The era of the NBA many of us grew up in is really on its last legs. Young teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Indiana Pacers are showing the promise to take the baton. However, there are still a couple of major threads connecting us to the nostalgia of 2010s hoops: LeBron James and Steph Curry.
Both LeBron's Los Angeles Lakers and Curry's Golden State Warriors made the playoffs (or play-in) this year. Luckily for us, it seems they are also on a crash course to meet in the postseason for the sixth time in their careers. Seventh if you count a Lakers Play-In win over the Dubs in 2021.
As the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers have avoided the Play-In altogether and will take on the No. 6 seed Minnesota Timberwolves in Round 1 of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Warriors will face off with the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night in a Play-In game to determine who wins the West's No. 7 seed.
Considering the winner of that game gets the No. 7 seed and a date with the unproven Rockets in Round 1, rather than the juggernaut Thunder, this Warriors-Grizzlies game will be hotly contested. Sporting News' Stephen Noh thinks the Warriors will not only beat the Grizzlies, but also take down the No. 2 seeded Rockets to set up a Round 2 date with the Lakers.
"The Warriors could give the Rockets real trouble. Golden State doesn't have the size, but they have unbelievable shot-making with Stephen Curry having another premier season. He's led them to a 3-2 regular season record against Houston. Playoff Jimmy Butler is going to be a handful, matching the Rockets' physicality."
Golden State is the biggest favorite in the Play-In tournament, coming in as 7-point favorites against the Grizzlies. Memphis is 0-7 ATS in their last seven as dogs of 6+ points, and they are also just 5-19 straight up against the seven teams ahead of them in the West standings. Houston will be tough, but Memphis should be a breeze for Curry and Co.
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If the Warriors do emerge victorious against the youthful Rockets, and the Lakers do take down the T-Wolves (L.A. won the most recent matchup in February), then we would get a sixth LeBron James-Steph Curry playoff series. What a treat that would be. As Noh points out, LeBron would be the favorite to even their all-time playoff series record at 3-3.
"LeBron versus Steph would be the league's dream matchup. And it may just end up happening. ... These are also both older teams. The Lakers should benefit from an extra week of rest during the Play-In tournament that the Warriors missed out on. And if Golden State does make it past Houston, they will be bruised and battered."
The Warriors will tip off against the Grizzlies on Tuesday night at 10PM E.T. at the Chase Center. The Lakers, meanwhile, get the week off, as their series with Minnesota begins on Saturday at 8:30PM E.T. at Crypto.com Arena, where Game 1 will be broadcast on ABC.
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