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The matchups that will decide the NBA Finals

LeBron vs. the clone army James remains one of the top players in the game, even if he has crested his peak at age 30. He’s hit more shots from the field (149) than anyone this postseason, but has also taken by far the most (348), good for less than a 43 percent rate. That isn’t going to fly against Golden State, who will defend him with an army of versatile athletes with similar dimensions and skill sets. The Warriors play a switch-heavy defense to keep from falling out of position, and can easily switch Harrison Barnes (who will likely be assigned to James) out with Klay Thompson or Draymond Green, or with bench players Andre Iguadala, Shaun Livingston, or Marreese Speights. Golden State will do everything it can to avoid LeBron’s attempts to take its defenders one-on-one, or force help defenders to sag, allowing him to kick to open jump shooters. Cleveland will have to find other ways to score points to keep up with the Warriors. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
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WASHINGTON — Regardless of the end result, this year brought a sea change in the NBA. Yes, LeBron James has led an Eastern Conference team back to the Finals for the fifth consecutive year, but the west has been irrevocably shaken up, and the nature of the game itself has shifted perceptibly.

Despite Phil Jackson’s flailing attempts to reestablish his own relevance through the medium of Twitter, the nerds have won. Efficiency rules, and the Rockets, Warriors, Cavs and Hawks have built ivory towers out of their strong, three-point heavy methodologies, impervious to every 20-foot, turnaround brick Kobe or Carmelo heaves at them.

The Warriors in particular have taken the Spurs’ European style of pass-happy ball movement, distilled it down and added a new level of potency with some of the best sharpshooting the game has ever seen. Would you expect anything else from a team coached by former Spur and the greatest three-point shooter ever? More so, why would Jackson expect anything different?

But back to the series at hand. No matter who wins, one franchise will end a decades-long championship drought. The Warriors haven’t worn the crown since 1975, 40 years ago. The Cavs, who played their first season in 1970-71, have never been champions.

It also pits the current MVP against a former one, against a player many still believe is the best in the game. And while the LeBron vs. Steph Curry narrative will dominate the broader headlines, as players the two will rarely square off, head-to-head, on the court. The individual matchups within the series will define and decide it.

With that in mind, see each of the biggest matchups to watch for above, and enjoy what ought to be a terrific NBA Finals.

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