1. The King James version:

LeBron James is the biggest star still playing, and all eyes and cameras will be on him in his first NBA Finals appearance. San Antonio's defense will be geared to stop him. The Spurs will try to confuse him with different looks and put him in positions where he will have to make split-second decisions. He has stepped up in every test, and there is no reason to think he isn't up for this challenge. Besides Bruce Bowen, Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, Brent Barry and Robert Horry will probably get a chance to guard James.

2. Been there, done that:

This is the Spurs' third trip to the Finals in five seasons, and they won it all in 1999, 2003 and 2005. They do not get rattled by much and have a knack for making critical adjustments. This is the first NBA Finals appearance for Cleveland, and reserve Eric Snow is the only Cavaliers player who has been to the Finals, losing as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001. The Spurs, meanwhile, still have seven players from their 2005 championship.

3. Tempo:

The Spurs are lethal at any tempo but prefer to run and will try to force things, while the Cavaliers are more comfortable in the halfcourt. That doesn't mean they won't take off when the opportunity arises, however. Expect the scores to be in the mid-90s most games.

4. Dealing with Duncan:

Tim Duncan is as consistent and predictable as superstars come, but he is so good and so efficient that his imprint will be all over the game. Where James is spectacular, Duncan is solid, but everything the Spurs do at both ends of the floor they do because of his presence. He's the one who makes everything work. He moves the ball out of the double-team as well as anyone in the league, and if he is single-covered, it's clinic time with his classic low-post moves.

5. Flopping:

Two of the best players in the league at drawing charges are San Antonio's Ginobili and Cleveland's Anderson Varejao. It's a thin line between a charge and a flop, and these two players will make it an even tougher call for the officials.

6. The long ball:

The Spurs are always looking for the three-pointer and have made 38.7 percent of them in the postseason, the best percentage of any team during the first three rounds. Between them, Finley and Bowen are a combined 46.3 percent from beyond the arc (69-for-149). The Cavaliers are making 2.3 fewer three-pointers a game but have an outstanding three-point shooter in rookie Daniel Gibson. He was 5-for-5 in the series-clinching Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons and is shooting a team-high 44.7 percent (21-for-47) from there in the postseason.

7. The basics:

Cleveland is holding playoff opponents to 42 percent shooting, and San Antonio's playoff opponents are scoring at a 45 percent clip. The Cavs are a relentless rebounding team at both ends, while the Spurs have gotten into trouble on the glass, particularly when it comes to limiting teams to one shot.

8. Home court:

The Cavaliers have lost only one home playoff game, Game 3 of the conference semifinals against the New Jersey Nets. The Spurs lost two playoff home games, Game 1 to the Denver Nuggets in the first round and Game 4 of the next round against the Phoenix Suns. Cleveland's fans, new to the playoffs, are louder, and the San Antonio fans tend to be more laid-back.

9. In their image:

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown and general manager Danny Ferry are products of the Spurs organization. Brown was an assistant coach to Gregg Popovich for three years, including the 2003 championship team. Ferry was a player on that 2003 team and became the Spurs director of basketball operations, helping them to the 2005 title before going to the Cavs. Brown and Ferry are quick to admit they are trying to do things the same way the Spurs do them.

10. Foreign intrigue: