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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.

Biggest goal for every Western Conference team in home stretch: Playoff position, health, lottery odds, more
Jasmyn Wimbish
Biggest goal for every Western Conference team in home stretch: Playoff position, health, lottery odds, more
Meanwhile, on the exact same date about 400 miles north, the Golden State Warriors had lost five straight games to sour what had been a blazing 12-3 start. The 36-year-old Curry was clearly struggling with what coach Steve Kerr called “abnormal” offensive responsibility as he averaged his fewest points per game since 2012 and lacked a secondary scorer to help make the Golden State offense tick.

At the trade deadline, however, both James and Curry received gifts — Luka Dončić and Jimmy Butler — that could ultimately extend their careers and further add to their seemingly unending lists of accolades. Since they began playing their new co-stars, both James and Curry have experienced significant boosts in production and efficiency, and the Lakers and Warriors look like legitimate threats in the Western Conference.

LeBron and Luka
James has been, for lack of a better word, a maniac since Dončić’s arrival. He has a 40-point game, plus separate lines of 33-17-6 and 28-13-3 while lighting it up from all over the floor. One of the biggest differences has been the ability for James to cede playmaking responsibility to Dončić who, along with Austin Reaves, gives the Lakers three ball-handlers capable of creating a good look for themselves or others on virtually every possession.

This allows James to relax and take a breather on some offensive possessions, a luxury that he frankly needs as a 40-year-old. Watch here as he camps out in the corner as Dončić works his magic on the opposite side of the floor. The result is the Nuggets defense basically forgetting about James on the weak side, which leads to an easy dunk. How often did we see a pre-Dončić defense completely abandon James, no matter where he was on the floor?

The results have spoken for themselves, with James flourishing in terms of both production and efficiency alongside his new running mate, and the Lakers are 7-2 since Dončić first suited up in a Lakers uniform.

LEBRON JAMES 2024-25 PTS REB AST FG% 3P%
Before Dončić trade 24.5 7.8 9.0 51.6% 39.1%
After Dončić trade 26.4 9.3 6.2 53.2% 39.1%
To the surprise of no one, James and Dončić have also developed an early chemistry in transition, leading to multiple easy buckets every game.

Even when James finally put up a dud with his 17-point, 6-for-17 shooting, eight-turnover performance against the Clippers on Sunday, Dončić was right there to pick him up with 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds. James was a minus-five in the box score, but his co-star more than made up for it with a plus-19 as the Lakers came away with the 108-102 win.

We always wonder how long James can possibly keep up this level of play with the number of basketball miles he’s put on his body over the last 20-plus years. By taking so much of the burden off of his shoulders, Dončić could help to extend James’ reign of dominance for multiple years. And as soon as this season, with the Lakers moving into the No. 2 seed in the West after Sunday’s win, he just might give James a shot at another championship ring to add to his collection.

Steph and Jimmy
There was no clearer illustration of how important Butler has been to the Warriors than a game in which he didn’t even play. Out with back spasms on Saturday, Butler watched as the Warriors lost to a hapless 76ers squad that had dropped 11 of their previous 12 games. In the 126-119 defeat, the Warriors scored — and this is a real statistic — 50 points per 100 possessions in 12 minutes with Curry on the bench. For reference, the Wizards have the league’s worst offense this season and they average more than double that number. Oh, and in the the 36 minutes that Curry was on the floor? Golden State put up an absurd offensive rating of 138.5.

It’s simply unfathomable to be that futile when a single player sits, but that’s what the Warriors had been dealing with all season prior to Butler’s arrival.

Warriors’ Stephen Curry torches Magic for 56 points on nine-year anniversary of iconic OKC game-winner
Brad Botkin
Warriors’ Stephen Curry torches Magic for 56 points on nine-year anniversary of iconic OKC game-winner
In the eight games that Butler has played, the Warriors are 7-1. And not only have they survived the non-Curry minutes — they’ve dominated them. Golden State has outscored opponents by nearly 11 points per 100 possessions with Curry on the bench, a figure that would have been considered a fantasy a month ago.

“Totally different than what it was before, where you felt a little pressure to create separation because we were trying to fill some holes in those minutes,” Curry recently said of Butler’s effect.

That release of pressure is visible, not just on Curry’s face and in his body language, but also in his performance. He’s averaged over 30 points since Butler’s arrival, highlighted by a vintage 56-point masterclass in Orlando last week in which he went 12 for 19 from behind the 3-point line. He even had enough energy in the tank to throw down his first dunk in six years against Philly on Saturday.

STEPH CURRY 2024-25 PTS REB AST FG% 3P%
Before Butler trade 22.7 4.5 6.1 43.1% 38.9%
After Butler trade 30.4 4.2 6.2 51.4% 42.6%
Butler’s playmaking (his impressive passing was the first thing Kerr noticed) and ability to get to the free-throw line give the Warriors a source of uncomplicated offense that they’ve desperately craved basically since Kevin Durant left. When all else fails, get Butler switched onto a mismatch, dump it into him and let him go to work. Simple and effective.

Since joining the Warriors, Butler is in the 94th percentile in offensive efficiency including assists, per Synergy Sports. He’s also turned the ball over just eight times in eight games, providing a sense of calm to Golden State’s typically chaotic style reminiscent of recent jersey retiree Andre Iguodala.

Kerr tries his best to keep Curry’s minutes down, but sometimes that strategy is diametrically opposed to winning basketball games. With Butler on board it seems much more feasible and could help Curry remain one of the most prolific guards in the NBA for years to come. And while the Warriors aren’t exactly a favorite to win the title even with Butler (despite Draymond Green’s bold proclamation), they’re certainly much more potent and formidable than they were before the deadline.

Actor and director Ben Stiller spent Sunday evening at the 97th Academy Awards, and even presented the production design award at the show. However, the “Severance” director’s focus clearly was elsewhere as he was still paying attention to his favorite basketball team.

While the Oscars were still unfolding, Stiller posted one of his common “KNICKS WIN” tweets on social media after his beloved New York Knicks defeated the Miami Heat 116-112 in overtime on Sunday.

Ben Stiller suffers a production mishap while presenting at the #Oscars. pic.twitter.com/jbJ8tZudYf

— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) March 3, 2025
It’s hard to imagine Stiller wasn’t consistently following all of the action at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Star guard Jalen Brunson lead the way for the Knicks with 31 points on 13 of 25 shooting, and helped rally New York back from a 19-point deficit.

Knicks guard OG Anunoby racked up 23 points, while big man Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 19 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Knicks to their third consecutive win.

Stiller has quite the track record of being one of the biggest Knicks fans around. Back in April 2024, Stiller spoke to ESPN about his Knicks fandom, and admitted he prefers to watch his team at home rather than sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden.

“I can then … shout or scream at the screen or whatever,” Stiller told ESPN. “And I find when I’m watching the game in public, I start releasing sounds that I’m not aware of when I’m alone.”

Stiller posts on X about the Knicks more than any other topic. The majority of Stiller’s social media posts pertain to what players may be playing well at that time for the Knicks, but he clearly keeps up with what the team is doing.

Every fanbase in the NBA, and perhaps all of sports, thinks it has a target on its back. Part of what drives the passion of this entire enterprise is the notion that it’s perpetually us against them, a whole league and ecosystem working against your favorites, because when they succeed, the obstacles along the way make it that much more satisfying. This is especially prevalent among bigger fanbases, and no team inspires more passion in the NBA than the Los Angeles Lakers. When a team has won 16 championships, it tends to develop some enemies along the way. That has made the fan base somewhat conspiracy-minded.

A notable theory that has sprung up amongst that fanbase in recent years is that opponents are so determined to beat them that injured players intentionally target Laker games for their returns. Just yesterday, for instance, Norman Powell returned from a five-game absence to face the Lakers. Two games earlier, it was Donte DiVincenzo, who had missed the previous 19 games. Before that, Dwight Powell, who had missed 16. LaMelo Ball played 10 total minutes in his last three games before the All-Star Game, but played 33 against the Lakers immediately afterward.

Obviously, injured players try to return to action as quickly as they can. Some fans just have a habit of noting how frequently those timelines tend to match up with Laker games. Luka Doncic, it seems, has joined them. The newest Laker noted after Sunday’s win against the Clippers that even he has a spotted the trend.

“I didn’t believe it before, but they say if somebody is out a long time, then they play against the Lakers,” Dončić said with a chuckle. “So I didn’t believe it at the time, but obviously it’s the Lakers, so I think that’s normal.”

Ironically, Dončić himself has contributed to this trend in a small way. Last season, he sprained an ankle in a Jan. 9 game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He proceeded to miss three games and then return on the road against the Lakers, dropping a 33-point triple-double in a losing effort.

Whether or not the trend is real over a significant sample would be all but impossible to track, but there’s a common sense element to its existence. Laker games are showcase opportunities for players. Those who enjoy nightlife want to travel to Los Angeles. If it at all makes sense for someone to play in a Laker game, they’re probably going to do it. The same is true for, say, the Timberwolves or Hornets, but those games don’t come with quite as much fanfare. True or not, Dončić did manage to earn some easy points with his new fans by echoing their grievance.

The Dallas Mavericks have been linked to many big names recently, including a Miami Heat All-Star.

They could even “act on trade rumors” surrounding a Los Angeles Lakers $101 million superstar. But suppose those two names aren’t realistic gets for the Mavs, a familiar face could be brought back for significantly less value.

Bleacher Report suggests Dallas trades for Dorian Finney-Smith of the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets have already started to kickstart their tanking process with the trade of Dennis Schroder, so it’s not unrealistic to assume that Finney-Smith will follow the point guard out in short order.

The Mavs have ranked second in offensive rating since Luka Doncic returned to the lineup on Dec. 1, but they could use the defensive help that DFS would be sure to provide. Teams need to have several wing defenders who can take on the challenge of guarding the opposing team’s best players, and there’s no shortage of elite perimeter scorers in the Western Conference.

The Mavs could face the likes of Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards in a seven-game series, but a potential defensive rotation of Finney-Smith, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, Quentin Grimes, Dereck Lively, and Daniel Gafford could make life difficult for their opponents.

A trade of Maxi Kleber, Jaden Hardy, and their 2025 first-round draft pick should be sufficient enough for a deal to materialize between both parties.

It’s understandable for Mavs fans to salivate at the possibility of landing big names, but their depth could be severely compromised if they go out and acquire a dream target.

Finney-Smith has familiarity with coach Jason Kidd’s system and can reliably space the floor with his three-point shooting, but the Mavs would be trading him primarily for his defense, which could be a huge difference-maker come postseason time.

Sometimes, it’s just not your night. And it wasn’t anyone’s night for the Warriors against the Grizzlies on Thursday.

Golden State suffered a crushing 144-93 loss to Memphis on the road, not helped by a demoralizing night for star guard Stephen Curry. Curry was held without a field goal for the first time since 2018, and he was joined by Draymond Green in the Warriors’ dismal all-around showing.

Kerr reveals Schröder will start in Warriors debut vs Grizzlies

Andrew Wiggins gave the Warriors some offense with 19 points and 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, but his performance wasn’t nearly enough to overcome a highly uncharacteristic night from his two-time MVP teammate.

Here’s a look at Curry’s stats from the loss to the Grizzlies.

MORE: 2024 NBA Cup All-Tournament Team

Curry was held without a field goal for the first time since 2018 and the seventh time in his career.

The other six instances were much more understandable, as Curry played 11 minutes or fewer in each of those previous contests without a made field goal. He played 24 on Thursday, only getting pulled early because the game was so out of reach.

Thursday’s loss also marked the first time Curry and Green were held without a field goal in the same game. Adding to the Warriors’ troubles was a similarly rough night from new addition Dennis Schroder, who shot just 2-12 from the field.

The Warriors’ starting lineup combined for only 28 points, 19 of which came from Wiggins. Curry, meanwhile, made the wrong kind of history:

Steph Curry is the first player in NBA history to:

— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) December 20, 2024
Curry entered Thursday averaging 23.0 points per game, his lowest mark in a full season since 2012-13 (he played just five games in 2019-20). Despite the subdued numbers, though, his efficiency has been steady. Curry shot 45.2% from the field through his first 20 games, almost identical to last season’s mark, and he is still shooting a touch better from 3-point range than he did last season.

The Warriors (14-12) have faltered since their red-hot start to the year, losing nine of their last 11 games and dropping to 10th in the West as of Thursday night.

The Washington Wizards are in the middle of another terrible season. After finishing with the worst record in franchise history last season, Washington is on pace to be even worse this year.

The Wizards currently hold a 4-21 record, the worst in the NBA. Because of this, they are expected to be major sellers before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Washington will likely trade away their veteran pieces to add more draft capital and young talent to build around for the future.

Highlights: Jerzy Robinson leads Sierra Canyon over Vanden in high school girls basketball

One Wizards player who has been drawing interest from multiple teams is Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma is averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game this season, shooting 42.0% from the field and 27.6% from three.

After putting together the best season of his career last year, Kuzma’s numbers have declined drastically this year. Despite this, he has been gaining interest from many teams around the league.

Forbes’ Evan Sidery recently reported that the Wizards have lowered their asking price for Kuzma. Last season they were hoping to receive two first-round picks in a possible trade, but now it may take just one pick and a prospect to acquire the 29-year-old forward.

Sidery also mentioned in the report that the Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers are among the teams showing interest in Kuzma.

With the Wizards lowering their asking price for Kuzma, it is a signal that they are ready to move on from him this season. It also does not help that he has not performed well this season, drastically hurting his trade value.

The Wizards are trying to rebuild around their young core of Bilal Coulibaly, Alexandre Sarr and Carlton Carrington, so Kuzma along with other veterans on their roster such as Jonas Valančiūnas, Malcolm Brogdon and even Jordan Poole could be on the move this season.

The Golden State Warriors have remained an active participant in recent trade discussions as the Feb. 6 trade deadline quickly approaches.

Golden State currently holds a 14-11 record while holding onto the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. After beginning the season with a 12-3 record through 15 games and obtaining the No. 1 seed in the West, the team has suffered a skid that could be attributed to a lack of size and offensive skill at the center position.

This has given the Warriors a great reason to scour the trade market for a surging center on a selling team looking to acquire draft capital and prospects in exchange for their star in the frontcourt.

Recent reports have indicated that Golden State is following this exact plan, with their general manager Mike Dunleavy presumed to have contacted the Chicago Bulls’ front office to discuss the possibility of landing their exploding former All-Star center, Nikola Vučević.

“The Warriors have recently checked in with the Bulls on Nikola Vučević,” Forbes’ Evan Sidery reported via Twitter/X Thursday night.

“Golden State has the necessary expiring salaries and draft capital to make a potential deal work with Chicago.”

In his fourteenth NBA season at 34 years old, Vučević is putting together a resurgent campaign in 2024-25.

The 6-foot-10 Swiss center is currently averaging 21.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists paired with a career-best 47.5% shooting clip from three-point range.

For all intents and purposes, Vučević’s value is as high as it’s been in the last handful of seasons.

Due to these developments, it would make complete sense for Chicago to see what kind of future assets they could obtain from Golden State by giving them a frontcourt star that can stretch out to the three-point line and display sufficient passing abilities.

The two-time All-Star will be under contract for this season and next, but will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027. This makes the star center a likely half-season rental, but one that could make all the difference in the team’s chances of title contention.

In a potential deal to acquire Vučević, Golden State would likely have to give up a package including prospects like Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski or even Jonathan Kuminga along with first-round draft capital.

The Brooklyn Nets currently hold an 11-16 record and are positioned as the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. Though the franchise sits five games below .500, their surprise placement as a Play-In Tournament team was not where they projected to be 27 games into the season.

After recently finalizing a trade to send point guard Dennis Schröder to the Golden State Warriors in return for three second-round draft picks and guard De’Anthony Melton Sunday morning, the Nets are now looking to continue their fire sale of valued assets.

Highlights: Jerzy Robinson leads Sierra Canyon over Vanden in high school girls basketball

Next on the list of highly likely trade candidates, forward Cameron Johnson looks to be in line to end up with a new home before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. This comes at a great time for Brooklyn as Johnson is putting together one of his most dominant stretches as a member of the franchise, doing plenty to raise his value to new heights.

Due to his recent explosion in production for Brooklyn, recent reports indicate that buying teams looking to compete for a title are lining up to make offers for the 6-foot-8 sharp-shooting forward.

“Cam Johnson is putting together a career-best stretch amidst significant trade interest,” Forbes’ Evan Sidery shared via Twitter/X Friday morning.

“24.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 68.2 TS%, 45.8 3PT%. The Nets have a robust market developing from contending teams willing to pay up for Johnson.”

Johnson’s season averages show career-best figures across the board, including his 19.2 points and blistering 43.1% shooting clip from three-point range on 7.6 attempts.

Not only is Johnson’s progression as an incredibly efficient offensive weapon a promising sight for his potential suitors, but his reputation as a versatile defender with great agility for his frame makes him more attractive to front offices around the Association.

Johnson’s most rumored destinations have been the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, but plenty of other contenders could potentially make a run at the 28-year-old with postseason D.N.A. from his experience playing in the 2021 NBA Finals as a member of the Phoenix Suns.

The Golden State Warriors currently hold a 14-12 record and are positioned as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference on the heels of three consecutive losses to some of the conference’s best competition in the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies.

Their most recent defeat at the hands of Memphis Thursday night came in the form of a brutal 144-93 pummeling where the Grizzlies connected on a franchise record 27 three-pointers on a 56.3% shooting clip from distance.

Highlights: Jerzy Robinson leads Sierra Canyon over Vanden in high school girls basketball

Golden State came out flat from the beginning in what was supposed to be a momentous occasion, as their recent trade acquisition Dennis Schröder made his highly anticipated debut with the franchise.

Even after adding an offensive weapon and competitive defender in Schröder, Golden State couldn’t stop the Grizzlies from getting whatever they wanted when either attacking the basket or pulling up from long range.

In the aftermath of their horrible performance Thursday, the Warriors’ general manager Mike Dunleavy could be tempted to pick up the phone and contact the New Orleans Pelicans to inquire about their defensive prodigy and improving contributor on offense, Herb Jones.

The 26-year-old was taken with the No. 35 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by New Orleans, and he’s since become an All-Defensive First Team selection and fifth-place finisher in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Last season, Jones proved to be one of the best defensive players in all of the Association while simultaneously knocking down 41.8% of his attempts from three-point range for New Orleans.

With the injury-riddled Pelicans currently sporting the worst record in the Western Conference at 5-23, it’s been rumored that Jones could be available for trade as the team may opt to hit the reset button.

Jones’ efficiency from the field has dropped considerably this season, but his defensive consistency and career-best 1.8 steals could make him an incredibly attractive option for Golden State.

In their last five contests, the Warriors possess the NBA’s No. 27 defensive rating with a figure of 119.9.

This output will not be conducive to title contention or extending the championship window of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green unless Dunleavy can pull off a desperately needed trade to bring in reinforcements on the defensive side of the floor.

In a potential deal for Jones, the Warriors would likely give up prospects like Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody while also supplying New Orleans with sufficient draft compensation to assist in their rebuilding process.