The Cleveland Cavaliers didn't exactly enter the playoffs on a high note this year, losing their last four regular-season games in disappointing fashion.

In the process, the Cavs lost their grip on the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, watching as the Boston Celtics leapfrogged them to earn home-court advantage.

However, as Cleveland prepares for a first-round series against the No. 7 seed Indiana Pacers, LeBron James is confident the team can find another gear for the postseason.

According to ESPN.com, James believes the Cavs are still serious contenders for their second-straight title, but added that they won't be taking the Pacers lightly:

"We have a good chance to win it all," James said Thursday. "But it starts with baby steps first, and we understand that. It starts with our opponent in two days. We have to be very determined, but we also have to be very smart about our game plan and how we execute that game plan, execute that [for as close to] 48 minutes as possible starting with Game 1."

The Cavaliers went 3-1 against Paul George and the Pacers during the regular season, so they clearly match up well against the 42-40 Indiana squad.

After a season marked by several injuries to key players like Kevin Love, J.R. Smith and others, LeBron said the hardships suffered during the regular season will only help the Cavaliers in the postseason:

"I think through everything that went on with our team, we're in a position where we can do something special still," James said. "At the end of the day, I'm not going to harp on what happened in the regular season through injuries, through bad losses, through good wins, through whatever the case may be. We have a good club going into the postseason. That's all you can ask for."

Indeed, when the Cavaliers are clicking, there aren't many teams that can stop them. The Celtics, for example, were the last team Cleveland beat during the regular season, suffering a blowout 114-91 loss to their rivals in Boston.

Even with that said, though, the Cavs would be unwise to think they can just flip a switch and start competing now that the playoffs are here. LeBron has been playing out of his mind lately, racking up a career-high in triple-doubles, but it still wasn't enough for Cleveland to hang on to the No. 1 seed.

Though the Pacers lost a thrilling double-overtime game against the Cavaliers on April second, Paul George and company finished the season on a five-game winning streak. With Lance Stephenson - LeBron's arch-nemesis - on board, anything can happen when the first round officially tips off on Saturday.