Whether it’s the occasion or the need to perform on Christmas Day, fans of the sport ultimately benefit from scintillating games on the trot. The vintage rivalry of Stephen Curry and LeBron James came alive tonight. The crowd lit up and watched each moment of the marvelous battle. But to the Warriors it meant a lot more. This could have been the game that helped them bounce from a horrific slump. Curry, in particular, wanted to make sure of it.

He tried his hardest. The Chef recorded his highest tally of points on Christmas, scoring a game-high 38 points which included eight threes. That was his on-court effort. However, before the game began, the 36-year-old attempted to inspire his teammates. The message was known before Curry took the initiative. But Curry lending his voice meant that the locker room resonated and rallied behind the thought.

According to Anthony Slater, center Trayce Jackson-Davis spoke about the “player-led meeting pregame”.

Stephen Curry took the mantle to signify just how vital the game against the Lakers would be for the struggling Warriors. The bottom line was “this can go one way or the other“.

The intensity to turn things around came to the forefront in the first quarter. The Bay had an eight-point lead in the opening minutes. But then the problems struck once again. Defensively, the Warriors fell apart. Austin Reaves played a big hand adding 10 assists in a triple-double showing at the Chase Center.

This marked their 6th home loss in the past 14 games. December has been a tragic month. The Bay was once the third seed and is now just one game over .500. Likewise, Dub Nation’s heart would have sank especially with how Stephen Curry performed. Curry nearly pulled the game back single-handedly in the fourth quarter.

Only a two-point margin separated the two teams in the thriller.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry run back the clock

In the first quarter, one moment incited relief and devastation in the opposing fan bases. Dub Nation must have been celebrating inside as they watched Anthony Davis, a rightful MVP candidate, suffer an ankle injury. AD being as imposing as he has been this season, Lakers fans felt their lifeline slowly slip away.

What it set the stage for was another LeBron James vs Stephen Curry classic. The two long-standing rivals had to dig deep to ensure their sides emerged victorious. The Akron Hammer resorted to playing consistently throughout the game. While controlling the flow and dictating the action, James added 31 points and 10 assists. It marked his third straight game of scoring 25+ points.

His stable production in each quarter helped the Los Angeles Lakers build a respectful lead. But James has said it before. With Curry on the floor, “no lead is safe”. In the final quarter, Curry made one last-ditch effort in a bid to bring the Warriors from the dead. He poured in 17 points, bringing the Warriors all the way back and tied with six seconds remaining.

Then Austin Reaves stepped up for the Purple and Gold. Without Davis, his triple-double supported LeBron James greatly for a winning act. And with seconds remaining, he drove for the layup to take the two-point advantage and seal a win against the Warriors. It left Stephen Curry with his shoulders down.

However, after the final buzzer, both he and James hugged it out after giving the fans an electric show once again.