Joshua Gunter/cleveland.com

Cavaliers vs. Warriors rivalry rewind

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors renew their storied rivalry Monday, neither side will have to look very far for motivation.

The Warriors, winners of two out of the last three NBA titles, host the Cavs, who broke up Golden State’s run in 2016 during the league’s marquee matchup at 3 p.m. Christmas Day.

Since the two teams began facing off for NBA Championships in 2015, both sides have fired shots, on the court and in the press, that have enhanced the rivalry and made things more intense for players and fans alike.

Whether it’s a whiff of champagne in the locker room or a swift kick to a sensitive area on the floor, it doesn’t take much for players from both sides to get their blood pumping.

Here’s a look back at 13 moments from the Cavaliers-Warriors rivalry that show why it’s the best in the NBA.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

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Paul Sancya/AP

Stephen Curry's champagne dreams

After defeating the Cavaliers in the 2015 Finals and celebrating in Cleveland, Golden State guard Stephen Curry remarked to reporters that he hoped the visitor's locker room at The Q "still smells like champagne" prior to the Warriors' return in January of 2016.

A year later, Curry told reporters he was “surprised” that anybody would have hard feelings about the remark, choosing instead to focus on good memories of the celebration.

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Green's reaction is just plain nuts

Late in Game 4 of the 2016 NBA Finals, Draymond Green reacted to LeBron James stepping over him by punching James in the groin. The sequence led to Green being suspended for Game 5 and sparked the Cavaliers to three straight wins to capture the title.

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Klay Thompson plays in a 'man's league'

After Game 4 of the 2016 Finals, Warriors guard Klay Thompson talked about how surprised he was that LeBron James reacted to Draymond Green's trash talk. "I'm just kind of shocked some guys take it so personal," Thompson said. James famously "took the high road" when asked about the comments.

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Curry's mouthguard goes AWOL

Stephen Curry wasn't around for the end of Game 6 in the 2016 Finals after he fouled out and was then ejected for hurling his mouth guard into the stands, hitting a Cavs fan.

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LeBron's Halloween party 2016

James threw shade at the Warriors with some of the decorations at his 2016 Halloween Party, including a sign reminding partygoers that Golden State blew a 3-1 lead in the finals, and a dessert tray that included gravestone cookies with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson's names on them.

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Richard Jefferson's time machine dunks

Richard Jefferson turned back time with a pair of dunks on Christmas Day against Golden State. He dunked on Kevin Durant and immediately received a technical foul for winking at the Warriors star. In the fourth quarter, he posterized Klay Thompson, bringing the Cavaliers within two points of the Golden State lead at the time.

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Kyrie's Christmas dagger

It was the second time in as many games against Golden State that Kyrie Irving had ended things with a last-second dagger. Irving's turnaround jumper over Klay Thompson gave the Cavaliers a 109-108 Christmas Day victory in front of the hometown fans last year.

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Steve Kerr doesn't like The Diff

Golden State coach Steve Kerr went out of his way to take a shot at Cleveland's game day operations when he dissed "The Diff" feature which appears on the scoreboard at The Q.

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Green tackles LeBron, then mocks his 'flop'

Cleveland returned to Golden State in January, 2016 where the Warriors handed out a 126-91 beating. The score was tough, but it was Draymond Green's open-field tackle of LeBron James in the second quarter that could have hurt worse. James lay on the court for several seconds before getting up, while Green protested the flagrant foul call by mocking him in front of the Warriors' bench.

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LeBron lands a groin shot on Iguodala

Late in Cleveland's Game 3 loss in the 2017 NBA Finals, Andre Iguodala made a good defensive play to strip the ball from LeBron James. Replays appear to show James' legs flailing and kicking Iguodala in the groin a-la Draymond Green's repeated kicks to opponents throughout the playoffs. James was not suspended or fined for the play.

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Green slams Cleveland fans after ejection that wasn't

When Draymond Green was whistled for a technical foul in third quarter of Game 4 of the 2017 Finals, everybody at The Q thought the Warriors forward had been ejected. That's because Green appeared to receive a technical foul earlier in the game following a collision with Iman Shumpert. However, officials explained that even though the official score sheet listed Green as having received a technical in the first half, they had actually called the foul on Golden State head coach Steve Kerr. Green was allowed to remain in the game even after the arena DJ had played "Hit the Road, Jack" by Ray Charles.

Green, talking about the incident following the game, took the opportunity to slam Cleveland fans and arena workers, calling them "not the sharpest people" he's ever encountered.

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David West and Tristan Thompson 'kiss'

David West and Tristan Thompson got a little too close for comfort in the Game 5 of the 2017 Finals after West shoved Kyrie Irving and Thompson sprang to his teammate's defense. That's when West and Thompson went nose-to-nose, and the Internet stepped in with some hilarious memes.

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"You started the super team, bro"

Draymond Green took the opportunity during Golden State's 2017 victory parade to call out LeBron James for comments James made during the playoffs that he had "never played on a super team."

"You started the super team, bro," Green teased while mocking the Cavaliers for an early exit from the Finals.