NBA finals rookies, Cavs primed for shot
by Brian Sm on 2007-09-24Tom WithersCleveland, U.S. (AP) - Above the Cavaliers' training room door on the wall adjacent to LeBron James' locker hangs a photograph of one of his signature dunks _ one of his nastiest, wake-up-the-kids slams. The one over Tim Duncan.Someone placed it there a few days after Cleveland's 88-81 win in San Antonio on Nov. 3, the Cavaliers' first victory in the Alamo City since 1988 and one that set the tone for a special season. So far, the most special. Seven months after James posterized Duncan, the Cavaliers were at home Monday getting ready to go to an unfamiliar place: the NBA finals. The finals can be a scary place for first-timers who might be intimidated by the global spotlight. Not James. Although he's a finals rookie, the 22-year-old star isn't nervous about taking his show onto the grandest stage yet. "I'm very excited to be a part of it," said James, wearing a New York Yankees cap and "King of Akron" T-shirt. "As far as me being in awe, I don't know. I'm not that type of guy. "There's not too many things that awe me." James and the newly crowned Eastern Conference champions began preparing for Thursday's series opener against the Spurs with a workout at Quicken Loans Arena. It was quiet in the building, a stark contrast from 48 hours earlier, when the one of the biggest parties in Cleveland history cranked into the wee hours of Sunday following the Cavs' Game 6 over Detroit in the conference semis. Other than a massive media presence and having to get their pictures taken in warmups now bearing the official finals patch for TV, there were no other signs around the Q to indicate the finals had arrived
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