On Saturday in San Francisco’s Chase Center, LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers defeated Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors 145-144 in double overtime in an instant classic featuring two of the NBA’s all-time superstars and rivals in peak form.
James ended with a triple-double of 36 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists. He won the game by making two free throws with one second left. James’ 20 boards were a career record for a regular season game for the 21-year veteran, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Both players performed heroics during regulation and overtime.
Curry made a layup with six seconds left in regulation, forcing an extra session.
In the first overtime period, James scored six points and Curry had five. With seven seconds remaining, Klay Thompson hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 130 and force a second overtime.
Once there, Curry (eight points) and James (six) traded buckets once again. After James’ free throws, the Warriors were in a difficult situation with no timeouts remaining. Golden State was unable to get a shot off in time, and Los Angeles won the game.
Draymond Green had a near-triple double for the Warriors, scoring eight points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, and his team outscored the Lakers by 31 points. Klay Thompson finished with 24 points, while Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga both had 22.
The tale of both clubs’ seasons has been one of disappointment, with the Lakers lingering around 500 and the Warriors currently outside of the playoff picture.
However, for one night, fans, experts, and at least one NBA icon were able to see the grandeur of two stars and their teammates trading haymakers in a magnificent game.