For over a decade, the NBA playoffs have been a guaranteed stage for two names: LeBron James and Stephen Curry. Whether facing off in historic Finals matchups or carrying their respective teams through grueling playoff runs, these two titans have become almost synonymous with spring basketball. But now, as the 2025 postseason tips off, we’re staring at a surreal reality:
Neither LeBron nor Steph is in the playoffs.
Let that sink in.
This marks the first time since 2005 that both players will be watching from home. For fans who’ve grown up associating the playoffs with LeBron’s power drives and Curry’s logo threes, this year hits different.
The End of an Era?
It’s hard not to see this moment as symbolic. LeBron, now 40, put up remarkable numbers this season—still defying age and logic—but the Lakers just couldn’t piece together enough consistency to crack the top eight. Injuries, roster issues, and the brutal Western Conference gauntlet proved too much.
As for Curry, the Warriors faced their own struggles. While Steph continued to shoot the lights out, Golden State looked like a team wrestling with its own identity. The dynasty isn’t what it once was, and with Draymond’s ongoing volatility and Klay Thompson’s regression, the supporting cast just couldn’t lift the weight anymore.
No one’s saying these legends are done. But this absence feels like a pause—and maybe the beginning of the end of their playoff reigns.
A New Generation Steps Up
With LeBron and Steph on the sidelines, the door is wide open for a new wave of stars to seize the spotlight. Luka Dončić, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Haliburton are just a few names ready to lead their teams on deep runs.
These playoffs feel like a changing of the guard in real time. It’s not that fans are eager to move on from the old heads—it’s just that time, inevitably, keeps pushing forward. What we’re seeing now is the league entering its next chapter.
Appreciating the Greatness
If anything, this playoff absence should remind us just how ridiculous the runs from LeBron and Steph have been. LeBron alone has appeared in 10 NBA Finals and made 17 playoff appearances. Curry has led the Warriors to four championships and five Finals in the last decade.
We got used to them being there. Maybe too used to it. But dynasties fade, and bodies wear down. This year, for once, the postseason feels a little quieter without their presence.
But Don’t Count Them Out Yet
Let’s be clear: writing off LeBron or Steph has never been a wise move. We’ve learned that lesson too many times. A healthy offseason, a smart roster move or two, and either of these legends could be right back in the mix come 2026.
But for now, they’ll be watching—like us—from the sidelines.
And the rest of the league? They’re moving on, making their mark, and reminding us that while legends fade, the game never stops.
