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LeBron James arrives at NBA's ultimate stage

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James awaits his turn at a news conference in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

Headphones tilted back on his head, LeBron James walked the Cleveland Cavaliers through the shadowy tunnel and into the arena's gleaming lights -- and their first NBA finals.

"We're here now!" James shouted.

He brought them. And he will decide how far they'll go.

Tagged as the face of the National Basketball Association and saddled with huge expectations, James arrived at US basketball's ultimate stage on Wednesday as the Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs trained for the last time before yesterday's Game 1.

The climactic setting is a new one for the Cavaliers. It was only four years ago when they won 17 games while playing in front of as many empty seats as filled ones at home.

"It was like we weren't even in the NBA," said center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, drafted by the club in 1996. "We were in a deep depression as an organization."

The 22-year-old has been a household name in the US since he was an Akron, Ohio, high school phenomenon.

In these playoffs, his second trip to the postseason, James has elevated his multidimensional game to a higher level, pushing the Cavaliers within four victories of Cleveland's first major sports title since 1964.

His appearance in the best-of-seven series should do wonders for the NBA's globalization plan. Undoubtedly, he'll also boost TV ratings, perhaps tempting casual viewers interested in seeing if he can match his jaw-dropping, 48-point performance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit.

With most of the attention focused on James, the other team in this LeBronian lovefest isn't getting its proper due.

"The league is about new, exciting things," said Spurs forward Michael Finley. "And LeBron is that thing right now."

The Spurs have always won with defense, and still do. The league's stingiest defensive squad during the regular season must figure out how to slow James, who sliced up the Pistons for 25.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists, putting him with Oscar Robertson (1963), John Havlicek (1968) and Larry Bird (1986) as the only players to reach those averages in a conference finals.

Detroit tried to double and triple-team James, whose ability to pass over the top of defenders allowed him to find wide-open teammates for easy shots.

Spurs forward Bruce Bowen will be assigned to guard James, but he'll need help, especially when James decides to post him up near the basket.
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