A Glimpse of the Future?
For the past 8 years, when the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors clashed, it was always about The King vs The Chef. LeBron James and Stephen Curry, two all-time greats, carrying their teams and the rivalry on their shoulders. Every battle had that “who’s the best?” energy. And heading into Thursday night’s showdown, with Luka Doncic and Jimmy Butler also in the mix, the stage was set for another heavyweight classic.
But something different happened this time.
Yes, LeBron was out there doing LeBron things. Curry lit it up like only he can. But when the dust settled on a wild, high-octane 123–116 Warriors win, this wasn’t just another chapter in the Steph vs. LeBron saga. This game might go down as the night when two young guns – Brandin Podziemski and Austin Reaves. The two young guns officially announced they are ready to carry this rivalry forward.
The first quarter started like nobody expected. LeBron? Held scoreless. Butler? Also zero. Curry and Luka? Just four points each.
But it was Brandin Podziemski who torched the Lakers in the first half. The 22-year-old dropped a season-high 22 points before halftime, including a half-court buzzer-beating three.
While Podziemski was the star of the first half, the second belonged to Austin Reaves. With the Lakers trying to claw their way back, Reaves caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring 20 of his 31 points in the final period. He hit nine 3-pointers on the night, matching Podziemski’s own career-best eight threes.
And it wasn’t just garbage-time buckets. While Luka failed to hit a three for the first time in 2 years, Reaves raised his hand and bar to pull the Lakers back into it.
Also Read: LeBron James Weighs on How He Unfairly Holds Younger Players To a High Standard of Excellence
Let’s be clear, the OGs still showed out. Curry dropped 37 points, coming off that 52-point masterclass in Memphis. LeBron redeemed himself after first-half horror and ended with 33 points.
Still, none of that will overshadow how Podziemski and Reaves owned the spotlight. If this is what the next phase of Warriors vs. Lakers looks like, then NBA fans are in for a treat.
For years, it’s been Steph and LeBron trading blows in one of the league’s most entertaining rivalries. But after tonight, we might be witnessing the birth of something new. Something fresh. Something that tells us this rivalry isn’t going anywhere, it’s just getting a new set of faces.
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