LOS ANGELES (AFP) - The only thing standing in the way of LeBron James and Cleveland's first National Basketball Association title is a seasoned San Antonio team that has won three championships in eight years.

Against long odds, Cleveland beat the Detroit Pistons in six games, wrapping up the semi-finals series with a 20-point performance from James.

"They kind of snuck up on everybody," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Cleveland.

San Antonio, which won in each of their three previous trips to the finals in 1999, 2003, 2005, host the first game of best-of-seven final on Thursday. Game two is Sunday at the San Antonio arena. "I'm not sure how rare they think it is since they've been there quite often considering their young ages and time in the league," Popovich said. "But they know it's the finals and that would take care of any possible complacency I would think."

To no one's great surprise San Antonio is in the 2007 finals but few outside of Cleveland expected the Cavaliers to be there.

That is until young superstar James took the bull by the horns, elevating Cleveland to a rarified level in his fourth season with the Cavs.

But along with his individual heroics, which included a jaw-dropping 48-point eruption in game five, James also has matured as a leader - one who has been more than willing to share the glory with his teammates.

"There is no way we would be here in the Eastern Conference finals or winning the Eastern Conference finals if it was a one-man show," he said. "It's never happened in NBA history, it would never happen in the NBA where a team has one guy and he does it all."

James even drew praise on Monday from NBA legend Michael Jordan who said James is showing signs of greatness. "Making 'The Leap' is where you do it every single night," Jordan said. "It is expected of you and you do it. What just transpired was needed for the league, needed for Cleveland and needed for LeBron." Said three-time finals MVP Duncan, "I'm just hoping every once in a while they throw the Spurs in there, in between the LeBron highlights, that would be nice."

Cleveland won both regular season matchups against San Antonio, including spoiling the Spurs' home opener. The teams met again in January in Cleveland where James scored 19 points in another win.

James led the Cavaliers to its first Eastern Conference title and now the possibility of the first championship in Cleveland in any sport since the gridiron Browns of the National Football League won the title in 1964.

Cleveland head coach Mike Brown is one of several members of the Cavaliers who previously work in the San Antonio organization. General manager Danny Ferry and assistant coach Hank Egan are ex-Spurs along with Brown who spent three seasons as an understudy to Popovich.

"There aren't going to be many secrets here, that's for sure," Popovich said.