Stephen Curry congratulated LeBron James for a game well played and ripped his jersey on the way back to the locker room. This was after a long-fought same, desperate for a win on Saturday night. While Curry is known to be professional, even he is allowed to feel the way he did after tonight’s really close call. What should have been an obvious win in the books for the Dubs turned out to be a night they’d rather forget.

GSW pushed the game to double overtime, yet James and his squad, the team that’s been on the same boat as them regarding team struggles, came out on top with a 145-144 win. Talking to the press post-game, Steph gets real about his feelings. “Our whole season, we have had some tough breaks, some self-inflicted wounds, games that we should have won … but tonight was a night where we played well enough to win.”

Steph describes his frustration after another loss where the Warriors "played well enough to win" 😕 pic.twitter.com/TcJLMFOSJv

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 28, 2024

He further elaborated his point, saying that they were with the game all the way. Even when things weren’t going their way, the Dubs held on. Although they hoped to change the tide of their season, it did not happen. And they were left with “nothing to show” for all the hard work they did heading into tonight’s matchup.

Unfortunately, there can only be one winner, and this time, it was the Los Angeles Lakers on the Warriors’ home court. Despite all of it, the oldest active players in the league went their separate ways on good terms. LeBron particularly had only good things to say.

“…you don’t take it for granted”: LeBron on facing Stephen Curry

Witnessing two of the greatest basketball players battle it out, pouring their heart and soul into it, is a memory that every basketball lover will carry with them till the day they die. It is apparently the same for the players themselves. Talking about going against Curry, James says, “You don’t take it for granted because you don’t know how many times you’re actually going to get the moment to actually be on the same floor with such a talent.”

LeBron on Steph: "It’s been a treat to go against one of the greatest to ever play this game. … To continue to push each other at the state of our careers, you don’t take it for granted … You don’t know how many times … [left] to be on the same floor with such a talent"

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 28, 2024

Curry was also of the same opinion as he said that to be able to play like they did at the point of life they are at is something which only a few people can relate to. And he was happy to be part of that group. Even if it meant they were on the losing team.

It’s not easy being in Stephen Curry‘s shoes. Winning four championships with the same franchise that he helped bring back to its former glory, only to watch it wilt away in front of his eyes has to hurt. Especially in the season that should have been the defining moment in his career.

And tonight was a performance that saw every single player on both teams leave everything they had on the floor.