The hype surrounding this year's NBA Finals is gradually increasing to fever pitch levels, as two of the fiercest competitors in the game today - four-time MVP Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and current MVP Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors -  are set to meet in basketball's biggest and brightest stage starting Thursday.

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First of all, Lebron vs. Steph matchup in the NBA finals is nothing short of a "superfight." Each player is a charismatic leader of their respective ball clubs and embraced by their fan base as a basketball messiah to end their NBA championship drought. Cleveland's last touch of the Larry O'Brien Trophy was 51 years ago, while the Bay Area's popular songs back when they were champions in 1975 were from The Carpenters and James Taylor.

Second of all, the admiration for James and Curry extends way beyond their home courts. In terms of popularity, Curry may have narrowly surpassed Lebron this year by virtue of the All-Star votes, but the latter still retained the top spot in NBA jersey sales figures, as reported by NBC Sports.

Third, Lebron and Steph can totally dominate games, albeit in different styles. Lebron can post-up, power himself through the lane, or work in isolation plays with relative ease. Curry, with his court vision, smooth handles, silky jump shots, and unlimited range makes him an instant threat anywhere on the floor. When Lebron was asked by Yahoo Sports! on how to stop Curry, and how the Warriors could possibly contain him, King James simply said, "You can't."

Fourth, if Curry and James could indeed cancel each other out, the championship could be determined by the strategies of their coaches and the effectiveness of their supporting cast. Bleacher Report pointed out that the Warriors and the Cavs are both led by rookie coaches in Steve Kerr and David Blatt, respectively. Players on both teams, with the exception of James appearing on his fifth straight finals contest, are all first-timers. Even their second best scoring options have issues. The Warriors' Klay Thompson has yet to medically clear his concussion tests, while the Cavs' Kyrie Irving is a game time decision with his sore knee.

All in all, this year's Finals may be decided based on the team who wants it more. Will it be King James or will it be Chef Curry?

TagsLebron James, Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, cleveland cavaliers, Steve Kerr, David Blatt, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving