Steph Curry and LeBron James are no strangers to postseason battles, with the two having faced one another in the NBA Finals for four straight seasons from 2015 to 2018.
This, however, will be a new kind of battle, as Steph's Golden State Warriors take on LeBron's Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA's first Play-In Tournament. The winner clinches the seventh seed and a first-round matchup with the No. 2 Phoenix Suns. The loser takes on either the Grizzlies or the Spurs in a do-or-die game for the eighth seed on Friday.
When the NBA designed this year's playoff format, it's unlikely they envisioned the Lakers taking on the Warriors. Yet, here we are with a dream matchup between two of the league's marquee teams with unprecedented playoff implications on the line.
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Here's how to watch:
When: Wednesday, May 19
Where: Staples Center -- Los Angeles, Calif.
Start time: 10 p.m. ET
Golden State Warriors
TV channel: ESPN, steaming on Watch ESPN
Warriors vs. Lakers projected starting lineups:
Warriors
• Steph Curry
• Kent Bazemore
• Andrew Wiggins
• Draymond Green
• Kevon Looney
Lakers
• Dennis Schroder
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• LeBron James
• Anthony Davis
• Andre Drummond
Warriors vs. Lakers betting odds:
The Lakers are -5.5 favorites over the Warriors, per PointsBet. The Lakers' odds to win the NBA championship are +500, while the Warriors are +10000.
Warriors vs. Lakers season series:
Warriors 115, Lakers 113 -- Jan. 18
The Warriors erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to rally for the victory over the full-strength Lakers. Curry had 26 points and seven assists, and Wiggins added 18 points. Schroder had 25 for the Lakers, who led by 19 in the first quarter. James had 19 points and Davis added 17 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists.
Lakers 117, Warrors 91 -- Feb. 28
The Lakers opened a 20-point lead in the first quarter and never let up, going up by as many as 35. James had a team-high 19 points for the Lakers, who held a huge advantage at the free throw line and on the offensive glass. Eric Paschall had 19 points to lead the Warriors, who shot just 40.7 percent, including 8-for-34 from 3. Curry was limited to 16 points, the fourth-lowest scoring output of the season for the scoring title winner.
Lakers 128, Warriors 97 -- March 15
LeBron posted a triple-double of 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Anthony Davis-less Lakers to an easy win. Montrezl Harrell filled the void left by Davis, scoring 27 points off the bench. Curry had 27 points to lead the Warriors.
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links