James, Durant, Curry left behind
Young guns are tearing down a historic NBA era
By David Needy
April 29, 2024, 7:18 p.m
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have dominated the NBA for more than a decade. The great era is over: A number of young stars are causing a sensation in the best basketball league in the world, and a cracking dunk marks the beginning of a turning point. The old legends still have a special hope.
There are a good two minutes left to play in the Arizona desert when Anthony Edwards once again takes off as if all good basketball spirits had been abandoned. On the left wing, the 22-year-old exceptional Minnesota Timberwolves player first leaves Bradley Beal, who actually wanted to keep the last NBA playoff hopes alive at the home game of his Phoenix Suns, with a crossover move. Just three steps later, Edwards jumps up, snatches the ball behind his head with his right hand and then stuffs it into the ring with a loud bang. Beal hits the 22-year-old with his hand on the back of the head, and megastar Kevin Durant rushes to help, but then prefers to duck away. Minnesota’s substitution bench is completely freaking out.
The Suns never recovered from this cracking dunk for the Timberwolves, and shortly afterwards the 116:122 defeat was final. But the highlight stands for so much more. It’s an exclamation mark. Edwards and his teammates managed the “sweep” in Phoenix, knocking Durant and Co. out of the playoffs 4-0 in the first round. The Timberwolves win a series in the postseason for the first time since 2004, while the million-dollar team from the desert, which was supposed to stop the champion Denver Nuggets and was considered a serious title candidate by bookmakers, is falling deeply.
Edwards, whom some overzealous experts want to compare with Michael Jordan, and his dunking are, above all, the ultimate symbol of a change of power in the NBA. For the end of an era. Durant prefers to stay out of the way because the time of new, young superstars has arrived. They are Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), or Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers). Of course, the already more established Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks), Joel Embiid (76ers) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) are also part of the new generation of NBA faces.
13 NBA Finals, 11 times James or Curry
The era of Durant (35 years), LeBron James (39) and Stephen Curry (36) is slowly coming to an end. These three basketball greats, who dominated the past 20 years of the NBA, won exactly one playoff game this season. Curry wasn’t even there with his Warriors and Durant had to endure the “sweep” that James barely escaped. But the “King’s” team, the Los Angeles Lakers, are facing certain elimination with one win and three defeats in the series with the champions from Denver. The Californians had lost eleven times in a row against the Nuggets before winning 1:3. Jokić and his colleagues, who have been number one in the Western Conference for two years, are too dominant.
In the last 13 NBA Finals, LeBron James or Stephen Curry have been on the floor eleven times. James won four times (two titles with the Miami Heat, one each with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers), and Curry triumphed four times with his Golden State Warriors. The “King” recently named his long-time adversary the “most influential player” of his generation in his own podcast because he changed the entire NBA game with his three-point shots. Kevin Durant also picked up the Finals MVP award in his two titles with the Warriors.
But now other players have more hunger, passion and wit, other teams have more talent. More dominance. This is the natural course of events in sport, and legends are also subject to it. Above all, Denver and Boston, the well-oiled winning machines, can be considered the hottest candidates for the championship. Minnesota and Oklahoma (lead 3-0 against the New Orleans Pelicans) are also convincing. Also the Indiana Pacers (against the Milwaukee Bucks without Giannis Antetokounmpo, after all 2021 champions) and the New York Knicks around Jalen Brunson (against an ailing Embiid and the 76ers) before moving into the second round.
Turning point and Olympic dream
In the past, you were never allowed to bet against James or Curry in big games. This is what the past two decades have taught us. They can still put their stamp on a game, just like Durant. Can take over the game and beat every opponent with patented lay-ups and dunkings (James), hits from mid-range (Durant) or three-point throws (Curry). However, this only works on very good days. And these are becoming increasingly rare for them. The very good days of others become routine. The skills of the older generation are no longer enough to turn a playoff series in their own favor.
It’s a turning point. A turning point. The thrones are being shaken, the young stars are becoming usurpers and taking over. Curry missed the playoffs with the Warriors for the third time in five years, Durant hasn’t been able to do anything since his time at Golden State and James will probably never get past Jokic’s Nuggets in the Western Conference again. Of course, the failures are not just due to the aging superstars, the Warriors had to contend with Draymond Green’s many antics and suspensions, the Lakers had to contend with Anthony Davis’ lack of physical play and the lack of support from role players, and the Suns with none Defensive and build-up play.
Nevertheless: The oldies only have the dream of Olympic gold this summer. At the Summer Games in Paris, Curry, Durant and James will cause a sensation together with the youngsters; in addition to Edwards, Haliburton and Tatum are also part of Team USA. Handing over the baton with the medal around your neck? Quite possible.
For decades, James, Durant and Curry have thrilled fans and driven opponents crazy. They became more than players, heroes and symbols. The NBA thrives on its stars more than any other league and relied on the trio for a decade. Gold in Paris would be a dignified departure from the throne, even if the three of course can’t resist it and will chase further records, playoff participation and championship opportunities in the coming years.
Careers are not over, eras are
They will continue to give blood, sweat and tears, will have their dazzling moments until the end of their careers, will simply continue to defy the expectations of players of their age, after all, they are still among the best shooters in the league this season. It’s quite possible that they’ll still be shaking up the NBA at the age of 40. Their fans remain loyal to them anyway, their teams remain relevant simply through their presence. Nevertheless: the great era of these icons is over. It hardly seems possible that two of them will face each other again in a final.
When Anthony Edwards, whose role model is Kevin Durant, noticed at the beginning of the third quarter that the Suns were changing their defense and were now defending him one-on-one, the Minnesota Timberwolves star accepted the challenge. Just like Curry, Durant and James in the years before him. “It was said: You alone have to beat us,” he explains later. “And I showed them.”
“He’s the face of the league, I keep saying that. He hates it when I say it, but it’s true,” Karl-Anthony Towns said of Edwards after the success. He scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half. None of them as emphatic as the smashing dunk that changes everything.