There is no Stephen Curry without LeBron James, and the mythology of LeBron James would be significantly diminished without Stephen Curry.
For four glorious years in the 2010s—each of which ended with Curry's Golden State Warriors and James's Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals—the two men pushed each other to the limit in a rivalry that defined American pop culture for the decade.
Now, in the twilight of their careers, the two men are once again pushing each other—this time as teammates determined to deliver the United States one final gold medal before handing power over to Generation Z.
On Thursday, after the Americans topped Serbia 95-91 in an Olympic men's basketball semifinal for the ages, Curry and James embraced after the final horn in what appears poised to become an iconic image of both players' careers.
Curry exploded for 36 points to go with eight rebounds and two assists in the win, while James registered a triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
The United States will meet France Saturday with a gold medal on the line.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as LeBron James, Stephen Curry Celebrate Together After Instant Classic Win Over Serbia.