LeBron Entering MJ Territory and Beyond

ATLANTA -- After the Cleveland LeBrons ripped his team Saturday night at Philips Arena for the third time in three tries during the second round, Atlanta Hawks co-owner Mike Gearon Sr., declared with wide eyes, "They might not lose a game throughout the entire playoffs," and they might not.

They are destroying folks with regularity, and two names come to mind. There is that Michael guy, of course, because King James suddenly has the same killer stare, style and substance during each millisecond of his playoff games as Air Jordan once did.

The other name?

Cavaliers 97, Hawks 82: Recap | Box Score | Scoreboard

Bob Knight.

You don't play the opponent. You play the game. That's what Knight used to say, and that's what these Cavaliers do, which is why only the Los Angeles Kobes will stand between them and the Larry O'Brien trophy in June.

Until then, when LeBron James will use the NBA Finals to turn Kobe Bryant into just another superstar, there will be more Cleveland blowouts. James is the engine of the Cavaliers' stifling defensive machine that generates enough offense from inside and outside to help crush opponents, too. In other words, what has happened so far during the postseason for the Cavaliers is neither a fluke nor a matter of the Cavaliers battling flawed teams in the Detroit Pistons and the Hawks.

The Cavaliers get it, because their engine does.

So there was James early Saturday, with that stare before he prepared to use that style and that substance to deliver his latest one-man pounding of the Hawks. "We don't change our game plan for anybody, whether we're at home or on the road," said James, daring the crowd around his locker to disagree. "We know how we're going to come out tonight. They're going to have to adjust to us."

To translate: The Cavaliers played the game, not the Hawks. Which is why it wasn't surprising that the Cavaliers ignored the three competitive quarters of their banged-up and overmatched opponent for a rout down the stretch. Both teams will meet here again Monday night, but only to make the Hawks' burial official. This will be another four-game sweep for the Cavaliers, and this will continue their trend of stomping an opponent by double digits. They did so in the first round against the Detroit Pistons, and then came the start of the second round in northern Ohio, where the Cavaliers flew past the Hawks twice with the greatest of ease.

This time, the Hawks actually showed a pulse, but they always do at home. They even shocked the Cavaliers during the regular season.

Latest NBA Playoff Photos

ATLANTA - MAY 09: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers awaits play against the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** LeBron James

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a free throw against the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** LeBron James

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: The team dancers for the Atlanta Hawks perform against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Anderson Varejao #17 of the Cleveland Cavaliers rubs his neck and shoulder after getting fouled by the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Anderson Varejao

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Anderson Varejao #17 of the Cleveland Cavaliers lies on the floor after getting fouled by the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Anderson Varejao

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Josh Smith #5 of the Atlanta Hawks drives the basket against Zydrunas Ilgauskas #11 and Anderson Varejao #17 of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zydrunas Ilgauskas;Josh Smith;Anderson Varejao

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Delonte West #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives the basket against Josh Smith #5 of the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Josh Smith;Delonte West

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Maurice Evans #1 of the Atlanta Hawks dunks against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Maurice Evans

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ATLANTA - MAY 09: Joe Smith #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers blocks a shot by Josh Smith #5 of the Atlanta Hawks in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena on May 9, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Joe Smith;Josh Smith

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It's the postseason, though, which means these aren't those Cavaliers, especially since Cavaliers coach Mike Brown joins James in getting it. To prove as much, Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year. His Cavaliers won more games than anybody (66), and they did so by holding foes to fewer points per game than anybody (91) and trailing only the Boston Celtics in defensive field goal percentage. They also perfected that Bob Knight thing. Said Brown, in his fifth season coaching the Cavaliers, "Well, I don't know if we've gotten it yet. The only ring I've got on one of my fingers is my wedding ring. So we're just like trying to figure it out just like everybody else."

But nobody else has James.

Nobody ever has had anybody like James.

This was ridiculous Saturday night. Several times, with Hawks defenders throwing more than a few hands in his famous face, he backed up and drilled three-pointers from the farthest zip codes of the arena. He even banked home a trey while almost giggling as the ball left his hand.

Twelve rebounds. Eight assists. There also was a steal, a blocked shot and another heavy dose of eye rubbing from LeBron watchers to go along with his 47 points. Said Gearon, a noted NBA wise man after three decades with the Hawks in various capacities, "He's better than Jordan. He's 6-foot-9, and he's got bigger hands. I've never seen anybody like him. You can put him at any position right now, and he'd be the best player in the league at that position. Here's the other thing: Jordan didn't make guys better around him, not like Magic and Bird, and this guy is like Magic and Bird."

No, James is like James.

That's more impressive.