LeBron James, Stephen Curry rejuvenated and prolific after trade deadline moves for Luka Dončić, Jimmy Butler
CBSN
James and Curry are both thriving next to their newly acquired co-stars
One's the greatest player of his generation. The other's the most influential. One's the all-time leader in points scored. The other's the all-time leader in made 3-pointers. Both have four titles. Both should be unanimous Hall of Fame selections.
Inextricably linked for basketball eternity due to four straight NBA Finals battles and countless other memorable head-to-head matchups, LeBron James and Stephen Curry are still performing at All-NBA levels despite reaching the point in their careers when most have long since hung up the sneakers. But don't let recency bias cloud your memory. Just a few months ago, there were legitimate discussions about both James and Curry entering the twilight of their careers rather than continuing to push the limits of an extended prime.
The word "washed" was unfairly thrown around for both legends earlier this season. On Dec. 4, following a five-game stretch in which he went 1 for 23 from 3-point range, James' season stats were (relatively) ugly -- 22 points per game on 34% 3-point shooting. Usually a plus-minus king, James was having a glaringly negative effect on the Los Angeles Lakers' success, with the team's net rating falling by a shocking 13.5 points in his minutes. At that point, the Lakers were 12-10 and it looked like the Play-In was an unavoidable part of their future.
