CNN
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Akron General Medical Center, Ohio – the birthplace of the greatest duel in the modern NBA and the starting point of our history.
On December 30, 1984, LeBron James was born in that very hospital, and in a script only the basketball gods could have written, Stephen Curry was just four years later.
From that day on, the paths of two basketball greats of all time were forever intertwined. Now the matchup that dominated basketball in the late 2010s is back in the fifth round as the pair square off in the Western Conference Semifinals.
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 4-2 in the opening round of the playoffs.
In a matchup that was as exciting off the court as it was on the hardwood floor, the Lakers’ experience showed as the young Grizzlies lacked the cutting edge to get over the line.
In another battle of old versus young, the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings in an exciting seven-game streak.
Along the way, both Curry and James broke records to set up the most talked about 2023 NBA Playoffs encounter.
Golden State sniper Klay Thompson said he’s “waited 12 years for this” as he faces his father’s former franchise, and teammate Draymond Green spoke to reporters about the legacy of James vs. the Warriors.
“This series against the Lakers is going to be epic, you’ve got Steph, you’ve got ‘Bron doing it all over again,'” he said.
“Stop trying to turn the page on us so quickly,” Green added. “Stop trying to flip Bron so quickly. We’re so caught up in what’s coming next that we don’t appreciate the flow.”
After years of experience against the Warriors, James knows the Lakers need to be at their best.
“You must be super-duper locked up,” the 19-time All-Star said, according to the LA Times. “You mustn’t make any mistakes. You just can’t. You must not make a mistake or they will make you pay. It’s literally that simple. Some teams I’ve played against in my career had that image of you and you’re one of them.”
Final 2015
The first NBA Finals matchup between LeBron and Steph took place in 2015. The rising Warriors were the freshmen on the block and, led by MVP Curry, were the best team in the NBA this year with an incredible 67-15 record.
Steve Kerr’s Warriors made it to the NBA Finals, losing just three games in the Western Conference playoffs, and Golden State faced LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
The Cavs had lost just two games en route to the Finals and James was on fire heading into the marquee matchup.
The final turned out to be a direct shootout between the two stars of their respective teams. James averaged an incredible 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists and Curry led the Warriors with averages of 26 points and 6.3 assists.
Despite James’ heroic efforts, the Warriors sealed the 2015 Finals with a 4-2 straight win and cemented their status as the NBA’s most exciting team.
Final 2016
The Cavaliers and Warriors met again the following year for an NBA Finals rematch.
Dub Nation somehow improved on their 2014-15 record, surpassing the 1996 Chicago Bulls and their 72-10 record – they finished the season 73-9.
Chef Curry was the regular-season MVP twice — winning the pick by unanimous decision after averaging 30.1 points, 6.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds in his team’s historic campaign.
Despite leading the East, the Cavs were the heavy underdogs going into the Finals against the Warriors and their three-point offensive game.
The finale looked like it was going to script as the Warriors took a 3-1 lead, but LeBron had other comeback ideas for all comebacks.
King James and Kyrie Irving’s doubles team bounced back brilliantly for the Cavs and led Cleveland to a historic title.
Finals MVP James finished the streak averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists, along with Kyrie’s 27.1 points per game.
The moment of the series has also become an iconic NBA game. LeBron’s incredible chasedown block on Warriors forward Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the Finals was the matchup’s statement – the brilliant defensive performance is now commonly referred to as “The Block” because of the magnitude of the stop.
Final 2017
The Golden State Warriors responded to their 2016 Finals loss by recruiting Kevin Durant in the offseason. The additional scoring of “The Slim Reaper” made the Warriors a certified super team and they were once again the favorites to go all the way to land another ring.
The Cavs and Warriors met for the first time this season during an incredible match on Christmas Day. The Cavaliers won in a dramatic 109-108 game, and the win also secured bragging rights ahead of a possible Finals matchup.
At the end of the season, the Warriors led the West while the Cavs were only good enough for a second place finish behind the Boston Celtics in the East. This difference in quality was clearly visible in the final.
Durant’s addition ended the competitiveness of the Titans’ previous duel as the 1.80m forward marched the Warriors to an easy Finals victory.
Durant won the Finals as MVP, averaging 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists, with LeBron’s remarkable triple-double average going to waste in the 4-1 Warriors series win.
After the loss, Irving went in search of new pastures, leaving LeBron to fight alone against the Warriors’ dominance.
Final 2018
The 2017-18 regular season indicated that the shared dominance between Golden State and Cleveland was finally coming to an end.
James Harden and the Houston Rockets led the West while the Cleveland Cavaliers finished fourth in the conference opposite.
But the playoff experience and dominance of both sides came into play, and both teams beckoned to a fourth straight final.
In the most unlikely encounter between the two teams, the Warriors defeated the Cavaliers to win four straight games in a stunning final battle between two modern greats.
After a disappointing end to his second stint with the Cavaliers, LeBron moved west and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Finally, five years later, we have a chance to see LeBron’s Lakers vs. Steph’s Warriors in a matchup between two certified Superstars — and this time without Durant’s input.
With the Western Conference wide open, whoever wins this matchup will feel like nothing can stop them from winning it all.
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