Golden State Warriors: Cavaliers matchup far from meaningless

The Golden State Warriors will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day for the third straight year. Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith has declared the Christmas Day game “holds no weight.” However, in a matchup renewing the ongoing rivalry, there is a lot riding on the result of this contest.

The Golden State Warriors will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day for the third straight year. Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith has declared the Christmas Day game “holds no weight.” The result of that one game is unlikely to affect either team’s playoff hopes, but it is far from meaningless. This matchup is very much a high-stakes situation for both teams.

The next chapter in the ongoing saga between two of the league’s heavyweights will be written on Christmas Day. There will be in equal parts competition and spite. This is the definition of a grudge match, and has been circled on every NBA fan’s calendar. So, let’s explore why this game holds “plenty of weight,” as we prepare for yet another potential NBA Finals preview.

The renewal of the rivalry

There’s a reason why Smith declared this game holds no weight. There is always so much hype and intrigue encapsulating a Warriors-Cavs showdown. With all of the attention surrounding the clash, Smith wanted to put into perspective the fact that this is still a regular season game.

He hasn’t had to say that about any other season matchup so far, but this is different. That in itself contradicts Smith’s statement. The Dubs and Cavs have faced off in three consecutive NBA Finals series, and will now face off in their third consecutive Christmas Day game. The rivalry has entered its fourth year and doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

How will the Warriors fare without Curry?

A big talking point heading into this game is the absence of Golden State Warriors superstar, Stephen Curry. Curry was sidelined weeks ago with a sprained ankle that has now kept him out longer than first anticipated. With Curry’s history of ankle injuries, this latest injury has been a big cause of concern for Warriors fans.

The Dubs will be without their leader on Christmas Day. This gives the Cavs a great shot at gaining an advantage in the season series against the Warriors. Prior to their loss against the Denver Nuggets, the Warriors had won all seven games since Curry’s injury. They’ll be hoping to carry that momentum into the game against Cleveland at home.

The Cavs can silence the doubters

The Cavs have had a strange start to the season and were majorly underperforming before their long win streak. Adjusting to life without Kyrie Irving was always going to be difficult, and having new recruit Isaiah Thomas sidelined hasn’t helped. The Cavs have taken control of their season and have turned things around, but many are unconvinced that the Cavs can challenge the Warriors this season.

The Cavs are without Irving, and Thomas won’t suit up until January, so it is fair to say that the odds are stacked against them. This makes the Christmas Day game a chance for the Cavs to silence their doubters. The Warriors are the league’s benchmark team, and if they can take advantage of Curry’s absence, while dealing with absences of their own, the Cavs may just return to their status as the Eastern Conference’s best team.

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This game will be far from meaningless, and arguably holds the most weight of any regular season matchup. J.R. Smith may be playing it cool publicly, but there’s no doubt that both teams are heavily fixated on this upcoming showdown.