"It will be chills" - LeBron James & Kevin Durant facing each other after 5 years for Lakers vs Suns game has fans hyped

LeBron James and Kevin Durant, two of basketball’s best forwards, are set to clash for the first time in five years on Thursday night in the preseason game between the LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

LeBron and Durant forged memorable playoff encounters during their respective stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Before that, they clashed while LeBron was with the Miami Heat and Durant played for the OKC Thunder.

The last time the two played against each other was on Christmas Day in 2018, when LeBron’s Lakers blew out Durant’s Warriors 127-101.

Lebron had 17 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the win, while Durant posted 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Over the course of five years, circumstances such as injuries and trades have prevented the two from facing each other on the court.

The prolonged wait for these two players to face off may finally be reaching its conclusion, as all indications seem to suggest that both players are poised to participate in the game.

Phoenix coach Frank Vogel has expressed his intention to field most of his players, with Damion Lee being the only confirmed absence. On the Lakers' side, Jarred Vanderbilt is the sole player ruled out for Thursday's game, nursing a left heel injury.

Reposting a Ben Golliver video from April 2023, Twitter user @tywow28 said the clash promises to be nothing short of "generational."

The possibility of this matchup is attracting a surge of fans to tune in to the preseason game.

Fans are also buzzing about the two’s anticipated showdown.

In regular-season matchups, James holds a 15-6 record against Durant. James averaged 28.0 ppg in these encounters, while Durant averaged 28.5 ppg. When it comes to playoff clashes, Durant has the edge with a 9-5 record against LeBron.

Comparing the careers of LeBron James & Kevin Durant

LeBron James boasts an impressive resume, including six All-Defensive team selections, 19 All-NBA nods, the Rookie of the Year award, three All-Star MVP titles, four Finals MVP honors, four MVP awards and a Rookie of the Year award.

Kevin Durant's accolades include one MVP, two Finals MVP awards, being a four-time scoring leader, six appearances on the All-NBA first team, four appearances on the All-NBA second team and a Rookie of the Year award.

Both of their teams hold high hopes for winning the championship this season.

The Lakers, having reached the Western Conference finals in the previous season, have bolstered their roster with key additions like Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes.

Meanwhile, the Suns have solidified themselves in the Western Conference race by forming a Big Three with the inclusion of Bradley Beal alongside their core stars, Durant and Devin Booker.