It is, in fact, taking place. In a regular-season game, Kevin Durant and LeBron James will share the court. It’s only been five years, a lengthy hiatus caused by injury, since two all-time greats — who faced off in three NBA Finals — locked eyes.

Their clubs went 13 games without a LeBron-KD matchup. They were also absent from three All-Star Games. They last met on Christmas Day 2018, Durant’s final season with the Warriors and LeBron’s first with the Lakers, with the Lakers winning by a score of 26.

Their rivalry is long: LeBron leads the regular season 15-6, while Durant leads the postseason 9-5. Durant won back-to-back championships against LeBron (who did score 51 points in Game 1 of the 2018 Finals); LeBron defeated Durant and OKC a decade earlier.

Durant averages 29.8 points per game, while LeBron averages 29.6.

LeBron James is out due to groin discomfort, rest, and load control.

LeBron got his first semi-serious injury of his career during that Christmas game. The injury forced him to miss the next game against Durant, while rest and load management were to blame for the others. There was no likelihood of a postseason encounter because the Lakers’ season was likewise destroyed by injuries. Remember, the Lakers were building with young players like Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram. 

Meanwhile, Durant and the Warriors were cruising, with a third straight championship in sight. They were the top seed in the West and heavy favorites to continue the dynasty.

Durant went down with a calf injury in the Warriors’ semifinal series, sat out the whole Western Conference Finals, then returned to the team for the NBA Finals for one game against Toronto, where he tore his Achilles. No more Durant, no championship for the Warriors.

2019-20 season, two possible games

Durant is out due to Achilles rehab.

Durant had little chance of playing LeBron, or anyone else, because the entire season, his first with the Nets, was an injury wash.

LeBron’s fortunes were just the reverse. He and the Lakers thrived throughout the pandemic-interrupted season, helped by generally decent health and a splashy new co-star in Anthony Davis. LeBron claimed his fourth championship with his third different team.

Aftermath: Durant’s rehab went swimmingly throughout the summer, which was cut short due to the epidemic, and he returned on Dec. 22, 2020, with 22 points against his old teammates, the Warriors, in a Nets victory.

4 possible games in the 2022-23 season

LeBron is out with an abductor strain, ankle and foot problems.

Durant is out due to knee, ankle, and rest issues.

For the first time, injuries forced both players to miss not one, but two games (Jan. 30 and March 22).

That Jan. 30 game was the Nets’ last chance to grab Durant against LeBron and the Lakers. Soon later, Brooklyn sent him to Phoenix, putting both players in the same conference. However, LeBron sustained a tendon injury. Then there was Durant’s ankle, which was twisted during a layup line just before the March meeting.

It wasn’t meant to be since the Suns rested Durant right before the playoffs, causing him to miss the final game on April 7. Durant would have played that game if this season’s load management rules had been in effect.

Aftermath: Both players led revitalized clubs that made the playoffs, thanks in part to the Lakers’ midseason transactions. Another prospective encounter was canceled after the Suns were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Nuggets. Denver then swept LeBron and the Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs.

The game has been rescheduled.

The fact that Durant and LeBron are still showpiece talents capable of carrying a franchise is encouraging. LeBron has athleticism in his 21st season and is still a top-10 scorer and excellent passer. Last spring, he shone at times while once again playing deep into the postseason.

Durant, when he was fit and on the court, was also a player who demanded respect. Durant, who is still a dangerous scorer with solid efficiency and an underrated rebounder and defender, has the Suns thinking seriously about a title.

Assuming excellent health, Durant and LeBron may face off many times during the regular season and postseason. Despite the fact that the prior five years have suggested otherwise, a Western Conference Final would be a good one to add to their battlebook.