If Wednesday’s game between Cleveland and Oklahoma City served as a preview for the NBA Finals, I am all for it.

I’d welcome a seven-game Finals series featuring the exhilarating basketball displayed in the Cavaliers’ 129-122 win over the Thunder.

Forget about debates regarding market size; I just want to see fantastic, competitive basketball. I desire to witness two teams filled with talented players excelling on both offense and defense.

Let’s see Cleveland vs. Oklahoma City.

These two teams right now are the cream of the crop in the NBA, with Cleveland sporting a record of 32-4 and Oklahoma City at 30-6. However, that could change. Reaching the Finals is no simple feat, and there’s no assurance for any team. Oklahoma City must navigate the tough Western Conference, while the Cavaliers will likely have to overcome the defending champion Boston.

Despite the challenges ahead, both the Thunder—who recently saw their 15-game winning streak snapped—and the Cavaliers, who now have an 11-game winning streak, have shown enough promise this season to suggest they could reach the Finals.

They both pass the eye test and the statistics test. Each team boasts star players (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for OKC, and Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Darius Garland for Cleveland) as well as emerging stars (Thunder’s Jalen Williams and Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley). With great coaches leading the way (Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson and Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault) and intelligent front offices (OKC’s Sam Presti and Cleveland’s Koby Altman), both squads are well-equipped to compete.

And they are enjoyable to watch, too! Cleveland ranks No. 1 in offense and No. 8 in defense, while Oklahoma City stands No. 8 in offense but leads at No. 1 in defense. They both excel at sharing the basketball; Cleveland recorded 36 assists on 47 field goals made, and Oklahoma City had 35 assists on 48 made shots.

This particular matchup also delivered excitement with 30 lead changes and 8 ties. The teams combined for an incredible 84 points in the third quarter and 46 points in the fourth, with no team ever leading by more than nine points. With under two minutes remaining, Cleveland held a narrow 124-122 edge.

Jarrett Allen, who was an All-Star in 2022, contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three steals, while Evan Mobley, who is on the brink of his first All-Star selection, added 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal. These two big men, both 6-foot-11, bring a classic style to the game while still being effective in a modern context.

Under Atkinson’s coaching, the Cavaliers utilize modern strategies, ranking first in 3-point shooting and third in average 3-pointers made per game.

The Cavaliers can defeat rivals in various ways, as they did against the Thunder, tallying 60 points in the paint on an impressive 65.2% shooting and scoring 45 points from beyond the arc on 41.7% accuracy. Cleveland boasts a strong inside-outside dynamic along with solid depth.

Meanwhile, the Thunder have an MVP contender in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 31 points, and if Jalen Williams, who recorded 25 points, nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and a block, isn’t named an All-Star, it would be a significant oversight. Plus, the return of Chet Holmgren from a hip injury this season will add even more depth to Oklahoma City.

The Thunder have been working towards this success for several seasons.

Perhaps one of these teams will make it to the Finals. Maybe both of them will. Or perhaps neither will.

But if it ends up being Cavaliers vs. Thunder, count me as excited.