2006 Cleveland Cavaliers

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the San Antonio Spurs, winners of the 2007 NBA Championship, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Cleveland Cavaliers, winners of the Eastern Conference Finals, for the amazing season they had!

The Cavs have proven that they can fill the house around the league behind the charisma and talent of LeBron James. 2006-2007 hopes to be the year that the team deepens behind “King James” to sustain a meaningful playoff run, and to contend for their first NBA title. The Quicken Loans Arena (the “Q”) will be on fire this year with the ferocious dunks of LeBron, the silky backcourt play of Guard Larry Hughes, and the deadly accuracy of Forward Drew Gooden.

The Cleveland Cavaliers came to Ohio in 1970. Since then, they have played host to some great NBA stars. Ron Harper averaged nearly 20 points a game while wearing a Cavalier's uniform. The "Reign Man" Shawn Kemp collected rebounds and had his career high scoring average as a Cavalier. Big man Brad Daugherty, drafted number one in the 1986 draft, is the team's all time leader in points and rebounds. He was universally regarded as the best Cavalier ever. Then came LeBron.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team geared towards the future, not the past. The biggest event in Cavalier history was by far the drafting of LeBron James in 2003. James, perhaps the most highly touted high school basketball star ever, was the prized jewel of his draft class. James became an instant basketball icon, and ticket sales soared from the moment he was signed. Everyone wants a chance to see this kid play. The organization hopes that his leadership, his celebrity, and most importantly his game can raise the Cavaliers to new heights.

The 2003 season was a huge transition for the Cleveland, Ohio basketball franchise. The team, which has called Quicken Loans Arena (formerly Gund Arena) home since 1994, brought in head coach Paul Silas to head up an energetic group of youngsters. LeBron James came to the league with impressive credentials. It was widely wondered whether or not he could possibly live up to the hype of daily press clipping, the weight of a franchise on his shoulders, and a $90 million shoe deal. James proved early on that he had the game to back up the hype. James' supporting cast changed dramatically in 2003. While seven footer Zydrunas Ilgauskas provided an inside presence, double-double man Carlos Boozer is the team's most effective inside threat. Early in the season, scorer Ricky Davis was James's best supporting teammate, but a trade with the Boston Celtics replaced Ricky Davis, Chris Mihm, and Michael Stewart with Tony Battie, Kedrick Brown, and Eric Williams. For years the Cavaliers have struggled in the Eastern Conference. The team is hopeful that LeBron can transform the youthful, inexperienced team into a legitimate contender in the near future.

The NFL's Cleveland Browns play at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Known for its incredibly enthusiastic crowds, aptly dubbed the "Dawg Pound," Cleveland Brown Stadium is a difficult place for visiting teams to play. Jacobs Field is home to the Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians. The Indians, armed with one of the best lineups in all of baseball, were legitimate World Series contenders in the 1990s, wining six American League Central Division titles in seven years. Quicken Loans Arena is also the stomping ground for Cleveland's American Hockey League team, the Barons.