SAN FRANCISCO—It’s LeBron vs. Steph on the big stage, Take V.
With a slightly different look in the playoffs these days for two of the game’s greatest players.
“Just two of the most competitive players that have ever played this game,” James said Monday. “We want to etch our name in the history books as much as we can, and we’re playing our own way. I’ve got nothing but the greatest admiration and respect for Steph.”
Curry and Draymond Green reflect back on Golden State’s many memorable National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals battles with James and marvel how they’re all still playing such high-level basketball so many years later.
Yet this Western Conference semifinal matchup starting Tuesday is new for everybody: Curry, Green, Klay Thompson and these Warriors have never faced LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs—even if they’re plenty familiar with James himself.
“It is special to know the first series we played him in Cleveland in the ’14-15 to now, we’re blessed to be playing at this level,” Curry said. “Excited about a new chapter, two teams trying to keep their season alive and chase a championship. That’s what it’s all about.”
The Warriors and James’ Cavaliers faced off in four straight NBA Finals from 2015-18.
Game 1 in this best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series is on the Warriors’ home floor—Golden State is the sixth seed and the Lakers No. 7. It’s the first time a No. 6 seed has home court in the second round since the sixth-seeded Houston Rockets against the No. 7 Seattle SuperSonics in 1987.
“It’s weird, a six-seven seed series, we get home-court advantage, so we’ve got to take advantage of that,” Curry said.
Curry is 15-7 against James in the playoffs, with Curry averaging 25.4 points to James 33.
They’re still dazzling.