The Lebron James vs. Steph Curry rivalry explained: Do they hate each other?

As LeBron James and Stephen Curry prepare to face off once more for the NBA title, their rivalry continues to be perceived as one of the most recognizable and celebrated rivalries in all of sports.

These two former MVPs have been head-to-head in terms of their achievements on the court, battling it out for the title of the best player in the NBA. But while the competition between the two superstars has been pretty evident when they’re out there playing, many wonder whether that rivalry is only limited to the court or if there is genuine hostility between the two off the court.

Related: Lakers vs Warriors game 2: how to watch on TV, stream online | NBA playoffs

What do James and Curry think of each other?

Between 2015 and 2018, when LeBron was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he and Curry met four consecutive times in the playoffs. And even though Curry holds the edge (15-7, 3-1) as far as games and series won in the playoffs, King James has “nothing but the utmost respect” for Curry.

“He puts in the work. If you put in the work, nine times out of ten, you’re gonna see results, and he’s done that throughout his whole entire career,” said LeBron. “It’s great to have people like that in this league, that set an example for generations to come.”

“You’ve seen some of those routine shots Steph was making in Game 7, and everybody was going crazy,” LeBron continued gushing. “That’s just Steph. When you’re that great, you make tough shots like that.”

It is clear that James, who has won four NBA titles with three different teams and four MVP awards, values Curry as a person, both on and off the court.

“We’re two of the most competitive players to ever play this game,” said LeBron. “We wanna etch our names in the history books as much as we can, playing in our own way.”

Related:

On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors’ point guard has been quite careful with how he describes his rivalry with the King. In an interview with ESPN in 2018, the now 35-year-old made it clear he was only focused on winning, regardless of who was on the other side.

“He’s in the way of me getting another trophy, and I was in the way the last three years, and you battle it out. So beyond that, we’re two totally different people and a lot of different things going on. We’re in different times in our careers and things like that, so I don’t take it any further than that.”

Curry, the only player to win four rings and two MVP awards without winning a single vote,

The Lakers won Game 1 of their conference semi-finals series against the Golden State, 117-112. While it was an intense game, James and the Lakers ultimately won after surviving a 14-0 Warriors run that concluded with a Curry 3-pointer to tie it 112-112 with 1:38 remaining.

Los Angeles has now re-taken home-court advantage in the series but has a thrilling Game 2 to get to in the Bay.