With storylines as interesting and intense as it can be, the battle is primed to be the marquee match-up for the NBA this season.

Superstars are on both sides and we should be in for a treat. On one corner, you have the Los Angeles Lakers getting led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while on the other, you have the scrappy Los Angeles Clippers and the stoic assassin that is Kawhi Leonard. Kawhi’s supposed partner in crime, Paul George is currently rehabbing a shoulder injury and will be out for the game.

LEBRON VS. KAWHI

It’s a superstar match-up made in sports fandom heaven. LeBron James, with all of his accolades and consistent versatility, is possibly the most polarizing sports figure in history, thanks to varying controversies within the teams that he’s in and activism on social issues – and some could even argue that’s understating it. Kawhi Leonard, meanwhile, is a no non-sense, seemingly expressionless basketball monster. The two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP is as simple as they come – he gets in, he gets in done on offense and defense, he gets out. Done and done.

Yes. Talk about contrasting personalities.

With that, we should all be salivating for a battle that will feature them being ultra-focused on one-upping each other. An angry LeBron is virtually unguardable, and since everyone is deeming that he has fallen off after a disappointing 2018-19 campaign, we might be seeing that classic stare from the 2012 Playoffs again. Look away Celtic fans.

Kawhi can be virtually unguardable too. Like LeBron, he can break defenses down from anywhere on the floor. He has a quick first step, he’s strong enough to post up anyone, and his relentless slashing abilities enable him to ram the ball down defenders’ throats. Oh and he’s also a much bigger threat than LeBron from mid-range.

…and he leads the career head-to-head match-up with LeBron, 6-3.

Scroll right to see more H2H stats.

THE SUPPORTING CAST WILL BE A BIG KEY

We can pretty much book that LeBron, Kawhi, and Anthony Davis will all be impactful for the game. It’s the teams’ second-tier that will be an x-factor.

For the Lakers, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard could be on top of the list. The two would need to give quality minutes whenever Davis is on the bench and also make the most out of the opportunities whenever one is sharing the floor with the All-Star big man.

Over on the Clippers, it’s on Lou Williams and Patrick Beverley. The former is a scoring machine that can pile up buckets in a snap, while the latter is a pesky defender that can frustrate opponents with his in-your-face style of play.

PREDICTION:

We’ll give the nod to the Clippers, as they are the more established and battle-tested roster. Remember, this is basically the same team that took two games against the then-two-time defending champions Golden State Warriors… and now they have Kawhi Leonard.