WASHINGTON — Regardless of the end result, this year brought a sea change in the NBA. Yes, LeBron James has led an Eastern Conference team back to the Finals for the fifth consecutive year, but the west has been irrevocably shaken up, and the nature of the game itself has shifted perceptibly.

Despite Phil Jackson’s flailing attempts to reestablish his own relevance through the medium of Twitter, the nerds have won. Efficiency rules, and the Rockets, Warriors, Cavs and Hawks have built ivory towers out of their strong, three-point heavy methodologies, impervious to every 20-foot, turnaround brick Kobe or Carmelo heaves at them.

The Warriors in particular have taken the Spurs’ European style of pass-happy ball movement, distilled it down and added a new level of potency with some of the best sharpshooting the game has ever seen. Would you expect anything else from a team coached by former Spur and the greatest three-point shooter ever? More so, why would Jackson expect anything different?

But back to the series at hand. No matter who wins, one franchise will end a decades-long championship drought. The Warriors haven’t worn the crown since 1975, 40 years ago. The Cavs, who played their first season in 1970-71, have never been champions.

It also pits the current MVP against a former one, against a player many still believe is the best in the game. And while the LeBron vs. Steph Curry narrative will dominate the broader headlines, as players the two will rarely square off, head-to-head, on the court. The individual matchups within the series will define and decide it.

With that in mind, see each of the biggest matchups to watch for above, and enjoy what ought to be a terrific NBA Finals.