"LeBron & Steph now love each other" - Skip Bayless claims LeBron James & Steph Curry's bonding has ruined potential for 'realistic Finals'

LA Lakers forward LeBron James has shared a rivalry with the Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry. They competed against one another in the NBA Finals for four consecutive seasons. The two stars were fiercely competitive and avoided displaying camaraderie while competing for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

However, that has changed over the past few seasons. Both stars are in the twilight years of their careers and have eased up on their lack of interaction. Fans have seen James and Curry become more friendly toward each other, and longtime sports analyst Skip Bayless isn't a fan of that.

Before their Christmas matchup, the two met on the court and shared a moment. After they chatted and joked together, Bayless criticized the stars on Thursday on their priorities for the 2024–25 NBA season. According to him, James and Curry aren't focused on competing to win their fifth title this season, citing the change in their relationship as the main reason.

“The fact that LeBron and Steph now love each other – they did not through all those finals – tells you all you need to know about their late-career priorities and lack of realistic finals expectations,” Bayless said.

While both have started to enjoy each other's company over the past few seasons, they are still focused on winning. James hopes the Lakers will be competitive this season and assist him in earning his fifth ring. However, Curry has acknowledged in public that winning another championship has kept him motivated.

"Honestly, it’s the only thing I’m really playing for at this point. It’s the only thing that matters in the sense of accomplishment," Curry said about potentially winning his fifth title.

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Bayless goes at LeBron James for not taking the last-second shot against the Warriors

On Wednesday, LeBron James and the Lakers faced the Warriors, which netted 8.2 million viewers, the most over the past five years. In the end, James and Co. were victorious, with a final score of 115-113. However, the four-time champion didn't take the game-winning shot that secured the win.

Rather, the game was won by Austin Reaves, who also had a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Reaves drove to the basket and made a tough layup over Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins.

The Lakers won because of his shot, but Bayless used the opportunity to criticize James for not controlling the game. He went on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday and blasted the All-Star forward for not taking the last-second shot of the game.

"LEBRON WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT LAST-SECOND SHOT. HID UP AGAINST DRAYMOND. TELL ME IM WRONG."

Even though James wasn't assertive in the last possession, the Lakers took advantage of Reaves' hot shooting night to secure the win.