The meeting between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder has game-of-the-year potential and rightfully celebrates the league’s two most dynamic teams thus far. Tying the Cavs for the longest win streak of the season, the Thunder arrive having strung together 15 straight regular-season wins (their NBA Cup Championship loss to Milwaukee is not counted toward their record). And the Cavs carry a 10-game winning streak of their own into Wednesday night’s tip.

How to watch Thunder at Cavaliers

These teams have combined to go 61-9 through 70 total games. At 30-5, OKC has the best defense in the sport and the top net rating. At 31-4, the Cavaliers are on a historic 72-win pace and lead the league with a 50.4 team shooting percentage. Both sides are top-10 in pace and top-three in turnovers.

Perhaps most affirming is that neither side fast-tracked its way to success. No one would mistake Cleveland or Oklahoma City for a glamour market in free agency. Both cores were built largely through the draft, with savvy and ambitious trades to land their respective leaders in Donovan Mitchell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s as if a basketball super-nerd’s fanfiction was fully actualized.

SGA is the current clubhouse leader for MVP, sitting at -185 odds off the strength of 31.8 points per game and sublime defensive presence. Across almost 900 minutes this season, Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort are plus-16 on the court together; they are two of the five Thunder players averaging at least a full steal per outing.

But if any opponent has the fortitude and confidence to challenge OKC, it’s Cleveland. The Celtics may lead the league in 3-point makes and attempts, but no one is more efficient behind the arc than these Cavs. Mitchell is having far and away his best season shooting the 3-ball, and he has eight 30-point games. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland are having the best runs of their pro careers, and Cleveland’s bench is loaded with likable underdogs that can microwave offense when needed.

Wednesday’s game could be a Finals preview, but predicting June’s outcomes in January feels like a fool’s errand. Instead, let’s appreciate this matchup as it is — two balanced, inspired squads that take the regular season seriously and routinely put on a show for the viewing public. The Cleveland crowd should be appropriately raucous.

Law Murray’s New Year’s resolution for the Cavs: “Keep it quiet. A Cavaliers team that didn’t have any major transactions outside of hiring Kenny Atkinson as head coach is on pace for a season even better than last year’s champion Celtics. Cleveland has been quiet for a team that has been this good and dominant. But the Cavs have the perspective of having to grow slowly this decade, while Atkinson has been with so many other teams that had to grind. The humility and perspective will serve them well.”

For the Thunder:  “Get Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP. While the Cavaliers are more balanced with their attack, every team knows what is coming with Gilgeous-Alexander. And yet, he keeps leading the Thunder to wins. The last four Oklahoma City victories have all come after trailing by double digits at some point, and Gilgeous-Alexander has reached at least nine field goals and 29 points in each comeback.”

Thunder at Cavs odds

Starting five of players to wear both jerseys:

• G — Dion Waiters
• G — Ty Jerome
• F — DeAndre Liggins
• F — Jeff Green
• C — Isaiah Hartenstein

(Photo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)