Warriors and Cavaliers collide in Cleveland on Thursday

One team has sat at the top of their conference all season long, the other has been hard-charging up the standings since breaking out of a holiday season funk. A Golden State Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals prediction is still a decent bet and the two clubs face off for the second time this season on Thursday.

When they last met on Jan. 9, the Cavs were still in that aforementioned funk and LeBron James was on the shelf during the longest injury absence of his career. Not surprisingly, the Warriors won 112-94. 

Since his return, James's effect on the Cavs is well-chronicled. They are 17-3 in those 20 games. In that time, Cleveland is first in offensive rating in the league. Digging deeper, the trio of James, Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson has an offensive rating of 117.5 points per 100 possession over the course of the whole season, good for fourth in the NBA using a three-man lineup combination. 

Immediately ahead of them at 118? The Warriors' Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala, per NBA stats. 

With MVP candidates Curry and James on the floor, both teams are sure to provide scoring entertainment. But it's the Warriors' defense that has given them the edge all season. Using the same three-man formula, no fewer than six Warriors player combinations are in the top 10 in defensive rating – a stat they lead the league in as a team at 100.8.

Curry is averaging 26.3 points and 9.7 assists in his last three games against the Cavs and has scored at least 20 in 12 consecutive contests. He may also still be brimming with confidence after visiting the highest office in the land on Wednesday.

The Warriors have also beaten Cleveland in seven of eight games.