The Lakers may have lost the season series against the Warriors 3-1 after Tuesday’s 134-120 defeat, but the epic battle between LeBron James and Steph Curry rages on. In the latest episode of his podcast, LeBron offered a candid explanation to co-host JJ Redick on why guarding the league’s most lethal shooter is a nightmare scenario.
“I didn’t look at the ball the whole fing time…The ball is not the problem with Steph Curry. He’s the fing problem,” James said emphatically on The Mind the Game. He revealed the Lakers did video analysis breaking down one of Curry’s open threes in a recent loss. “Steph is the most dangerous when he doesn’t have the ball.”
LeBron understands better than most the unique predicament Curry’s gravity presents. “There’s not many guys, all time, in our league that is the most dangerous without the ball.”
The four-time champion tried drilling this point home to his Laker teammates: “I’m telling them, ‘Listen guys, I’ve been in more than enough wars with those guys.’ You have to have reps, reps, reps, and reps of actually guarding something that’s uncomfortable. Guarding Steph is uncomfortable.”
James went on to explain why even experienced pros struggle to cope with the Warriors’ unorthodox, Curry-centered style. “The problem with our guys, with our league, they are not comfortable with being uncomfortable. That’s why Steph and the Golden State will always be relevant because they play an uncomfortable style of play.”
When asked if he outright hates facing Golden State’s motion offense, LeBron admitted “I hate it when you don’t have the personnel to match up. I hate it.”
This season’s chess match between the two all-time greats may get an epic finale, as the Lakers and Warriors are headed towards a tantalizing Play-In matchup. Containing the “problem” that is Steph Curry will be LeBron’s greatest challenge yet.
