7 reasons we want Cavaliers vs. Thunder in 2016 NBA Finals

2. Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James.

Let’s be real honest here, this is the man-on-man matchup everybody wants: James vs. Durant at small forward. At a time in the NBA where elite wing players at a premium, there isn’t a better matchup at the three between James and Durant.

Both players are very much in the prime and are perennial threats to make All-NBA First Teams. Even during down years, they are still two of the best seven players in the game today. Offensively, few can impact the game from the small forward position as can either James or Durant.

James becomes a Magic Johnson-like distributor running the point forward from either the three or the four when he is on top of his game. Durant’s smooth stroke from distance as a near seven-footer sets him apart from most elite scorers in the game today.

This James on Durant matchup could be somewhat of a throwback to some of those elite Eastern Conference battles at the three between Boston’s Larry Bird and Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins in the mid-1980s. Both James and Durant are capable of scoring 40 points in a down-to-the-wire head-to-head shootout. Who wouldn’t love to see them try?

Next: 1. Both teams are peaking at the right time.