Stars carry their teams in the NBA Western Conference playoffs

NBA legends and future Basketball Hall of Famers LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) and Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) have been eliminated from the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Stephen Curry didn't even make it that far as the Golden State Warriors' season ended in the play-in tournament. It is the first time since 2005 that at least one of the three will not be in the second round of the playoffs.

But a new group of young players is ushering in the next generation of potential greats, led by 2024 NBA MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Gilgeous-Alexander, a 25-year-old guard, averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds this season while leading the Thunder to the top of the Western Conference (57-25). The top team in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics (64-18), were at the top of the entire league. His spectacular play continued in the playoffs, where he averaged 27.3 points per game and led the Thunder to a four-game victory over the New Orleans Pelicans to advance to the second round.