Start with Stephen Curry vs. James Harden. The MVP vs. the runner-up. Harden has had a chip on his shoulder all year, feeling disrespected for fair reasons.
And Harden is the underdog. Entering Tuesday's Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone picking the No. 2 seed Rockets to beat the No. 1 seed Warriors.
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Here's everything you need to know for Game 1:
Who? The Warriors (67-15) were the surprise best team in the NBA this season, and they host the Rockets (56-26), who pulled out ahead of a crowded pack below Golden State in both the regular season and playoffs.
What, when and where? Game 1 of the Western Conference finals best-of-seven series; Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT); at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif.
Where can I watch? ESPN will broadcast the game and the entire series. You can use WatchESPN.com or the Watch ESPN mobile app, as well as the traditional cable channel.
Key matchup: Curry and Harden are the names, but they won't guard each other. Instead, look for power forwards Draymond Green of the Warriors and Josh Smith of the Rockets to play huge roles. They are very similar players coming from completely disparate backgrounds. Green is an underdog, a second-round draft pick eager to hit free agency and make big money this offseason for the first time. Smith is getting paid by the Pistons, who cut him despite a huge contract because his poor shot selection and attitude were hurting the team. But Green and Smith are tremendously athletic, versatile players who, when playing well and taking smart shots, can be differentiators.
Full series schedule (all games at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN)
Game 1 — Tuesday, May 19, Houston at Golden State
Game 2 — Thursday, May 21, Houston at Golden State
Game 3 — Saturday, May 23, Golden State at Houston
Game 4 — Monday, May 25, Golden State at Houston
*Game 5 — Wednesday, May 27, Houston at Golden State
*Game 6 — Friday, May 29, Golden State at Houston
*Game 7 — Thursday, May 31 Houston at Golden State
That's awkward: ESPN's top broadcast team features Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. But both Van Gundy (in 2007, by the Rockets) and Jackson (last year, by the Warriors) were fired by teams playing in the series. ESPN has made clear that it's sticking with the trio, and they have called Warriors and Rockets games this season. Van Gundy has no real connections to this Rockets roster, but Jackson coached almost everyone on the Warriors last year and has made some interesting comments about Curry.
The (e)X(perience) factor: The Warriors are heavy, heavy favorites. But if anything can bail the Rockets out now, it's this: The only Warriors player to have played in a conference finals game before is backup guard Leandro Barbosa. The Rockets have three former NBA champions in their supporting cast, and both Rockets stars (Harden and Dwight Howard) have played in the NBA Finals.
How they got here: The Warriors beat the No. 8 seed Pelicans in a tougher-than-usual four-game first-round sweep. They then were taken to six games for a 4-2 series victory against the playoff-tested No. 5 seed Grizzlies. The Rockets managed a 4-1 first-round series victory against the crumbling No. 7 seed Mavericks. But they were tested in Round 2 and pushed to seven games against Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the No. 3 seed Clippers.
