Can LeBron Save the Cavs?

Spurs Dig In, Win Again

The San Antonio Spurs dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, taking a 2-0 in the NBA Finals.

As the series heads back to Cleveland, can LeBron James figure out a way to beat the Spurs? If the Cavs want to avoid a sweep, they'll need to somehow find a way to stop Tim Duncan, Tony Park and Manu Ginobli - who each had 20 points in game 2.

If LeBron James is Justin Timberlake, Is Tim Duncan Rivers Cuomo?

The NBA Finals begin tonight in San Antonio, with LeBron James trying to live up to the hype of what is potential could be.

While Trey Wingo and Mike Golic got off the topic of football once again on Thursday's NFL Live, they invited Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly on the show. Reilly said he believes King James is equivalent of Justin Timberlake during his time with NSYNC.

Earlier Thursday on the Dan Patrick Show, Reilly made the same comment and added that LeBron taking the Cavs on his shoulders to the championship would be the equal to Timberlake helping NSYNC win a Grammy. Right on Reills.

*NBA Finals image courtesy of ESPN.com

ESPN's NBA Coverage Exceeds its Stanley Cup Duo

As the NBA Finals, between the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers, begin Thursday night on ABC, ESPN has stationed Stuart Scott, Greg Anthony and Tim Legler behind a desk in San Antonio to work as commentators on Sportscenter.

Why didn't the NHL get the same treatment from ESPN?

For the Stanley Cup, ESPN only sent Steve Levy and Barry Melrose to cover the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Senators. Levy and Melrose didn't even get a desk in the arenas. The only got a few minutes to discuss the series on Sportscenter from a random spot in the seats, while the NBA coverage on the network on Sportscenter alone Wednesday night totaled about 10 minutes.

What gives?

*NBA Finals image courtesy of ESPN.com

Surprise, Surprise - Skip Bayless Picks the Spurs to Win Finals

History Indicates Spurs Won't Be Too Rusty

Who would have ever though First Take's Skip Bayless would take the San Antonio Spurs to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals?

Sure enough, Bayless told Dana Jacobson on Wednesday's 1st and 10 he's picked the Spurs to win the series, which begins Thursday on ABC. Bayless predicted the Spurs won't sweep the Cavs, but will send them home for the summer in six games.

The Hottest NBA Finals Sideline Coverage

The pre- and postgame coverage of LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA Finals doesn't get much hotter than it does with that red hair over the left shoulder and the sweet smile of ESPN's Rachel Nichols.

Nichols has covered the epic story of the King's first journey to the NBA Finals and I can always count on a great Sportscenter story about the Cavs I won't remember anything about three minutes later.

She is a graduate of Northwestern University and also worked with the Washington Post and Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

*Image courtesy of ESPNtv.com

Skip Bayless Does Not Hate LeBron James

James' Impact on Cleveland, NBA is Larger Than Life

Skip Bayless has made no attempts at hiding his criticism of LeBron James since the hallowed NBA savior entered the league.

Now that Bron Bron had led the Cavs to the NBA Finals in only his fourth season, many though Bayless would eat his words. Bayless told Dana Jacobson on Tuesday's edition of First Take's 1st and 10 he in fact does not hate LeBron, and even bought a pair of his shoes a few weeks back at Foot Locker.