Steph, LeBron remind sports world NBA reigns supreme on Christmas originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Nostalgia in the NBA isn’t reserved for stocking stuffers but the grand present every child, teenager and adult can’t wait to see ripped open, warming the hearts of all. The past opened its doors wide open on Christmas Day at Chase Center.
Nearly two hours before tipoff between the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, Steve Kerr called coaching Steph Curry and LeBron James over the summer for Team USA at the Paris Olympics the “thrill of a lifetime,” and referred to the two as “the flag bearers of our league in this generation.”
Lakers coach JJ Reddick compared the two all-time greats to what Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were for the NBA in the 1980s, how Michael Jordan took the game to a new level in the 90s and Kobe Bryant was the heir apparent in the 2000s.
Kerr even found a new equivalency in the spectacle that is Curry’s warmups, catching the eyes of all long before the game begins.
“They’re watching Mozart compose music,” Kerr said during his pregame press conference. “He’s the greatest in the world ever at what he does and his craft.”
Those words rang as true as ever for both Curry and James for all four quarters, all 48 minutes. Curry scored a game-high 38 points, his most ever on Christmas while making a Christmas-record eight 3-pointers. James had 31, the most of any Laker, and dished 10 assists, tied for a game-high with his teammate Austin Reaves.
The scoreboard finished in favor of the Lakers, 115-113, despite Curry’s literal late-game heroics. Basketball’s a 5-on-5 game and a total of 19 players were used. A spotlight could have followed two all game and nobody would have complained.
“It’s always a blast,” Curry said. “The competitiveness, the history, his greatness allows me to just appreciate all that we’ve been through, all the battles back and forth and the fact that it’s 2024 and we’re still doing it.
“Somehow the games are pretty electric and kind of a must-see TV situation. I love it. I know we’ve talked about it leading up to it and…
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