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The first time Kevin Durant and LeBron James stepped on the basketball court together the NBA landscape looked a lot different. 

The Lakers and Celtics rivalry had been renewed featuring the “Big Three” against Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. 

The year was 2008. James led the league in scoring and Durant was named NBA Rookie of the Year for a forgotten franchise of green and gold, the now-defunct Seattle SuperSonics. 

By the time they faced off against each other, James was already a force of nature and the future face of the league. He had been to one NBA Finals, and would soon run off a streak of eight-straight appearances. But through that first meeting a budding rivalry of future NBA legends was born. 

Because over the next two decades, Durant and James would become two of the greatest players in NBA history, and their playoff matchups are the stuff of mythology and lore. 

And it’s not finished yet. 

The 2012 NBA Finals

The early years weren’t so much a rivalry, but a warning sign. Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden were slowly turning the Oklahoma City Thunder into contenders. James finally left Cleveland to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. 

The first true collision between Durant and James came in the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Heat. 

Durant was brilliant in that series. He averaged 30.6 points. But James was at the peak of his powers and still thirsting for his first NBA title. He finally got it. Miami won the series in five games, and even though Durant outscored him, James was named the Finals MVP. 

But it was that first playoff series that established the dynamic that would shape their future collisions. Durant could score and dazzle, but he needed more help to defeat LeBron. 

The Decision That Changed Everything

After James’ decision to leave Cleveland for Miami—only to return four years later—came another decision that created a seismic shift in the NBA. 

It was the Fourth of July in 2016, and the record-breaking 73-win Golden State Warriors had just blown a 3-1 lead to LeBron’s Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. 

Durant was a free agent, and he announced his decision in an article for The Player’s Tribune entitled “My Next Chapter.” Call it revenge. Call it opportunistic. Call it weak if you want. But Durant’s decision to join those Warriors and form a super team alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green titled the basketball universe. 

Now with Durant, the Warriors didn’t just beat LeBron and the Cavaliers over the next two NBA Finals, they overwhelmed them. A gentleman’s sweep in 2017, a four-game sweep in 2018. Durant was the best player on the floor in both series. Winning back-to-back Finals MVP Awards and his first two NBA championships. 

Lakers and Suns Rebirths 

James’ back-to-back Finals losses to Durant and the Warriors led to his decision to head west and join the Los Angeles Lakers. As James was busy trying to build a contender in Hollywood, Durant was cementing his legacy with a third straight Finals appearance. 

But in Game 5 of the 2019 Finals, Durant snapped his Achilles. Everything changed. He signed with the Brooklyn Nets that summer, and oddly the rivalry went dormant. They never played against each other when Durant was in Brooklyn. 

When it resumed in 2023, Durant and James were in the same conference for the first time in their careers. James had joined forces with Anthony Davis and won another title in the bubble in 2020. Durant had been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Their head-to-head matchups were more frequent now, less mythic, but still meaningful. They had a couple clashes in the NBA Cup, including a quarterfinal game in 2023 that proved to be a step in crowning the Lakers as the first Cup Champions. 

One More Chapter—Maybe the Last

Now the story shifts again.

Durant, in his first season with the Houston Rockets, faces LeBron’s Lakers in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Not the Finals. Not the grand stage we’re used to. 

Durant’s Rockets are heavily favored over the injury-riddled Lakers, who will be starting the series without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Durant is now the elder statesman on a young Rockets team that is young, deep, and athletic. 

James, at 41 years old, is trying to carry the Lakers on his back for one last career-defining playoff achievement. 

When they take the court on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena for Game 1 of the series, they will have played against each other a total of 46 times. James holds the overall edge at 26-20, but because of those back-to-back Warriors titles, Durant has the advantage in the postseason 9-5. 

If Durant and the Rockets win the series as expected, that advantage will only grow and it will likely close the book on their playoff rivalry. 

But if LeBron wins?

Strip away the nostalgia and mythology, because it might be one of the most remarkable feats in his 23-year career. 

Game 1 is scheduled for 5:30 PM PST on ABC.

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With the Suns exceeding most people’s preseason expectations, we saw many guys shine when they were not expected to. This was all led by new head coach Jordan Ott, who took the team and changed the narrative. He wanted to change the culture in Phoenix and did so by getting players who fit his playstyle and the scheme he wanted to run. That was one invested in three-pointers, but also one who played fast-paced and caused havoc on the defensive end.

This allowed many players to succeed on this team, but I think three players truly exceeded everyone’s expectations. Players that truly shocked the development of this team and the future of how the Suns will continue to build.

Collin Gillespie

The first of those and the biggest riser, honestly, has to be Collin Gillespie.

Gillespie started the season last year on a two-way contract and found himself with playing time with the Suns as injuries depleted the roster. In that short stint last season, he averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.6 steals in 14 minutes over 33 games. This showed the Suns that if they invested in Gillespie, they could find a diamond in the rough, and they did. He was brought back on a one-year deal, something he wanted to sign, to prove his worth and show his true value.

Well, Gillespie did that from the jump, as he showed he was a lot better than anyone anticipated. He first came off the bench for the team, looking to be the great sixth man that many, including myself, thought was his best role, but then he continued to succeed, finding himself in the starting lineup when Jalen Green was injured for most of the season. This allowed Gillespie to get comfortable alongside Devin Booker, someone he showed last year worked well with.

Gillespie remained in the starting lineup throughout the year, even as everyone wondered whether it was too small. This is due to his tremendous effort and hard work on both ends throughout the year. Gillespie, who is known for his solid three-point shooting and playmaking, broke a franchise record for most threes in a season with 232, passing Quentin Richardson on the list.

He also plays on the defensive end, plays with that heart and grit this team embodies. He is fighting for loose balls, always trying to steal, and even though he may be the smallest on the court, he is fighting for offensive rebounds.

He finished the season, suiting up for 80 games and averaging 12.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in almost 29 minutes. As you can see, every stat rose for Gillespie this season, and he worked hard to showcase it. He has proved that, regardless of what contract you are on in the NBA, if given the opportunity, you can find your path to greatness.

Jordan Goodwin

The next player I would like to acknowledge is another guard, Jordan Goodwin. Goodwin came back to the Valley this year looking for some redemption after not fitting in on his first stint. He was picked up off waivers by Phoenix when the Los Angeles Lakers waived him this offseason. That move would be one that I have been eternally grateful for all season long.

When Goodwin was signed, he had to compete against Jared Butler for the final roster spot. This left fans wondering whether he would even make the team, but he proved his playstyle was a perfect match for Ott’s system. A guard who could pick up anyone on the court and allow the Suns to have the defensive versatility with him out there. Goodwin had proven that in our guard lineups, it did not matter; he was going to disrupt the opponents’ wings and bigs, just as he could with opposing guards.

Goodwin also had a season with the Lakers, where he was a pretty solid three-point scorer last year. Even if his numbers dropped a tiny bit (38.2% to 37.1%) from three, he still proved he could hit them for this team. Especially in the big game against OKC, where he had a career high six threes that helped the Suns beat the Thunder for the first time this year.

Goodwin is the epitome of what Ott wants for this team on all cylinders, and he was rewarded for that by winning the Dan Majerle hustle award this season. This award goes to the player who shows the most heart and grit on the court for Phoenix. Goodwin showcased that all season long with his relentlessness to never give up on a play, even if it put him in a silly situation.

With Goodwin and Gillespie hitting free agency, these are two players the Suns need to bring back, as they fit exactly what Phoenix wants. Not only that, but both of them also work very well together in a bench backcourt that can squander their opponents. Similar to Gillespie, his stats rose with more playing time. In 22 minutes of play, Goody averaged 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals, which was a beautiful sight to see.

Oso Ighodaro

Lastly, but certainly not least, let’s dive into one of the centers who has had this fanbase second-guessing him since he arrived in Oso Ighodaro. Ighodaro last year did not get much playing time under coach Budenholzer, but this year his trust in coach Ott has grown immensely. When the season started, Mark Williams was still ramping up for 5 on 5, and Khaman Malauch was unproven. This gave Ighodaro the keys to the frontcourt, leaving many fans puzzled. Especially with the Suns beginning the year by taking on Ivica Zubac and Nikola Jokic, it looked not great.

Many fans were turning on Ighodaro and ready to ship him out, but they were seeing Oso in a spot he is not used to. Then, when Williams came back, and Ighodaro was allowed to be the backup big, he began to flourish. He started learning to work with Gillespie in the pick-and-roll, and the two had a nice connection that was blossoming. One that would stick around all season long as the two Big East graduates had now found some chemistry.

Not only would Oso shine with Gillespie, but he would show off in other ways. One of those would be his defense and his rim protection. As he is not the best offensive big, Ighodaro has to be resilient on defense and not make mistakes. One memory that still sticks with me is when the Suns took on the Knicks at home back in January. The game was close late, and Oso Ighodaro was forced onto Jalen Brunson via a switch after missing two free throws, keeping the Suns up three. Many would be nervous in this situation, but Ighodaro showed no fear, not biting on any pump fakes and staying grounded.

This then forced Brunson to make a bad pass to Mikal Bridges, who was intercepted by Grayson Allen, who then threw it to Bridges for the possession.

Most would reward Allen for the play, and I definitely recognize that, but without Ighodaro, it never happens. The fact that he also missed both free throws in a close game, yet remained focused and unfazed, shows why Ott has trust in him.

He may not be the best big man or the flashiest, but famn, he does his job effectively as a backup big. Arguably one of the best in the league on his current contract, which is a scam. The iron man who was the only one to suit up for all 82 games this year averaged 6.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Many people called me crazy for my predictions at the beginning of the season, but he proved all those doubters and haters wrong.

That being said, many of the Suns played to a great standard this year. All of them showed they can be viable for this team in one or another for the future, which is something we have not seen for years. This team was deep and has the depth to match opponents if needed, and will continue to do so in the future. If all three players are back next year, their development will only improve the team, and the Valley will witness another finals run in the future!

There are collapses, and then there are Clippers collapses. 

The latest chapter of the Clippers Curse was authored on Wednesday night at the Intuit Dome when L.A. unraveled in the fourth quarter, blowing a 13-point lead to the Warriors that ultimately ended their season.

The Clippers latest meltdown felt so familiar, so painfully on-brand, that it felt less like a loss and more like a highlight reel of the franchise’s greatest hits of heartbreak. 

LA led its do-or-die elimination play-in game by for 85% of the game. A majority of it by double-digits. They were up by 13 with nine minutes left, and they still found a way to lose. 

“I’m pissed off,” said Clippers head coach Ty Lue after the season-ending loss. “We had the game in our hands. To be up 13 in the fourth quarter we have to finish that game.” 

He’s right.

But finishing off a diminished Warriors team playing without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody is not what the Clippers do. It’s not in their DNA. This is a franchise that keeps changing jerseys, logos, and arenas more than leaves change colors. 

But in Los Angeles, the ending never changes. 

On Wednesday night the Clippers didn’t just blow a big fourth quarter lead to the Warriors, they surrendered it piece by piece, like a team unsure if they even deserved to win in the first place.

They committed 18 turnovers, gifting Golden State 26 points.

They allowed a 43-point fourth quarter. 

With their season on the line, they couldn’t even execute an inbounds pass. Possession after possession, chance after chance, it all slipped through the Clippers’ fingers like sand.

DRAYMOND GREEN WITH A PAIR OF INCREDIBLE STEALS IN THE CLUTCH.

WARRIORS KEEP THEIR SEASON ALIVE. https://t.co/8SITELoXjEpic.twitter.com/7Hre7jG5TX

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

“On the inbounds we threw the ball away,” said Lue. “That was a big momentum shift for them.”

The momentum didn’t shift on that turnover, it shifted when No. 30 across the floor put on his cape and took over. 

Steph Curry, who only returned from a knee injury four games ago, scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half.

Each bucket louder than the last, until his dagger three with 50 seconds left echoed through a building that had turned against the home team. As he drilled the go-ahead three and fell into the front row, the arena erupted in chants of “MVP!” and “Warriors…”

STEPH CURRY GIVES THE WARRIORS THE LEAD!

GSW 120
LAC 117

50.4 TO PLAY IN A MUST-WIN GAME pic.twitter.com/HgYTHtLlOp

— NBA (@NBA) April 16, 2026

This may have been a road game on paper, but it sure as hell didn’t sound like it in the arena.

“When he’s on the floor, you always have a chance,” said Draymond Green of Curry.

The Clippers had every chance to win too. Maybe a dozen or more chances to put the game away. That’s what makes this sting. That’s what makes this different—and yet exactly the same.

Because we’ve seen this before.

We saw it in 2015 when a 3-1 lead vanished against Houston. We saw it again in the 2020 bubble when another 3-1 cushion disintegrated against Denver. We saw it last season in a Game 7 collapse in Denver. And now this—another double-digit lead, another fourth-quarter fade, another season ending not with a fight, but with a shrug.

Here in Los Angeles, we call it the “Clippers Curse.”

And it’s real. 

Even Kawhi Leonard couldn’t escape it. The stoic star, who had his best season in two years, looked shell-shocked in the fourth quarter. When the game mattered most, he disappeared into the margins, picked clean by Green on a possession that could have breathed life into the Clippers, instead they were left gasping for air. 

“Draymond is a hall of fame defender. It was hard to get shots up,” Leonard admitted.

Hard isn’t supposed to mean impossible. The Clippers didn’t lose because of bad luck or coincidence. This is who they are. 

Only the Clippers could start the season 6-21, and then complete the single greatest in-season turnaround in NBA history only to choke away a 13-point lead in the final minutes of it. 

And the embarrassment doesn’t stop at the final buzzer. The loss drops them into the lottery—except their pick belongs to the Oklahoma City Thunder who now have a 9.4% chance of a top-four selection and a 2% chance of the number one overall. The rich get richer while the Clippers stare into another offseason with nothing but questions, and an NBA investigation into Leonard-Aspiration and salary cap circumvention looming over their head like a dark cloud. 

Even their past came back to mock them. Chris Paul—discarded midseason, unceremoniously shipped out before getting the retirement tour he deserved—watched from afar and posted the internet’s coldest meme, the digital equivalent of showing up in a black suit just to confirm the burial.

Chris Paul’s IG story tonight after the Clippers collapse against the Warriors in the play-in game. pic.twitter.com/st3u72hEAP

— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) April 16, 2026

Petty? Sure.

Accurate? Absolutely.

This was supposed to be a new era for the Clippers. A new building. A new culture. A new hope. It was supposed to lift the curse, not continue it.

Benjamin Franklin once famously said that nothing can be certain in life but death and taxes. The Clippers have added a third certainty—finding the most painful way possible to lose when it matters most.

The curse didn’t just follow them to Inglewood.

It beat them to the door and let itself in.

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The NBA released a list of their best selling jerseys. The results should come as little surprise. At the top, Stephen Curry. The two-time MVP is the greatest shooter of all time. He’s the face of the last NBA dynasty, and an internationally recognized superstar.

Luka Doncic has the second best selling jersey. He’s the leagues best scorer and ranks third in assists and three-pointers made, and twenty-second in rebounds.

The third best jersey sales goes to Jalen Brunson. The once back-up Dallas Mavericks guard honed his game in New York and revealed a three-time All-Star.

And the fourth best selling jersey this season belongs to the face of the NBA. San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama continues to shatter records as he molds himself to MVP levels. His maturity, grace, and eloquence is infusing an international appeal transcending the court

All-time legend LeBron James has the fifth best selling jersey this season. The hardest working man on the hardwood still plays at a high level considering the years, games, and minutes he’s played over the last two-plus decades.

Anthony Edwards (6), Jayson Tatum (7), Shai Gilgeous- Alexander (8), Cooper Flagg (9), and Nikola Jokic (10) round out the top 10 with Kevin Durant (11), Tyrese Maxey (12), Devin Booker (13), Cade Cunningham (14), and LaMelo Ball (15) close behind.

Are there any of these that catch you off guard?

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This is the second of a series of roundtable questions I’m asking the staff here at Peachtree Hoops about the Hawks as we approach the postseason. Today’s question: should the Hawks have pushed harder for the 5 seed to play the Cavaliers instead of the Knicks?

Wes: For me, no. Making sure your playoff rotation is as healthy as can be for the first round is a much bigger deal than any gap between how difficult the matchups are between the Knicks and the Cavs. There’s just no reason to have anyone turn an ankle in a meaningless game against the Heat.

Jackson: No. I thought going in that New York was a more favorable matchup for the Hawks, primarily due to the Cavs’ size on the interior and the personnel they have to throw at Jalen Johnson defensively. The Hawks are understandably underdogs against New York as well, but things broke well for them matchup-wise in my opinion, and they didn’t risk suffering an unnecessary injury against a physical Heat team.

Malik: I don’t think so. There wasn’t much of a difference between playing the Cavs or Knicks, and neither team has something where I think they’d rather avoid just to play the other. I personally believe the Knicks were the better matchup for the Hawks because you don’t know what you’re going to get from anybody outside of Jalen Brunson on any given game, and that can benefit the Hawks.

Graham: I’m going to say yes, perhaps they should have. I think while both Cleveland and New York are very likely to beat the Hawks on the offensive glass in a series, I actually prefer the Cavaliers matchup for the Hawks than the Knicks, who averaged more offensive rebounds (15) per game in the season-series against the Hawks; Towns and Robinson kicked the Hawks’ ass when they played. I also believe there’s a postseason vulnerability with the Cavaliers, who flamed out after their stellar regular season last season. Donovan Mitchell hasn’t had deep playoff success, Mobley and Allen have disappointed previously in the postseason, and James Harden can be…hit or miss in the postseason.

I’m also thinking of the second-round matchups should the Hawks advance. I think all of the contending Eastern teams will be interested to see how the Detroit Pistons will fare in the postseason, and if I were the Hawks I would be one of those teams interested in testing that squad. That assumes the Hawks progress, which is absolutely not a guarantee, but I think the Hawks should have pushed more for that side of the bracket than the one they ended up in. 

Hassan: I’m going to go with the majority here and say no, the Hawks should not have pushed harder on the final day of the regular season to try to face Cleveland instead of New York in the first-round of the playoffs. Given that the Hawks are currently operating on 24 year-old Jalen Johnson’s timeline, any postseason experience for this iteration of the team is a positive, and I don’t think the team’s odds of advancing out of the first-round would be significantly different if they were playing the Cavs rather than the Knicks. 

Man for man, Cleveland has the most talented roster in the Eastern Conference, and as scary as Jalen Brunson is as a postseason closer, I don’t want any part of Donovan Mitchell either. New York’s first-four off the bench are Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson – not nearly as frightening as Cleveland’s options off the bench. Given Atlanta’s lack of depth, I think they’ll benefit from playing more of a top-heavy Knicks team. 

Additionally, is there a better place to find out what this team is made of than Madison Square Garden – one of the most raucous playoff atmospheres in the league? What is for certain is that if any of Atlanta’s starters suffered an injury on the final day of the regular season, their chances of advancing out of the first-round – regardless of their opponent – would have taken a major hit. Simply put, not worth the gamble. Bring it on, New York!