The Los Angeles Lakers won’t have much time to dwell on their loss to the Detroit Pistons as they must turn right around to take on the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. Of course, that means another meeting between the two biggest superstars of this generation in LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
The rivalry between James and Curry has been going on for a decade now, stretching all the way back to the first time they met in the NBA Finals in 2015. That was the first of four consecutive NBA Finals meetings and the rivalry has carried over to LeBron’s time with L.A. as they squared off in the first Play-In Tournament game in 2021, not to mention a fierce second-round playoff matchup between the Lakers and Warriors in 2023.
This will be the fourth meeting on Christmas Day between the two legends and with both closer to the end of their career than the beginning, LeBron remains appreciative of any chance he gets to face off with Curry on the court.
“Always. Anytime you get an opportunity to be on the court and compete versus one of the greatest to ever play this game, you do not take it for granted,” James said. “You don’t know how many more opportunities you are going to get to go against each other, so it’s always fun.”
LeBron called it fun, but it can also get scary because Curry can get scorching hot and completely take over a game. The Lakers star has been on both sides of it and loved it when it benefitted him this past summer with Team USA, but not so much when his team is the victim.
“Depends on what side I’m on,” James said of witnessing Curry get in that zone. “This past summer between USA and it was a great feeling. I’ve seen on the other side it is a not-so-good feeling.”
Both LeBron and Curry are generational players that are unlike anyone the basketball world has ever seen. Like the Lakers star said, it’s unknown how many more chances we will all get to see these two share the court so this Christmas Day meeting should not be taken for granted.
LeBron James says Lakers must match physicality of their opposition
LeBron James and the Lakers will go into their Christmas game against the Warriors coming off a loss to the Pistons in which they were outworked and pushed around. And LeBron feels the Lakers have to do a better job of matching physicality and just being stronger overall.
“Just got to match physicality with physicality,” James said. “I can’t speak for nobody but myself when it comes to that. I’m a football player, so I don’t mind physicality, to be honest. As a team, we got to be better, be stronger. That’s all.”
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