Cavs might steal one, but beyond that, they're done

But LeBron won't be able to score enough points. Not with the Spurs able to get 25 any given night from Duncan, Parker and shooting guard Manu Ginobili. Who on the Cleveland roster is going to stay in front of Parker? Sore-footed Larry Hughes? The rookie, Gibson? Ancient Eric Snow? That's not happening. Nor does Cleveland have anyone to stop Ginobili, come to think of it.

This is where you remind me that Cleveland's perimeter defense can't be that bad, considering it stopped Detroit's Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton. So, naturally, this is where I remind you that A) Billups and Hamilton missed open shot after open shot and B) Parker is quicker than Billups. Parker will spend so much time in the lane, Cleveland's best hope might be that he draws a bevy of three-second violations.

San Antonio will run off Cleveland in four games, five tops. I have no illusions otherwise, and unless you want to be disappointed, you'd be wise to join me in my pessimism. The Pistons? They weren't going to get the better of the Spurs over the course of seven games, but once or twice or maybe even three times? It could have happened.

The Pistons could have bothered Duncan with a rotation of long, shot-blocking Rasheed Wallace, strong-and-quick Antonio McDyess and savvy veteran Chris Webber. Duncan still would have put up his MVP-type numbers, but he would have had to work a lot harder than he will against Cleveland's immobile Zydrunas Ilgauskas, ineffective Drew Gooden and spastic Anderson Varejao.

Likewise, the Pistons could have slowed Parker with Billups' muscles and Lindsey Hunter's old-school tricks. Detroit wouldn't have stopped Parker, I'm not saying that. But I'm saying -- I'm knowing -- Detroit has a roster that at least looks capable of slowing down the fastest player in the game.

Cleveland? Cleveland has the best player in the world, but LeBron James can't beat the Spurs by himself.

Although it'll be fun to watch him try.