Warriors-Lakers opener: Steph, LeBron write next chapter in storied rivalry
Warriors have their eyes set on larger goals after last season's playoff
chase came up short
>LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los
Angeles Lakers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State
Warriors during the first half at Staples Center on January 18, 2021 in
Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and
agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is
consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License
Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by
Harry How/Getty Images)
>LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los
Angeles Lakers is guarded by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State
Warriors during the first half at Staples Center on January 18, 2021 in
Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and
agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is
consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License
Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by
Harry How/Getty Images)
By EVAN WEBECK | ewebeck@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: October 19, 2021 at 3:01 p.m. | UPDATED: October 19, 2021 at
3:26 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/10/19/steph-lebron-write-next-chapter-in-storied-rivalry/

LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors returned Tuesday to Staples
Center, where almost five months ago to the day, they had their
postseason dreams swiped by LeBron and the Lakers, in front of Stephen
Curry’s outstretched hand.

Sitting beneath the basket where James’ fateful shot fell through,
Draymond Green said Tuesday before tipoff that the end to last season,
when the Warriors’ playoff chase came to a crushing end in two play-in
tournament losses, isn’t a motivating factor going into this year. He’s
dreaming bigger.

“Not one bit,” Green said. “I didn’t think about it, so it couldn’t have
motivated me. It didn’t motivate me at all, actually. I didn’t think
about it one time, like, ‘Damn, that play-in game loss.’ … I just hate
losing.”

To wind back the tape: A blurry-eyed James — in such a condition after
Green’s errant finger stuck him in the eye — sank a dagger from 38 feet
with a minute to go. The Warriors couldn’t muster another basket, and
Memphis ended Golden State’s season two days later.

It was just the second time since Green and Curry joined forces that
Golden State had missed the postseason, both missed chances coming twice
in a row. The Warriors’ presence in the playoffs had been all but
written in stone since 2012-13, until they didn’t make the cut for the
bubble two seasons ago.

Warriors brass saw the result and decided to retool. They added shooters
on the wings in Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelicia and parted ways
with Kelly Oubre and Kent Bazemore.

“We put everything out on the line, then we reassessed this summer and
shifted our roster a little bit,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Now we’re
excited about this coming season.”

James got the best of Curry in last year’s play-in game, but it only
added to the storied rivalry between the two superstars. Curry had 37
points, but James had the iconic shot and the win.

“Last year’s play-in game felt like a Finals game to a lot of us,” Kerr
said. “It was just an epic game. But one you wouldn’t otherwise think
much of (as) an 8-9 play-in matchup.”

One day, there will be a documentary about the rivalry, Kerr said.
Curry’s Warriors and James’ Cavaliers faced off in the NBA Finals four
straight years, from 2015 to 2018.

“Rivalries between great players that are going at it in the Finals
multiple years, to me, that’s what makes great individual rivalries,”
Kerr said. “I think years from now there will be a ‘30 For 30’ or ‘Last
Dance’ or whatever, there will be a documentary on the rivalry.”

They began to author its next chapter in Tuesday’s season opener. Both
teams, however, know June — or in last season’s case, May — is when the
rivalry is really written.

With James now in Los Angeles, the rivalry’s biggest moments now must
come before the Finals.

A Western Conference Finals meeting is as high-stakes as the rivalry’s
next chapter can get. Could it be LeBron’s Big Three versus Curry and
his supporting cast again?

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In Green’s words, “fighting for that gold ball, that’s where real
rivalries are created.”

Green will be satisfied with nothing less after sitting at home the past
two postseasons.

“I think there’d better be some pressure on us,” Green said. “We can’t
miss the playoffs. We’ve missed ‘em two years in a row now.”

He says the Warriors, despite their 5-0 preseason, have a long way to go.

“Our aspiration is to win a championship, absolutely,” he said. “But
this team is nowhere near a championship team. … I think this team can
be very good, but I think this team has to grow. We have to put it all
together.”

--
Evan Webeck | Reporter
Evan Webeck covers high-school sports on the field and beyond — and a
little bit of everything else — for the Bay Area News Group. A Pacific
Northwest native and graduate of Arizona State, Evan has previously
worked for The Seattle Times, MLB.com and Sports Illustrated.