“No NBA? No problem! Kevin Durant and LeBron James were out for blood!”: When Lakers’ superstar and Nets’ leader balled out at a pickup game during the 2011 Lockout

The NBA in the 2010s will always be linked to two superstars; LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

The two perennial all-stars have dominated the debate about the best player of their era. Both of them are transcendent talents in their own right and have consistently dominated throughout their careers. Even at the tail end of their careers, the two continue to perform at an elite level. Two undisputed Hall of Famers, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James have earned their flowers throughout their careers.

With LeBron’s Lakers failing to make the Playoffs and KD’s Nets getting swept, there has been some noise to debates discussing whether the two superstars are on the way down. In an individual sense, both of them had all-star seasons, but the failure of their teams has led to major criticism.

Also read: “LeBron James and Kevin Durant ain’t going to ride into the sunset”: Stephen Curry on big names missing playoffs and young talent coming in

At this point, it is relevant to throw it back to a glorious moment outside the NBA that the two stars shared with the fans.

Did LeBron James and Kevin Durant actually face off in a pick-up game?

In the 2011 NBA lockout, when there were no competitive games taking place, the players often took to pick up games with other pros and got themselves some in-game action.

One such instance turned out to be a blockbuster with the two best players facing off in a pickup game.

LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant battle during the 2011 lockout

This ran deeper than just a friendly pickup game🔥pic.twitter.com/otWfHulWzH

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 16, 2020

The tapes reveal a stunning contest with both stars going at each other, not holding back. An ecstatic crowd watches on as two generational talents face off and put on a show for them.

While pickup games are generally easy-going affairs, this one, with LeBron and KD going at it seems to be anything but that. Both stars are going at each other, bucket after bucket, with KD, in particular, looking locked in.

Without the pressure of an NBA game or playoff situation, the two stars seem to be playing a more natural game and they seem to thrive off the energy of the crowd too.

The video also reminds us to enjoy these two talents while they are still playing. Such skill and poise do not come around often. The arguments can now move on to the next generation, and these two legends deserve to go out on a high with a raucous crowd cheering for them as it is, in this footage of their pick-up game.

Also read: “We haven’t seen a guy like LeBron James play at this level for this long, so loyalty..”: Kevin Durant and JJ Redick talk life cycle of NBA teams and championship aspirations