Following the Warriors Game 1 loss to the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals, Steph Curry talks about the differences between facing LeBron James in 2018 vs. today.
There is an outside chance that one day, Steph Curry could be talked about in the same breath as LeBron James.
Both are considered to be two of the greatest NBA players of all time and have an extensive history playing against one another, with Curry defeating James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in three out of four Finals appearances from 2015 to 2018.
The two are facing off once again, as Curry and the Warriors trail James and the Los Angeles Lakers 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals after Los Angeles' 117-112 win over Golden State in Game 1 on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes, that if Curry defeats James in the current series and goes on to win his fifth championship this summer, Curry might replace James as one of the four greatest players in NBA history.
"If Steph Curry beats LeBron in this series, and dare I say, wins his fifth NBA championship, we might have to remove LeBron James off of Mount Rushmore and put Steph Curry on it," Smith said Wednesday on "First Take". "That's right, I said it."
Smith currently considers Michael Jordan, James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell to be the four greatest players in that order. Although he claims James to be a better all-around player than Curry, Smith believes Curry's five championships and his history against James in the playoffs make the conversation at least worth having.
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"I believe LeBron is the second-best player in the history of basketball," Smith added. "This ain't about throwing any shade on him, this is about elevating Steph. And I'm looking at Steph, you're 3-1 against him in the Finals. ... He would have one title more than LeBron. Three of those titles he beat LeBron.
"I'm not saying Steph Curry belongs on it, I'm saying it's a discussion if he beats LeBron and he wins a fifth (championship)," Smith explained. "It's a discussion that somebody can't just dismiss. You still might go with LeBron, because LeBron is obviously is a more complete all-around player. But the point is, you have to have the discussion if that happens."
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James and Jordan are widely considered to be the two greatest players in the history of the league and debate surrounding the greatest player of all time oftentimes comes down to those two.
However, if Curry continues his dominance over James in the postseason, is there an argument to be made for the Warriors superstar?