Finish it

With Boston forcing their series to at least six games (Big Baby?!?! Jesus I hate Boston) the Cavs can get themselves even more rest with a win tonight in Atlanta. The Lakers (the Cavs most likely Finals opponent) will go at least 6 games as well (and then get to face a young, likely-rested Nuggets team). Obviously, the more rest, the better.

Things are setting up nicely. The Cavs are on the verge of sweeping and both Boston and Orlando will have played at least six games in both of their series. LeBron has gotten less minutes this season (hello blowouts!) and with the Cavs plowing through the first two rounds, he's gonna have as close to a full tank as you can get at this point in the season. His averages are all up across the board thus far.

Terry Pluto is just loving this:

Yes, it's fear, NBA style. Fear that James will "poster you," with a slam through the rim with your frightened face caught on camera.

It's fear when you think you have an open lane to the basket, but you hear the thump ... Thump ... THUMP! of James' footsteps coming closer, closer, closer. You fear he will block your shot from behind, as he has so many times this season in being the runner-up to Orlando's Dwight Howard as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

It's also fear when James is near and the whistle blows. James does receive the benefit of the doubt from officials -- at least, that's what players from other teams whisper.

He has scored 108 points in 108 minutes against Atlanta. In the Cavs' 7-game playoff winning streak, he's averaging 33.7 points, 10 rebounds, 6.6 assists and has only 10 turnovers in 271 post-season minutes.

In the dressing room after Saturday's game, James' head and upper body was wrapped in towels. He had ice on his knees, his feet were in buckets of ice water. His eyes were closed. He looked very human.

But on the court, James is extremely scary to anyone not in a Cavs uniform. You can be sure he knows it, and Cavs fans do, too. And you have to love that!

These guys are smart, they know Boston and Orlando will be slugging things out for a while, a sweep here would only put them in a better position. Their players will remain fresher (which is huge for the bigs, as three are old and one runs around like a chicken with his head cut off), the defense will remain top notch and James won't be out of gas for the money rounds.

The only problem is, we won't be able to watch them play for another week. It kinda sucks, but it's more than worth it.