdated on Dec. 30, having made public statements hinting at retirement over the previous 12 months, each he and the Lakers group know that video games like Wednesday’s needs to be cherished.
“Its been awesome and its been different,” Lakers coach JJ Reddick stated. “Part of that is just him enjoying the moment. You don’t have many of these left, and that’s just reality.”
The Lakers secured the victory when Austin Reaves made a driving layup with one second remaining within the sport. That clutch shot got here simply six seconds after Curry had made his second 3-pointer within the ultimate 12 seconds, a triple that left James each irritated and amazed.
“You just tip your hat, because he’s a great player and you just have to tip your hat,” James stated. “You have a feeling of ‘(expletive), versus us, why?’” However being a fan, you’re like ‘How did he make that’ as a result of he’s particular. You’ve an appreciation for it for positive.”
LeBron James expressed his admiration for Stephen Curry’s shotmaking after the Lakers received (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
What was as soon as a perennial Christmas Day barnburner from 2015-18 was renewed after a six-year hiatus.
On a day when the NFL broadcast a pair of blowouts, James and Curry have been the celebrities of the NBA’s trademark Christmas spectacle. Once more.
“I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” James stated on the ESPN after successful his document eleventh Christmas Day sport.
James’ Cleveland Cavaliers and Curry’s Warriors met in 4 consecutive Finals from 2015-18, with the Warriors successful in all however 2016, when James and Co. famously got here again from down 3-1 to seize the franchise’s first and up to now solely title.
Since then, the James-led Lakers have defeated the Warriors within the 2021 play-in event and the 2023 Western Convention semifinals.
Whereas the Lakers victory actually didn’t possess the stakes of these playoff sequence or the late-2010s finals – the Lakers (17-13) and Warriors (15-14) are the seventh and eight seeds within the Western Convention – it didn’t lack depth.
After Anthony Davis left the sport with a sprained ankle within the first quarter, the Lakers’ ageless celebrity needed to placed on a classic King James efficiency, scoring 31 and shelling out 10 assists simply two days after compiling a 28-point triple-double in opposition to the Pistons.
The Lakers lineup late within the first quarter – children Christian Koloko and rookie Dalton Knecht paired with middling veterans Gabe Vincent and Cam Reddish – was a throwback to James’ missing supporting forged in a couple of of these aforementioned Finals.
However that was for only a fleeting second. Reaves stepped up within the absence of injured guard and former Warrior D’Angelo Russell. He put up a 26-point triple-double and scored the ultimate 4 factors to provide James the assistance he wanted.
“It got to a hand we trust,” was how James described the ultimate play. “The play was drawn up for me, and they doubled me at the top of the key, and its always great to have great options on the floor at the same time. AR has been in that position.”
James added to his Christmas Day factors document (507) and video games performed (19).
What number of extra Christmas Day video games will the Bay Space see James play in in opposition to its workforce’s celebrity guard? That’s but to be decided. But when this actually was James and Curry’s ultimate Dec. 25 duel, the 2’s legacies are ironclad.
“In the same way Magic and Larry in the 1980s and MJ in the 1990s, and Kobe for a long time, they’ve, in someway, they’ve carried the league,” Lakers coach JJ Reddick stated. “The popularity, the growth and all that stuff, they’ve had a big part of that.”
Initially Printed: December 25, 2024 at 9:01 PM PST
