Kenny Smith Likens LeBron James’ Team to Stephen Curry’s Warriors

Last night, the Boston Celtics (125-85) dominated the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics defeated their hosts by 40 points in a 2022 NBA Finals rematch. Stephen Curry was the only member of the Warriors to score in double figures because of their dismal performance. The Inside crew had a lot to say about the squad, of course, but Kenny Smith offered an intriguing—yet all too familiar—comparison for the Dubs.

According to the Jet, the Lakers and Warriors are in a similar predicament where they must assemble their teams around an aging superstar.

Kenny Smith goes in detail about LeBron James and Stephen Curry

LeBron James, a player who dominates the ball, is the focal point of the Lakers’ strategy. According to Kenny, this compels the Los Angeles team to surround him with comparatively older players who enhance his skill set.

“They’re in a similar situation as what the Lakers are in, but much different in the same result. LeBron James. When you’re rebuilding around LeBron, LeBron James plays with the ball in his hands. So you have to build the team that actually fits in, so you’re going to have to bring in older players.”

However, Kenny believes that Curry’s style of play is more centered on off-ball movement. Therefore, it is simpler for him to dominate his three-point game when surrounded by younger players who drive to the rim. He stated:

“I think with Steph Curry, he actually plays without the ball a lot, and he’s running off picks. So now you can bring in and say we’re gonna do a young rebuild, with young energy, to get him shots easier because he’s catching shooting more instead of beating people off the dribble. So the rebuild is different, they should go young, through the draft, though the trade.”

Smith said the Warriors should make Kuminga and other draft picks untouchable in trade negotiations. However, Charles Barkley disagreed, asserting that the Warriors require a second superstar in order to contend with teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Since the Heat forward has stated that he wants to leave Florida, Jimmy Butler’s name was also floated.

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