Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Thursday night, a Christmas morning of sorts for fans of basketball who have been waiting for what's felt like an eternity for the championship series.
The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will battle it out with the title on the line for the third year in a row, with plenty of familiar faces between both sides and a few new additions, most notably Kevin Durant. It's another battle for the ages between a host of future hall of famers.
Some NBA fans have fatigue from watching the same two dominant teams easily make their way to the title series. Others can't wait to see who takes the lead after the Cavaliers and Warriors split their first two series. Ultimately, though, this should be an incredible round of basketball for everyone.
Hours ahead of Game 1 tipping off, here are just some of the reasons Warriors vs. Cavaliers III is going to make for a great trilogy edition of their playoff battles.
Historical greatness clashes
For the first time in NBA history the two teams meeting in the NBA Finals combined for just one loss during the postseason prior to meeting. The Cavaliers and Warriors have been taking care of postseason business, thrashing each opponent in their paths.
These two teams are two of the best we've seen. There's an argument to be made that LeBron's current Cavaliers are better than his teams in Miami, but that's neither here nor there.
The Warriors are a once-in-a-lifetime team for fans to witness right now. Superteams have been around for ages, but never quite like this. Adding Durant to a team that's coming off of back-to-back NBA Finals runs, and that was one win away from a second title, is unreal.
Anyone currently following the NBA will remember these teams clashing season after season, and that's because they're two of the greatest teams we've ever seen compete.
Endless star power
When you think championships, you think greatness. The court is going to be full of greatness every game of the NBA Finals, with 11 past or present All-Stars between both rosters. That's the highest number going back to the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers series in 1983.
Even further proof of how dominant the stars in play are, Durant, Curry and James have combined to win seven of the last eight NBA MVP awards, cementing just how bright the star power will be.
James will become the seventh NBA player in the league's history to reach the NBA Finals for seven consecutive seasons, but the first to do so in over 50 years. The Boston Celtics' dominance in in the 50's and 60's was the last time the NBA had seen anything like this.
LeBron, Curry, Kyrie, Draymond, Durant, Love, Thompson, Iguodala... the talent in play in the 2017 NBA Finals is absolutely insane, which makes for an absolutely awesome opportunity for the league to showcase just how great it is.
Unstoppable force vs. immovable object
The complaints are loud and numerous about the Warriors and Cavaliers meeting in the NBA Finals again. Their rivalry has been shoved down the throats of audiences for years, but there's a very good reason for that. It's an actual rivalry.
Which Eastern Conference team could possibly dethrone the Warriors? The Cavaliers. Which Western Conference team could possibly dethrone the Cavaliers? The Warriors. It's akin to the battles between Batman and Joker. It's destiny, and they elevate each other.
This is really about Cleveland being the one true East team that can hang with Golden State. Is it better to watch the Warriors sweep the Toronto Raptors, or to have a glimmer of unpredictably because LeBron and the gang are not to be overlooked.
This is the best possible outcome with the highest potential for a competitive championship series. If the Cavaliers can come back from being down 3-1, they can win a series currently at 0-0.
King James' conquest
Last but not least is the chance to watch LeBron chase the greatest hooper of them all, Michael Jordan. James passed Jordan on the all-time career playoff scoring list during these playoffs and is just 98 points away from passing him in the all-time career NBA Finals scoring list.
He'd have to average just 14 points per game through the NBA Finals over a seven-game series to surpass MJ, putting him in third place behind Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He's also just eight defensive rebounds away from being No. 1 over Tim Duncan.
Magic Johnson is another NBA legend he can catch with just one triple-double. If he notches it, he ties Magic for the most triple-doubles in NBA Finals history with eight of those statistical marvels.
James is cementing his place in the NBA's hierarchy in the latter portion of his career, and a dominant series against the Warriors that ends with a ring would lift him to mythological levels of greatness.
If all of this doesn't excite you - watching the clear-cut top-two teams in the NBA battle - then the finals may not be for you. It's hard not to be excited to see if LeBron can topple the Warriors, or if Golden State is simply far too deep to beat in a seven-game series. Let the games begin.