James still happy with Cleveland

"I'm great. I feel great about this situation that's going on," James said at Cleveland's training facility in Independence, Ohio, where the team gathered one last time before parting ways for the summer. "You want to continue to get better, that's all you can ask. We got better and I feel this team will be better next season. You don't want to take a step backward."

The Cavaliers won 66 regular-season games, the most in the league, en route to their second Central Division title.

James, who averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists against Orlando, said he hasn't given any thought to signing a contract extension with the Cavaliers this summer.

Cleveland can offer the extension July 18 - the three-year anniversary of him signing his previous deal.

"I don't know," James said when asked if he'll sign. "I haven't thought about it just yet. I'm just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the game period. I'll relax with my family. We'll figure [it] out once it comes from them."

James said he sent an e-mail to Howard following Saturday's game.

"It's hard for me to congratulate somebody after you just lose to them," he said. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm a competitor. That's what I do. It doesn't make sense for me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

Magic play spoiler

Had Cleveland made the Finals, it would have set up a highly anticipated duel between Kobe Bryant and James, the last two NBA MVPs.

The Magic ruined that script. Now they look to deny Phil Jackson his 10th coaching title, which would move him past Red Auerbach for most all time, when the best-of-seven series begins in Los Angeles Thursday night.

"To get to the Finals is most definitely deserving for this team, but we feel like we still have work to go out there and do, and try to go out there and win it all," Orlando forward Rashard Lewis said. "Getting to the Finals is not enough for us."

The Lakers are stuck on 15 championships, second behind the Celtics (17). Boston beat the Los Angeles last season in six games, the clincher a 131-92 blowout that still stings.