The changing of the guard in the NBA might be nearing, or already happened, but in the fans’ hearts and minds, the old guard still rules the roost.
That’s reflected in the NBA’s Christmas Day slate, where the LA Lakers will play against the Golden State Warriors in the marquee matchup.
It is the fourth time Steph Curry will face LeBron James on Christmas, with their peak meetings coming in the mid 2010s when the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Warriors were the top dogs in the NBA.
With James’ contract running till 2026 and him turning 40 soon, and Curry’s contract running till 2027 and not getting any younger either, there might not be many more meetings between the two titans.
Ahead of this one, Kendrick Perkins had his say on which of the two superstars had more left to give as both enter the twilight of their careers.
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Kendrick Perkins on Steph Curry vs LeBron James
Like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Curry and James will define an era for the NBA where fan interest was at its peak and the sports transcended boundaries to enter the cultural zeitgeist.
Many new fans were created on the back of that rivalry between the Cavs and the Warriors and with the NBA suffering a fall in ratings now, the true value of that rivalry is clear for all to see.
As for the two involved, the rivalry has given way to mutual respect in recent years as both realize they have been part of something special that will stand the test of time.
Speaking on ESPN, Perkins was asked whether Steph Curry or LeBron James has more left in the tank as both their careers wind down.
Perkins had a clear answer immediately and with solid reasoning, but Danny Green disagreed.
Perkins said: “I gotta go with LeBron because outside of scoring, he checks the other boxes. You want rebounds, he gives you that, you want assists, he gives you that.
“LeBron James could probably average seven assists till he’s 50 because of his high basketball IQ! It’s the other things he brings defensively as well, still able to guard 1-5.
“He can multiple positions defensively and offensively so I think LeBron has more to give, just slightly more than Steph.”
Curry has one clear advantage over James
While Perkins makes a valid point about James impacting the game more on a holistic level, Danny Green made a correct argument about the age of the two.
James is about to turn 40 while Curry is 36, so even though the LA Lakers superstar might be playing at a higher level right now, Curry should theoretically have more left in the tank.
Green said he gives the day to LeBron but future Christmases go to Curry, which is understandable because the latter’s game will age better.
James has so far beaten Father Time remarkably and added new strings to his bow so he can continue dominating but shooting touch is something you almost never lose.
If the Warriors can create a good team around Curry, he can probably stand and shoot the basketball at an above-40% clip for the next half a decade.
Ultimately, there’s no correct answer here except saying that the NBA has been lucky to witness two superstars at the peak of their powers come to the fore at the same time.
The league has been richer for it.
