OKLAHOMA CITY — In the fashionable NBA, spectators put star gamers’ legacies on the line during the playoffs with every dribble they take.
And within a playoff collection, there’s a pure comparability between star gamers.
The Lakers-Thunder second-round matchup options two of the largest names in the league despite Luka Doncic (left hamstring pressure) still being sidelined getting into Tuesday’s Game 1 at Paycom Center.
The battle between LeBron James and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will go a good distance towards deciding who advances to the Western Conference finals between the Lakers and Thunder. NBAE via Getty Images
On the Lakers’ facet, you have LeBron James, the 41-year-old, four-time league MVP who continues to redefine what the latter phases of a player’s NBA profession can look like.
And on the Thunder’s facet, you have the reigning and likely-to-be-two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who led the defending NBA champions to a league-best 64-win common season.
With Doncic sidelined, collection like Lakers-Thunder could be saddled with the “passing of the torch” narrative.
But that isn’t the case at all: Gilgeous-Alexander firmly has “the torch” in a manner James hasn’t in a while.
Gilgeous-Alexander claimed “the torch” when he led the Thunder to a franchise-best 68-win season in 2024-25 before receiving his first league MVP.
He grew to become the eleventh player in league historical past and, satirically, the first since James, to win the common season and Finals MVP in the same season (which James did in back-to-back-years in 2012-13).
With respect to Nikola Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander is the greatest player in the league, with the alternative to make even more historical past this postseason.
There’s no debating that Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the greatest player in the world, and he has a likelihood to further his legacy against LeBron James and the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
In an period outlined by parity, Gilgeous-Alexander is wanting to lead the Thunder previous the Lakers and back to the Western Conference finals, which could make them the first defending champions to qualify for that spherical since the 2018-19 Warriors.
And if Gilgeous-Alexander leads the Thunder to turning into the first team since the 2018 Warriors to win back-to-back titles while profitable common season and Finals MVP again? He’d join James (2012-13) and Michael Jordan (1991-92) as the only gamers in league historical past to do so (it’s necessary to observe that the Finals MVP was created in 1969, which was the closing season of Bill Russell’s profession).
He could join James, Jordan, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only gamers to win Finals MVP in back-to-back seasons.
What’s at stake for Gilgeous-Alexander is far better than what’s at stake for James: Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 28 in July, is in the midst of his prime. He could be placing collectively one of the biggest stretches by a player in consecutive seasons in league historical past. There should be a lot more chapters to write about his story.
James was the greatest player in the world for a decade, and now Gilgeous-Alexander has taken his crown. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the other hand, James’ legacy is solidified.
Four NBA titles, and 4 Finals MVPs. Four regular-season MVPs. A league-record 22-time All-Star and 21-time All-NBA honoree. The league’s report holder for most factors and minutes performed.
But in a profession that’s unprecedented, James can accomplish something that’s even rarer for a star: Snatch “the torch” back during the latter stage of his profession, even for a second, by outplaying the league’s greatest player in a playoff collection victory.
Usually when the window for a star to be the main man on a title-contending team closes, it stays shut. James wasn’t the greatest player during the common season, with Doncic and Reaves main the manner.
But he was during the first-round collection against the Rockets with Doncic sidelined and Reaves out for 4 of the six video games. And he still will be for the begin of the collection against the Thunder.
The closest comparability to what James can do is what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did in 1985, when he grew to become the oldest player in league historical past to win Finals MVP (38). The Lakers beat the defending champion Celtics, who were led by the then back-to-back MVP Larry Bird.
The stakes were clearly much greater because it was a Finals matchup between iconic rivals.
But the conditions were also much totally different.
Abdul-Jabbar was just 5 years eliminated from profitable his last MVP award in 1980, and only a 12 months eliminated from receiving All-NBA first team honors, which he did again in 1986 for the closing time.
Widely thought of one of the biggest basketball gamers of all time, LeBron James has a likelihood to show he’s still among the greatest in immediately’s sport despite being 41 years outdated. NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been 13 years since James last won an MVP, and six years since he last acquired All-NBA first team honors.
Abdul-Jabbar was teammates with Magic Johnson, who completed forward of him in the 1984-85 common season MVP voting, in the midst of his prime.
With Doncic out, James’ greatest teammate is Reaves, who’s coming off an injury-riddled All-Star-caliber season, with the greatest teammates after Reaves not being comparable to the “Showtime” Lakers roster.
The Thunder should win this collection.
The problem in entrance of James is one that hasn’t been performed before.
Which would make it all the more spectacular if he’s ready to pull off another uncommon feat against the league’s greatest.
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