LeBron James thinks the Cleveland Cavaliers are ready to take the next step and knock off the favored Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals, which begin tonight.

After all, the Cavaliers extended Detroit to the seven-game limit in the conference semifinals a year ago. And Cleveland clearly has improved this season, as it proved with its second-round dismissal of Vince Carter, Jason Kidd and the New Jersey Nets.

There's just one problem.

Detroit is not the same tired, griping group that disintegrated in the postseason a year ago, barely edging the Cavaliers before being ousted by Miami in six games in the conference finals.

Instead, the Pistons are relaxed and refreshed, and coach Flip Saunders appears more comfortable in his second season leading the team.

"What helps us is what they did to us last year," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said of Cleveland. "That's a positive for us. They had us down, and we came back and knew we had to win Game 6 to get to Game 7."