Cavs' drought is over: Playoff tickets sell out

It's been four years since a pro team in Cleveland has reached the postseason.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- The postseason has finally returned.
It's been four years since a professional team in Cleveland has reached the playoffs (Browns) and five years since a team hosted a playoff game (Indians).
It's been an even longer drought for the Cavaliers, who sold out about 4,000 remaining individual playoff tickets in 20 minutes Monday morning as the postseason buzz starts to grow.
"I've been waiting eight years for this," said Charles Smith Jr., 54, of Cleveland, who bought $12 tickets for him and his son for two games.
Smith was one of about 70 people waiting in line Monday morning at Quicken Loans Arena, which on Saturday or Sunday will be the site of the Cavaliers' first playoff game since 1998. The date and their opponent -- probably the Washington Wizards -- likely won't be decided until Wednesday night.
In the building
Smith, whose seats are high in the upper deck, would get a better view of the game on television at home, but he said he just wanted to get his 12-year-old son in the building for the game.
Charles Smith III, who has high hopes for LeBron James and company, said the Cavaliers have become a regular topic of discussion among his friends.
"I want to see if they can take it all the way," he said. "There's a slight chance of beating Detroit."
Whoa there young fella. Smith may be getting ahead of himself with talk of Detroit, a likely second-round opponent if the Cavaliers get that far. But Smith said he has confidence in James, who will be making his first postseason run.
"He's going to step up because I know he wants that ring," Smith said. "But it's not going to be easy."
Money matters
James already has been a winner for nearby Flannery's Pub, which for years had a countdown on its window to the young star's 21st birthday -- along with an offer to buy him his first Guinness.
He hasn't showed up since turning the legal drinking age on Dec. 30, but general manager Christine Connell said the offer still stands. It's the least she can do for the player who's given her restaurant a 50 percent increase in business on game days.
The playoffs will be an even bigger boon.
"Every one of these games will mean thousands of dollars, literally," she said.
They also mean a return of the optimism that springs up each year in this city, which hasn't had a championship team since the Browns in 1964.
"Anytime this city has a team in the playoffs, we think we've got a shot," said Alex Hastie, 25, of University Heights. "In my lifetime, we will win a championship. They're be a parade on East 9th Street."