With the exception of wearing a Yankees cap to an Indians game a couple years ago, they cherish his every move.

The Cavaliers don't wonder why they sold out 40 of 43 games this season at Quicken Loans Arena. They know the drawing power of this special player.

James can feel the bond between himself and the fans.

"The 20,000-plus fans have been nothing but great," he said. "I try to give them their money's worth. We have a great bond.

"They've watched me grow from an 18-year-old kid to a 24-year-old man. We relate to each other. We stick together. It's a great bond."

Cavs coach Mike Brown has been on board for the last four years. It didn't take long to feel the connection.

"He's become a local hometown hero," Brown said. "People watched him play since junior high.

"Everyone feels a connection to him because they watched him grow up and play in high school. Economically, people want to show their appreciation by reaching out to him and showing their support (at the box office). It's a win-win situation for the fans and the appreciation."

That could be one reason why he stays with the Cavs when his contract expires. He just couldn't go anywhere else in the league where he's treated any better than he is in Cleveland.

CAVALIERS 99, PISTONS 78: The Cavaliers wrapped up a four-game sweep of the Detroit Pistons on Sunday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

They smashed the Pistons in Game 4 for only their second playoff sweep in franchise history.

"We have to understand this is a step for us in our journey," Cavs coach Mike Brown said.

The top-seeded Cavs were heavily favored to defeat the stumbling Pistons. They humiliated the Pistons in the best-of-seven series. They will now move onto the second round against the winner of the Atlanta-Miami series.

The Heat currently hold a 2-1 edge in the series. Game 4 is Monday night in Miami.

It was a case of too much LeBron James for the Pistons, which saw their streak of six consecutive appearances in the Eastern Conference finals snapped. James averaged 32 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the four-game series. He had 36 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists on Sunday.

James' aggression came through in the series, as he attempted more free throws than did the entire Pistons team. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward was 47 of 59 in the series, compared to 48 of 58 for the Pistons.

Hundreds of Cavs fans made the 210-mile trip to Auburn Hills for Sunday's game. It didn't go unnoticed to the players.

"They came all the way from Northeast Ohio," James said. "It was unbelievable."