James sets career best as he overcomes Curry in double-overtime thriller
Back and forth they went, one-upping the other, two of the greatest to ever play each believing he could will 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 cap his triple-double of 36 points, career-high 20 rebounds and 12 assists, outdueling Stephen Curry as the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Golden State Warriors 145-144 on Saturday night.
“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.”
Curry had been brilliant himself. He danced through the paint for a layup that sent the game to overtime, then 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 15plus 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.”
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said he had to stay focused as he sat close-up to witness the greatness.
“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.”
These star-studded teams played another thrilling game after the Lakers beat the Warriors in a six-game Western Conference semi-finals last year.
Los Angeles hit 38 of 43 free throws, while the Warriors attempted only 16 – and they didn’t like that.
“I might comment on the free throws that they shot, but my mom is here right now and I want to be on my best behavior so I’m not going to comment on their 43 free throws to our 16,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I’m not going to comment on Steph shooting three free throws in 43 minutes.”
Curry notched his second straight game with six or more threes and third in five and also his fifth consecutive game with 25 or more points. It was his third 40-point performance this season and 65th of his career.
The Warriors scored a season high points and their 23 three-pointers were a season best. Golden State used their 15th starting lineup of the season – with Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga on the floor for the opening tip together for the first time this campaign.
This was a second straight heartbreaking defeat for the Warriors after losing 134-133 to Sacramento on Thursday night in another 2023 playoff rematch. The Warriors eliminated the Kings in Game 7 of their first-round matchup.
Kuminga followed up his careerbest 31-point performance Thursday with 22 points and has scored 20 or more points in a career-best six straight games.