Back and forth they went on Saturday night, one-upping the other, two of the greatest to ever play, each believing he could will his team to win. Stepback threes, fadeaway jumpers, drives and dishes. Two overtimes. LeBron James versus Stephen Curry, at their finest.
At the very end, James made a pair of free throws with 1.2 seconds left to cap his triple-double of 36 points, career-high 20 rebounds and 12 assists, outdueling Curry as the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Golden State Warriors 145-144.
“It’s something I’ll be able to talk about with my grandkids, talk about me being able to compete with one of the greatest players to ever play the game,” James said. “So hopefully I can be cool with my grandkids at that point, for sure.”
Photo:AFP
Curry danced through the paint for a layup that sent the game to overtime. He knocked down a three-pointer high over Anthony Davis in the second overtime for a lead.
James scored the first points of a second extra session and found D’Angelo Russell the next time down for a three.
“Every year we get to do this, the back-and-forth battles, all the Finals runs, to the playoffs last year, after the horn sounded tonight there was a little laugh of we can’t like imagine a scenario where a game like tonight happens, his year, what, 21, and my year 15,” Curry said. “All the other guys in the league who have been doing it 15-plus years, KD [Kevin Durant], CP [Chris Paul], it’s insane.”
“You look forward to the battles, but you also appreciate the mutual respect of what it takes to keep doing what you’re doing at this level because only a few people know how hard it is. I’m happy to be in that group,” he said.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham had to stay focused as he sat close-up to witness the greatness.
“Oh, man,” he exhaled afterward.
“Just trying to control myself first and foremost as a basketball fan,” he said. “They should be real happy in New York. This was a hell of a basketball game, a high-level basketball game. Two legends going back and forth, two great organizations. It was fun to be a part of. It’s just one of those wins where it showed our character. Our group is really coming together.”
Curry hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 4.7 seconds left in the second overtime and sunk the one over Davis with 1 minute, 22 seconds to go on the way to 46 points with a season-high nine threes.
Russell connected from deep with 53 seconds left in the second overtime and also hit another earlier in the period after also making two three-pointers late in regulation on the way to 28 points.
James scored 12 points in the overtime periods and recorded his third triple-double of the season and 110th of his career. Davis added 29 points and 13 rebounds.
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