Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors faced LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals for the third consecutive time in 2017. Both teams have won one title apiece, but it was bound to change when the series was finally over.
The series’ storyline was centered around the epic trilogy, but the Curry-James rivalry was also gaining traction. Heading into the Finals that year, Curry was asked if his rivalry with LBJ already had a Muhammad Ali vs.Joe Frazier vibe.
“For sure,” Curry acknowledged. “It’s the ultimate rubber match, right? There’s kind of no debate after this who the better team is, on this stage. Both teams, I know, are going to give it everything we’ve got.
“It’s an adrenaline-filled series that, as a basketball player, you come to training camp in October, this is what you dream about playing, on this stage … you’ve got to do whatever you’ve got to do to be the last man standing,” he added.
Steph and the Dubs rubbed it in
Unfortunately for the James and the Cavs, they failed to win back-to-back titles. The Warriors dominated them and closed the series out in five games.
At that point, it was clear that Steph had one-upped James. However, many were convinced that the rivalry was far from over and that the Cavs would bounce back stronger once again, just like they did in the second Finals showdown with the Dubs in 2016.
True to form, the Warriors and the Cavs met in the Finals for the fourth time in a row. The atmosphere was electric once again. However, the outcome proved that the Warriors were undeniably the better team. It’s also worth noting that the Dubs swept LeBron and the Cavs that year.
Despite losing, James’ individual performance deserved recognition. He averaged 33.6 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the series. Curry also had a monster series, averaging 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 2.2 steals in five games.
Even though the rivalry was between Curry and LeBron, Kevin Durant made the difference. In that series, KD led all scorers with 35.2 points per game. He also averaged 8.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game to be crowned the Finals MVP.
Curry vs. LeBron is still on
It has been 10 years since Curry and James first took on each other in the Finals. As it stands, both iconic players have already cemented their legacies as future Hall of Famers. In fact, some are already buzzing about their retirement.
However, some still believe Curry and LeBron might meet again and pick up where they left off. However, the chances of it happening are getting slimmer as they age.
“Steph Curry and LeBron James, it’s simple, they are the two monolithic figures in today’s game. For straight Finals appearances about a decade ago. Anyone who tuned in to Christmas Day last year can still recognize they still make it is must-see TV and their rivalry is not a renewable resource,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin once said. “There’s limited amount of opportunities that we have left to see these two guys still battle it out. “
As Curry and James head to the 2025-26 season, it would be interesting to see if they face off in a thrilling playoff showdown once again.