Arnab Bose

NBA

WATCH: LeBron James Beats Stephen Curry At His Own Game At 39

LeBron James and Stephen Curry hail from the same town, Akron, Ohio. And what they have been able to accomplish on the biggest stage has been quite unprecedented. Both are basketball royalties in their own rights. Who thought someday somebody would challenge the greatness of Michael Jordan? Then came Kobe Bryant, who became the successor of MJ, dominating the league. But neither MJ nor the great Kobe Bryant could break the all-time scoring record of the Lakers Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Finally, it came down to the kid from Akron, Ohio, who took the league by storm ever since he made his NBA debut. Back in 2003, LeBron James was the number one overall pick from the NBA draft. Eventually, he became the new King of the league.

He challenged the greatness of both MJ and Kobe. Moreover, King James won four NBA titles and, in 2023, broke the 38-year-old all-time scoring record of the ‘Captain.’ On the other hand, the skinny kid from Akron, Ohio, became the three-point King. There is no better shooter at present and even in the past than the great Stephen Curry. But LBJ and Steph have an intense rivalry that reminds the old folks of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain’s rivalry and also the great Magic Johnson and Larry Bird’s rivalry. Meanwhile, in 2024, the two kids from Akron, Ohio, are in their late 30s. Lately, LeBron James has managed to beat Stephen Curry at his own game. 

   

LeBron James Has Better Success Rate In Three-point Shooting Than Stephen Curry This Season

LeBron James Stephen Curry
LeBron James Stephen Curry Source: Marca.com

King James is still the face of the NBA as he is dominating the 21st season of his career. Very few players can come close to the dedication and longevity of the all-time scoring leader. In the ongoing season, LeBron James is just trying to improve his numbers. On Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-104. Specifically, LeBron James had a great game against the Nets, as he scored 40 points. In the process, he managed to beat his arch-rival, Steph Curry, at his game. While throwing from the three-point range, LeBron James had a 41.6% success rate. He surpassed Kyrie Irving, who has a 41.1% success rate, and Stephen Curry has a 40.3%. The other Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, has a 38.2% success rate while shooting three-pointers.

Clearly, LeBron James is outshooting the three-point King in the ongoing season. Moreover, LBJ broke Magic Johnson’s Lakers record of most 30+ games, including the playoffs. The all-time scoring leader even impressed his partner in basketball crime, Anthony Davis, with his performance against the Nets. In the post-game interview, AD mentioned, “The way LBJ shot it tonight was absolutely masterful.” What AD liked more about those three-point shots was that none of them hit the rim. That’s why it was even more beautiful to watch. According to Dave McMenamin, LeBron James mentioned in the post-game interview that he wants to get respect. Hence, teams will have to play him from the outside. 

How Long Does LBJ Think He Can Keep Playing Like That? 

LeBron James Lakers
LeBron James Lakers Source: GQ

Although Stephen Curry made more threes overall this season, LBJ did better scoring those. Later, LeBron James talked about what he wanted to improve about his game. In reply, the all-time scoring leader mentioned that his goal is to improve his game to the point where he has no weaknesses, especially in the offense.

Moreover, LeBron James mentioned that he does not have a long time left to play the game in this league. Adding to that, LBJ said, “Clearly, I’m not playing for another 21 years.” He does not know when the door closes. But he is certain that he does not have much time left. Next year, the kid from Akron, Ohio, will turn 40.

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