The NBA Playoffs have reached the round that matters: The NBA Finals, featuring the San Antonio Spurs against the Cleveland Cavaliers, begin tonight. Here's what Cavaliers power forward Drew Gooden had to say yesterday:

DREW GOODEN: I kind of walked in here and it was reminiscent of the Final Four, all the media attention and coverage, but it hasn't really hit me yet.

Q. Can you talk about the challenges of trying to guard Tim Duncan?

DREW GOODEN: We talked about this yesterday. Like I said, he's down low, very consistent, stays within himself, and it's going to take a team effort to stop him more than an individual effort.

Q. You know that the challenge is here for you guys, but in a sense is it any more of a challenge than it was in the last round? Talk about what Detroit has been doing in the Eastern Conference.

DREW GOODEN: Yeah, Detroit was the team to beat to get to this point, and we finally got past them. It's kind of like beating your master before you leave the dojo or something like that. But I think they got us ready for the series, and I look forward to playing in it.

Q. What do you guys take most from your two wins in the regular season this year?

DREW GOODEN: I think knowing what they run, knowing the types of offensive players they're running, how they play defense, the rotations are similar to what LeBron teaches, and throughout the season we try to use this team as a measuring stick to see where we were, how we were running plays. And I think now this is the ultimate measure stick is playing against them in The Finals.

Q. What's your mindset heading into Game 1?

DREW GOODEN: I think we've been talking about so much, not just to be happy to be here, but to win this, to win The Finals. I think everybody is motivated and everybody has enough confidence individually and as a group that we can beat the San Antonio.