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CLEVELAND, Ohio-Going into the playoffs this season if someone would have told you that the Cleveland Cavaliers would win the Eastern Conference title as they did last Tuesday night 118-88, defeating the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth of four straight wins out of a possible seven games, who would have believed that this could happen? It did though, and it is good for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, team owner Dan Gilbert, General Manager Kevin Griffin, Head Coach David Blatt, and the largely Black major metropolitan city, Ohio's second largest city next to Columbus.

The Cavs now head to the NBA championship series, and will play the Golden State Warriors, who knocked off the Houston Rockets to win the  Western Conference title Wednesday night . Game one is at 9 pm on Thursday, June 4 at the ORAGLE Arena in Oakland, California.

You probably would expect the Cavaliers to have exited the playoffs weeks ago. Instead, they are not only surviving the competition, but are thriving. How were they able to accomplish such an amazing feet with so much key talent, including Kevin Love, wounded and sitting on the sidelines?

Their success starts with four time NBA most valuable player LeBron James, who many consider to still be the best player in the world, and who led the Miami Heat to two of its three championship titles. James has been the team leader and clutch performer that he stated he would be in his open letter upon his return. He has been adding to his legendary accomplishments in the NBA record books as well.

Some of his most recent accomplishments include becoming the number one of all time with 53 NBA playoff games of scoring 30 points or more, and with at least five rebounds and five assists. In game three of the Cavs series with the Hawks, James became the first player since Charles Barkley in 1993 to have at least 35 points, at least 15 rebounds, and at least 10 assists in a playoff game. It game four the win by more than points speaks for itself.

One record though that James would not mind not having is the 10 missed shots in a row, also achieved in game three of the Hawks series. He missed nine of those shots in the first quarter. Fortunately for the Cavs, James' teammates made shots while he was finding his rhythm, so the Cavs only trailed by three points at the end of the first quarter.

Although LeBron has often looked like superman without a cape during this Atlanta series and the Chicago Bulls series, he has had a number of teammates answer the call when he needs help. The two former New York Knicks who were acquired in January, JR Smith and Iman Shumpert have been the main key players who needed to step in and stepped up seamlessly to supplement the absence of Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Ninety percent of all Cavs fans probably don't remember who the Cavs traded in the three team trade to get Smith and Shumpert from the Knicks. That is how one sided that trade has become and probably how much fans miss the traded Dion Waiters right now.

When the Cava acquired Waiters, the skinny on Smith elaborated more on his histrionics than his basketball skill set. That's because in his previous stints, with the Denver Nuggets, then the Knicks he was considered a troubled player who's selfish antics on and off the court could create a divisive atmosphere among the team. So far Smith's only significant miss step came in the Boston series when his flailing right backhand connected with forward Joe Crowder's face. That indiscretion cost Smith a two game suspension. But it could be argued that if the officiating in that series reflected the importance of the games, tempers would not have pecked at that level.

In contrast, JR has otherwise been a consummate team player. He did not come to Cleveland with a reputation as a high level defender, but his defense has been outstanding at times. The Cavaliers are winning largely because they have statistically the best defense of the four teams still playing in these playoffs and their offense has continued to function well enough to give James a chance be the cerebral star that he is. Of course it do not hurt to have Tristan Thompson give you a lot of second chance shots either. Often times a player like Smith sparkles on the offensive end of the court with his deep bombs beyond the three point arc and is not given credit for his defense, or it goes unnoticed.

An example of Smith's value and effectiveness at both ends of the court was seen in the all important fifth game in the Chicago series, the Eastern Conference Semi Finals that the Cavs ultimately won to advance to the conference finals. The series was tide two games apiece, Smith scored 12 points in that game, but the Cavs were plus 18 points when he was in the game. The Cavaliers were lacking scoring punch in game one of the Atlanta series. At the time Irving was hurting and not effective, and James was in foul trouble and had to leave the game in the first quarter in which he was only one of three. Smith came off the bench and hit his first four shots keeping the Cavaliers close in the quarter before James got going, scoring 14 in the second quarter. Smith then continued his hot shooting, hitting three pointer after three pointer with Hawks players draped all over him.

JR made eight three's and ended the game with 28 points. In game four of the Chicago series Smith made timely shots in the fourth quarter scoring nine points while keeping the game close and giving James a chance to hit the game winner with one second on the clock. Shumpert on the other hand, grew up having the mentality instilled in him by his older brothers that he should be embarrassed to be scored upon. That tough defensive mentality is why he was brought in with Smith from New York. But what many did not know was that Shumpert could shoot the ball with confidence as well.

Like Smith, Shumpert specializes in the three point shot. The high level of three point shooting from Smith, Shumpert as well as at times James Jones and Matthew Dellavedova is why the Cavs have not missed Love and Irving as much as they were expected to. James needs three point shooters to open the middle of the court for him so he can attack the basket and do work in the paint. Shumpert stepped in the starting line up for Smith in the first game of the Chicago series and played as if he had been waiting for that opportunity all season. He scored 22 points, making four of 10 three pointers.

In game two of the series he was four of seven from the three point arc for 15 points. Shumpert also scored 13 points in games five and six, both key wins to end that series with Chicago. In games two and three of the Atlanta series Shumpert scored 16 and 15 points respectively, with four three pointers on better than 50 percent shooting in each game. Shumpert has had four games with at least seven rebounds so far in those two series as well. JR had a double double in game three against the Hawks with 17 points and 10 rebounds showing his versatility and grit as well.

With key players out, the Cavaliers resiliency and toughness has seemed amazing. It appears that the Cavaliers are willing to do what ever it takes to go all the way, a needed championship win.