Long Delayed Curry-James Playoff Rematch Ahead Wednesday

LeBron’s move to Los Angeles, two major injuries for Klay Thompson, the departure of Kevin Durant and the COVID-19 pandemic have all taken place since the last time the King and the Baby Faced Assassin have squared off in postseason play.

Now, the wait is over.

The No. 8 seed Golden State Warriors (39-33) will travel to Staples Center on Wednesday to take on the No. 7 seed Los Angeles Lakers (42-30) in an NBA play-in battle, featuring LeBron James and Stephen Curry, to clinch the Western Conference’s seventh seed. The winner of the contest will face the No. 2 seed Pheonix Suns in a best-of-seven series, while the loser will need to take down the winner of Wednesday’s play-in in Memphis between the Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs to clinch the conference’s last playoff spot and cross paths with the No. 1 seed Utah Jazz.

After a 14-point comeback victory over the Lakers in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 18, the Warriors dropped their last two regular season matchups against the purple and gold, including a 128-97 loss at the Chase Center to an Anthony Davis-less Los Angeles.

Injuries are often the story in the NBA, and when it comes to Frank Vogel and Steve Kerr’s respective squads, this year was no exception. Curry missed some time with a tailbone injury, but Thompson’s torn Achilles, James Wiseman’s torn meniscus, Kelly Oubre Jr.’s wrist ailment, Eric Paschall’s injured hip and Damion Lee’s continued absence because of lingering COVID-19 effects have torn holes in Golden State’s rotation.

The Lakers were most recently without Dennis Schroder because of COVID-19 protocols, and Marc Gasol’s status has been touch and go towards the end of the season with a finger injury, but most sorely missed its profilic frontcourt tandem of James and Davis throughout the season, perhaps explaining the defending champions’ fall from the upper echelon of the West.

James missed 20 games with a high ankle sprain before sitting for six more games in May with a reaggravation of the same ankle, even leaving Sunday’s season finale against the Pelicans early after a tweak. Davis missed 30 straight contests with Achilles tendinosis and a calf injury, but has recently returned to playing upwards of 40 minutes a game. To put these absences into context, Los Angeles is 8-10 (.444) this season without either of its All-Stars and 34-20 (.629) with either of the pair on the hardwood, while Golden State is 37-26 (.587) in games with Curry and 2-7 without (.222).

With mostly full squads expected for Wednesday – Oubre will not be available – the Lakers have had time to come together, but will be running into a veritable buzzsaw in the Warriors. Golden State is riding a six-game winning-streak and has the NBA scoring champion in tow with Curry. But as was the case when Curry and James faced off in the NBA Finals from 2015-18, the Warriors’ recent strength is in their numbers.

Andrew Wiggins has consistently scored around 20 points per game in his first full season in the Bay – including a 38-point outburst last Tuesday against Pheonix – and Draymond Green continues to effectively defend and run the floor. Third in the team in plus minus behind Green and Curry is Kent Bazemore, whose return to Golden State now includes starting two guard duties in Oubre’s absence.

Furthermore, Juan Toscano-Anderson has emerged from the brink of the rotation to provide a defensive edge and versatility which could prove useful against Los Angeles, and the Oakland product is shooting north of 40% from distance, as is Bazemore. With Wiseman’s injury, Kerr has relied on Kevon Looney – who has been a key cog in championship runs of the past – to defend and rebound as the starting center, which the UCLA product has done quite well as of late.

Aside from James and Davis, the Lakers boast an impressive rotation, with veterans like Gasol, Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope complementing 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and newly-acquired two-time All-Star Andre Drummond at center. Los Angeles’ two biggest stars pose the most obvious threat, but look out for Drummond, who has averaged a double-double this season and could challenge Looney’s groove down low.

And while Golden State is sure to look to involve other players, its success is still likely to hinge on Curry, and how successful Los Angeles is in stopping him. Curry averaged a career-high 32 points per game this season, and is fresh off becoming the first player in franchise history to win Western Conference Player of the Month in consecutive stanzas after getting the nod for May on Monday. The two-time MVP is likely to draw Schroder and a host of other Lakers on Wednesday, and what happens remains to be seen.

All we know is the Warriors have some improbable history as a No. 8 seed in the past, and another run could begin on Wednesday at 7 p.m.