NBA — All indicators level to Lakers, Warriors being previous their primes

The Los Angeles Lakers gained the NBA title 4 years in the past. Since then, they’ve a regular-season report of 148-144.

The Golden State Warriors gained the NBA title two years in the past. Since then, they’ve a regular-season report of 71-64.

In his first 5 full seasons as a Laker, LeBron James has led Los Angeles to 6 playoff sequence wins. Within the 5 years prior, he led his groups to 16 sequence wins.

Over the previous 4 postseasons, Stephen Curry and the Warriors have gained 5 sequence. The 4 years earlier than that, Curry led them to 14 sequence wins.

These information make final week’s story by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne on Golden State reaching out to the Lakers a couple of potential James commerce extra telling. The transfer implied the Warriors weren’t certain they’d sufficient for an additional championship run and suspected James won’t suppose the Lakers did both.

It was simply one other signal that each groups as at the moment constructed are most likely previous their primes. They have been, if put charitably, barely above-average performers for a while now. When wanting on the Western Convention standings — the place the Lakers are in ninth place and the Warriors in tenth — you would even deem them also-rans.

However in relation to the Lakers and the Warriors, it may be simple to push off contemplating the draw back and lengthy odds. James and Curry have achieved it earlier than and appear to all the time imagine they’ll do it once more, whether or not or not actuality agrees.

So each groups grind on with their matchup Thursday in San Francisco, a recreation James will miss as he offers with tendinopathy in his left ankle, as they scramble to keep away from a possible conflict in April’s play-in event.

Such a matchup can be tantalizing in a one-game elimination state of affairs. With enormous offseason stakes and the dear late levels of Curry’s and James’ careers, it will be the most important play-in recreation since … the final time they confronted off within the play-in three years in the past.

The Lakers stood pat on the commerce deadline, on the threat of irritating James, partly as a result of they wished to guard their commerce choices for the summer time. By June, the Lakers might be permitted to commerce as much as three first-round picks and a few of their gamers’ contracts might be a season shorter — making them extra enticing in potential offers. There are already some expectations, irrespective of how the season may finish, the Lakers might attempt to commerce for a big-name participant.

After all, there’s additionally James’ state of affairs. For the primary time since 2018, he has the choice to grow to be an unrestricted free agent. Although he has made it clear he prefers to remain in L.A. and the Lakers might give him one other nine-figure deal that might carry him into his 40s, he has repeatedly urged he’ll depart his choices open.

The Warriors are additionally dealing with some powerful choices. Head coach Steve Kerr and veteran guards Klay Thompson and Chris Paul could be free brokers this summer time, and third-year ahead Jonathan Kuminga, within the midst of a breakout season, is extension eligible. The Warriors, after paying $350 million within the mixture of wage and luxurious tax final season and almost $400 million this season, are hinting at lastly attempting to cut back prices. Proprietor Joe Lacob mentioned on “The TK Present” podcast final week that the crew has plans to exit the tax solely by subsequent season, which leaves the legacy roster in some query.

These two big-market, big-brand groups laden with future Corridor of Famers stay on the middle of the NBA’s consciousness. They can’t be disregarded due to their expertise, each having pulled upsets within the playoffs final season.

Of their solely assembly thus far this season on Jan. 27 at Chase Middle, they staged probably the greatest video games the league has seen this 12 months. And one of many extra memorable video games within the long-running James-Curry rivalry.

The Lakers gained 145-144 in double time beyond regulation. Curry ripped his jersey in frustration strolling off the ground after his 46 factors weren’t sufficient. James, as is his customized, checked out it with perspective, imagining telling his future grandchildren about his 36-point, 20-rebound, 12-assist triple-double, together with the profitable free throw.

“Hopefully I could be cool when my grandkids [are] at that time,” mentioned James, referring to going head-to-head with Curry, who James is aware of is well-liked with youthful followers.

“You stay up for the battles,” Curry mentioned after the sport, “however you additionally respect the mutual respect of what it takes to maintain doing what you are doing at this stage.”

They don’t seem to be the one ones who respect it.

The sport was one of many highest-rated non-Christmas regular-season video games over the previous 5 years, averaging 4 million viewers and peaking with 5.24 million, per Nielsen.

Final spring, Recreation 1 of the Laker-Warriors playoff sequence drew 7.3 million viewers, the NBA playoffs’ largest early-round cable viewers in 11 years.

The 2 groups are exiting the All-Star break tied within the loss column with three regular-season video games left in opposition to one another, making the matchups doubly vital and leaving the doubtless beneficial tiebreaker unsure.

This is not the identical period as when Curry and James met in 4 straight NBA Finals, however neither have given up on the grind of it. Because of an offensive tear, the Lakers have gained eight of their previous 11 video games whereas averaging 126 factors in that stretch. That is their most prolific offensive efficiency over an 11-game span because the “Showtime” Lakers in 1987, per ESPN Stats & Data.

The Warriors have gone 8-2 since that irritating loss to the Lakers on Jan. 27, an evening when Kerr vowed his crew would flip its season round after seeing progress in that recreation. Kerr subsequently made an enormous transfer by benching Thompson on the finish of some tight video games earlier than shifting him out of the beginning lineup previous to the All-Star break.

Kerr has leaned right into a beginning lineup with rookie guard Brandin Podziemski and Kuminga, neither of whom began at first of the season.

That is quite a lot of aspects and perceived pleasure for 2 groups that might simply be within the midst of failed seasons. Each have costly rosters constructed round getting old stars, and their flaws have repeatedly value them winnable video games. Lakers coach Darvin Ham has been below hearth — although he enjoys strong assist from the entrance workplace, crew sources mentioned — at instances this season.

And Kerr’s contract standing leaves his future unsure. With Monty Williams, Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich taking turns resetting the ceiling for teaching salaries over the previous 9 months, conserving Kerr goes to be very costly for a crew brazenly speaking about chopping prices.

That is the groundwork being laid for the summer time. The Lakers and Warriors might be watched intently by followers the remainder of the season. When it is over, they are going to be watched intently by rivals within the league.