For the first time in a while, I'm just not that excited to see the Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I don't know if everyone feels that way, but judging by the general silence on my Twitter timeline in the days leading up to the game, I'm being led to believe that there are a few others with me.

I've been trying to figure out why and I have some theories.

First of all, these regular season matchups have done little to determine who the champion would be. The last two Christmas Day winners have gone on to lose the title.

Secondly, the Cavs have not been very good this year. It's hard to get excited about a game against a team that has been mostly mediocre. That team has been completely horrible defensively and their leader, LeBron James, is, reportedly, being questioned by his teammates.

But beyond that, beating Cleveland is no longer the team's driving force. The last three years have had some compelling narrative that linked the Warriors and the Cavaliers together. Outside of a fourth consecutive matchup in the NBA Finals, this year doesn't have anything.

The 2014-15 season was about magic, for both franchises. The 2015-16 season was about history. Last year, perhaps the most emotional one for the Bay Area, was about revenge.

The Warriors aren't chasing redemption against the East's clear-cut best team. There just isn't that spark anymore.

Building on the idea that annihilating the Cavaliers isn't the Warriors' top priority is the reality that there are more variables with the rise of other legitimate threats.

Cleveland's place in the NBA Finals isn't guaranteed, as it had been since James went back home. The Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors are good, better than they have been in years past. The Milwaukee Bucks are also a potential threat.

We say this every year about those teams, but their rise is coinciding with an unprecedented fall by the Cavaliers, one that might not be corrected easily.

For the Warriors, they should be thinking about the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Even the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Oklahoma City Thunder can be dangerous come playoff time. Their road this season is going to be tougher than anything they've faced in the past.

The Warriors were better than the Cavaliers before signing Kevin Durant. Since signing him, it hasn't really been a contest. It's clear who the superior team is.

Golden State has won six of their last seven against the Cavaliers and the best players on the floor have been Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.

This rivalry isn't completely dead, but it's trending in the same direction as the one the Dubs had with the Los Angeles Clippers. That one was fun until it became lopsided and Curry and co. left Chris Paul and his Clips in the dust.

Golden State needs to deliver a final blow. They need to win another championship--regardless of who the Eastern Conference opponent is--and watch as Cleveland's meltdown reaches a climax.

There will be excitement once the game starts. The fans at the Quicken Loans Arena will surely be energized. Playing against LeBron James feels different than playing against any other opponent.

Still, the buzz that has given fans butterflies in their stomach isn't there. The rivalry is fighting for its life and unless Cleveland does something to close the gap, it will be ending soon.