LeBron James, Stephen Curry To Meet Again In First Playoff Matchup Since 2018

The Golden State Warriors' quest to grab their fifth championship in eight years remains alive after Stephen Curry put together another all-time performance to advance to the second round, where an all too familiar foe awaits.

Curry made sure that his Warriors were not going to be denied a shot at extending their dynasty when they beat the Sacramento Kings, 120-100, in Game 7 Sunday. He poured in 50 points on an afternoon where he went 20-for-38 in the field, knocking down seven of his 18 three-point attempts in the process.

Outside of the victory, Curry's 50 points are the most in NBA history in a Game 7 situation, surpassing Kevin Durant's 48 markers as a member of the Brooklyn Nets against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA playoffs.

The Kings very much stayed in step with the Warriors throughout the first half and had even won the first half by a narrow margin of just two points. However, the Warriors quickly showed why betting against them in a do-or-die situation is not the smartest decision.

Entering Game 7 as plus-100 underdogs, according to oddsmakers, Golden State gave Sacramento a third quarter to forget.

Curry led the way with 14 points, while co-star Klay Thompson chipped in with nine of his own. The Warriors' defense ensured the Kings would have more questions than answers entering the final frame by winning the third quarter, 35-23, with a 10-point lead in the Warriors' favor.

The 2022 NBA Finals MVP dropped 16 of his 50 markers in the fourth quarter and will now face a motivated Los Angeles Lakers team led by all-time great LeBron James.

James and the Lakers were on the receiving end of memorable trash talk from Memphis Grizzlies personnel but had the last laugh when they sent them packing in Game 6 with a 40-point beatdown Friday.

This season, James and Curry had only gone head-to-head in the Oct. 18, 2022, season-opener, where the Warriors dominated the Lakers, 123-109.

After 43 total matchups dating back to Nov. 17, 2009, both men enter the all-important matchup this week with 10 regular season wins apiece, while Curry has the advantage in playoff victories (15-7).

It will not be a walk in the park for either team. The Lakers have found themselves completely healthy for the first time in a long time with a retooled roster in tow, while the Warriors remain the boogeymen of the NBA despite being the sixth seed.

The last time James and Curry met in the playoffs was in 2018 when the former was still a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers and was handily swept by Golden State, which had Kevin Durant leading the way.

Though Curry is putting up MVP-caliber performances in the playoffs, their hopes of repeating as champions face a James-sized roadblock once again.

Game 1 takes place at the Chase Center in Oakland, California, Tuesday.