Happy Holidays, NBA fans! The biggest game of the regular season is upon us, and we'll be providing running analysis as the game goes by between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. It's their first matchup since last year's Finals when the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead, and the Cavs secured their first championship in franchise history, forever changing the identity of Cleveland sports fans.

In the interest of appropriate credit, Bill Simmons used to rock the "running diary" approach at ESPN.

Here's how to watch the game.

We did a 3-man weave discussing matchups and outcome of this game and the rest of the Christmas slate.

And here are 5 quick things to know about the matchup before we get going.

2:15 p.m. Opening Thoughts: Before we get started the biggest thing I'm wondering about is how the Cavaliers scheme this thing. This game is, based on probability of outcomes, a blowout for the Warriors, but it's also an opportunity to test things vs. the Death Star lineup. The Warriors' bench also can be sporadic in when it shows up, so how Ian Clark plays will be a nice little sub-plot.

More than anything, though, you gotta wonder what Draymond Green's going to do, given his frustration over his suspension last year and his overall fiery temperament.

2:38 p.m.: Draymond Green said he doesn't think they'll ever forget the bad memories of Game 6 in that building. I bet not. Everyone tends to act like the series was just Game 5 when Draymond Green was suspended, but Green was there for Game 6, and they had won in Cleveland in Game 4, and yet he couldn't do anything to stop James then, either.

2:40 p.m.: First Cavs possession, Kevin Love gets stoned by Kevin Durant in the post, Kevin Durant helps on the drive to disrupt the offense, Kevin Durant scores in transition the other way. He's just able to do so much. This is the best defense he's ever played in the regular season, which should annoy the heckfire out of the Thunder.

2:42 p.m.: The Warriors' help defense is the best in the league, and no one's really found a consistent way to punish it. You can bruise through it like the Cavs did with individual talent, but not really beat it.

2:47 p.m.: And Draymond Green picks up his second foul, and a tech to go with it. It was a bad call, Green had verticality. Does Green get profiled for his behavior? Probably a little bit, but then you also have to understand that in terms of actual foul calls, he gets a phenomenal amount of respect from the officials. He has had veteran call respect since his second year in the league, which is really rare for young players. But the cost of his antics is he picks up unnecessary techs for reacting. Still a bad call.

2:49 p.m.: DeAndre Liggins is a 28-year-old veteran guard that landed on this Cavs team after Mo Williams retired and Matthew Dellavedova left. He's a D-League veteran, having done his time in Sioux Falls -- yes there's a great D-League team there and it's a great one, seriously -- before winding up here. He just snatched a wayward pass from Klay Thompson and went the other way but couldn't find a score. He also missed a help tag on a pick and roll. He's got to make up for certain issues by making hustle plays.

2:10 p.m. (5:30 mark 1st quarter): So this just happened.

This is actually a Spurs trick the Warriors have adopted. When Dwyane Wade would fall in the Finals, or Russell Westbrook last year in the semifinals, the Spurs would push the ball immediately, because with the scoring player down on the ground, there's a 5-on-4 opportunity. Throw in Durant's athleticism, and you have a real problem. But a great response? Throwing the inbounds outlet pass to the player trying to get back for a cherry pick. It's effort plus awareness, and it shows how high the basketball execution is in this matchup.

3:14 p.m. (0:00) mark 1st quarter: The Warriors lead 27-25 after one, and it's a great game so far. However, it's notable that the Cavs only hung with Draymond Green's two fouls impacting things, and you wonder how things get for the Cavaliers with the benches playing in the second quarter vs. the Warriors ability to stagger rotations.

3:17 p.m. (10:00 2nd): Well, there's a pretty good answer, to how the bench plays, as Channing Frye scores on a great assist from Kyrie Irving and then hits a 3-pointer to get it back within two. Frye has to make everything he shoots in this series; he basically has to be a splash brother for Cleveland.

Watch the double screen off the offensive rebound to give Irving the chance to catch and then get the baseline, which leads to the assist.

By the way? Frye's your leading scorer. Next after him? Kevin Love with seven.

3:27 p.m. (6:51 2nd quarter, 42-36 Warriors): Klay Thompson is splashing. When you have to try and factor for all the other guys, Thompson gets open, and then he just cooks. They have so many weapons, man.

Also, Shaun Livingston remains a vital part of this team's success. His stability, reliability, and length just give them such an advantage.

Richard Jefferson is starting to really struggle in this game. Careless turnover, and then gives up a foul to Livingston on a cut. Easy to forget Jefferson is 36.

3:33 p.m. (4:38 2nd quarter, 46-38 Warriors): DeAndre Liggins is down, looked like a bruised knee. Draymond pics up his third foul, runs to the other end, but avoids a tech.

Meanwhile, 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 5 boards, an assist, a steal, and a block for Durant who is putting on an MVP-level performance. Under the radar, if Curry (2 points) doesn't shine as bright, that boosts Durant's MVP case, because even with the embarrassment of riches, if most voters just remember Durant thriving, it could impact things.

Oh, and as I type that, Steph Curry knocks down a 3-pointer and the lead is double digits for the first time.

3:42 p.m. (2:17 2nd): This is from the first quarter, but it shows the problem the Warriors' 3-point shooting creates. Look at how the defender has to overplay Thompson to guard the 3-pointer, and that opens up his opportunities at the rim. Two-man game patiences with the Warriors is total doom.

3:50 p.m. ET (Halftime): A great first half, despite the sloppiness, which is kind of the whole trend of this rivalry. The Cavaliers shot 33 percent from the field, but matched the Warriors in 3-pointers (four apiece) and had an advantage from the line.

For the Warriors, Durant has been amazing, and he's on pace to be the story of the game with 17 points. It should be noted the Warriors were outscored by a point with Durant on the floor, surprisingly, but he's been just flat-out terrific. He's hyper-efficient (5-of-8) and aggressive as all get-out. Plus, his help defense has been great. The Warriors' defense has been terrific, but they're also getting called on reaches they normally don't get called on.

For the Cavaliers, LeBron's 5-of-11 with two assists to two-turnovers. The Warriors are collapsing on his drives and then running back out to contest on the kick-out.

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Watch how Andre Iguodala watches James and then times his jump-out for the deflection and near-steal.

2:23 p.m. (4:58 3rd, 72-70 Warriors): And right on cue, LeBron hits four 3-pointers in the second-half to get the Cavaliers back within range. But they can't quite get the lead. Here, Kevin Durant, who has switched onto James (and James onto KD) just falls asleep for a minute:

And here, the Warriors just dare him to make the play. He does.

Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving is having a really hard time tracking Klay Thompson.

That's been brutal. It's a bad matchup on top of Irving losing Thompson, who gives up size to one of the best shooters ever.

4:34 p.m. (End 3rd, Warriors 87-80): Durant's up to 28 points as he blows by Richard Jefferson for a dunk, and the Warriors again get separation. The Cavs have thrown the kitchen sink at them, and the Warriors just have more weapons.

Also, Richard Jefferson did this to Stephen Curry:

4:53 p.m. (7:28 3rd, Warriors 95-87): Richard Jefferson just picked up a taunting tech after dunking on Kevin Durant. Richard Jefferson is 36 years old. If he dunks on Kevin Durant they should give him a medal and hold a ceremony at mid-court. Celebrations are common place in the NBA and Jefferson didn't cross any lines, he just winked at him.

Sometimes we get silly about athlete reactions to plays.

4:57 p.m. (5:07 4th Warriors 99-94): Stop me if you've heard this one, but the Cavaliers stage a comeback. Kyrie Irving gets loose, Jefferson makes some huge plays, and the Cavs get it back within two possessions. They are so resilient, it's remarkable. The Warriors will have to earn it.

5:01 p.m. (3:46 4th, Warriors 103-99): I have no idea what's happening. Richard Jefferson, out of nowhere like the RKO:

5:10 p.m. (11.1 seconds 4th quarter, Warriors 108-107): This game has been incredible. Wild comeback, LeBron James dunks on everyone, Steph Curry hits a pull-up 3, Kyrie hits a layup, shot clock violation on the Warriors. Just an amazing classic.