Back and forth they went, each in the foreground, two of the best to ever play against each other, each believing he could force his team to win. And at the very end, LeBron James made a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds left in double overtime to top his triple-double of 36 points, career-high 20 rebounds and 12 assists, beating Stephen Curry as the Los Angeles Lakers. held off the Golden State Warriors 145-144 on Saturday night.
“It’s something I can talk to my grandkids about, talk about being able to compete with one of the best players to ever play the game,” James said. “So hopefully I can definitely be cool with my grandkids at that point.”
Curry himself had been brilliant. He danced through the paint for a layup that sent the game to overtime, then knocked down a 3-pointer high off Anthony Davis for the lead in the second overtime.
James scored the first points of a second overtime and found D’Angelo Russell behind on a three the next time.
“Every year we get to do this, the back and forth battles, all the finals, up to last year’s play-offs, after the horn sounded tonight there was a bit of laughter, we can’t imagine a scenario where a match like happening tonight, his year, what, 21, and my year 15,” Curry said. “All the other guys in the league that have been doing it for 15-plus years, KD (Kevin Durant), CP (Chris Paul), it’s crazy.
“You look forward to the fights, but you also appreciate the mutual respect for what it takes to keep doing what you do at this level, because only a few people know how hard it is. I’m happy to be in that group.”
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he had to stay focused as he sat up close to witness the greatness.
“I try to control myself as a basketball fan first and foremost,” he said. “They should be very happy in New York, this was a great basketball game, a high level basketball game. Two legends going back and forth, two great organizations. It was fun to be part of it. It’s just one of those wins where it showed our character. Our group is really coming together.”
These star-studded teams played another close game after the Lakers defeated the Warriors in a six-game Western Conference semifinal last year.
Los Angeles hit 38 of 43 free throws, while the Warriors attempted just 16 – and they didn’t like it.
“I could comment on the free throws they shot, but my mom is here right now and I want to be on the best behavior possible, so I’m not going to comment on their 43 free throws against our 16,” Warriors coach Steve said Kerr. said. “I’m not going to comment on the fact that Steph shot three free throws in 43 minutes.”
Curry scored his second straight game with six or more threes and third in five as well as his fifth straight game with 25 or more points. It was his third 40-point performance this season and the 65th of his career.
The Warriors scored their highest points of the season and their 23 three-pointers were the best of the season. Golden State used their 15th starting lineup of the season – with Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga on the floor together for the opening tip for the first time this season.
This was a second heartbreaking loss in a row for the Warriors after they lost 134-133 to Sacramento on Thursday night in another playoff rematch in 2023. The Warriors eliminated the Kings in Game 7 of their first-round matchup.
Kuminga followed his career-best performance of 31 points with 22 points on Thursday, scoring 20 or more points in six straight games, the best of his career.
