San Antonio Spurs

With three teams eliminated the past week, one of them is left to consider how to continue to look like a champion, while the two others now must learn how to act like one.

_Spurs: When the playoffs are over, don't be surprised, in retrospect, if San Antonio is recognized as the second-best team from the postseason pool.

Its seven-game series against Dallas was that good; its margin of defeat was that narrow.

The concern in San Antonio is the team doesn't have the athleticism to match up with the Mavericks or Suns. Hooey, said coach Gregg Popovich.

"I listen to how athletic Dallas was and how we couldn't handle it, and it just makes me smile," he said. "If you win, there's all kinds of things you did well. If you lose, there's got to be reasons why you lost.

"So if they're more athletic, I need to figure out how much more to win by a point. How much more athletic is that?"

So what's next?

Guard Nick Van Exel said he will retire. Popovich has to decide whether Beno Udrih is the answer at point guard behind Tony Parker. Greater lengths have to be taken to keep Tim Duncan fresh. The team has to decide whether to re-sign center Nazr Mohammed (unlikely) or trade center Rasho Nesterovic (practically impossible, with three years at $23.8 million remaining). And another push will be made for Argentinean forward Luis Scola.

Yes, age is a concern for the NBA's oldest roster, with Robert Horry 36 and Bruce Bowen 35, but Parker is only 24 and Manu Ginobili 28. (Duncan is 30, but with plenty of Olympic-induced wear.)

The window might be closing, but one more layup from Ginobili or one more tip-in from Duncan and the Spurs might have gone into next season talking about a three-peat.

_Cavaliers: Cleveland, by contrast, needs an upgrade, an unexpected upgrade.

When Damon Jones, Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes and Alan Henderson were added last summer, the concern was getting into the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. But by closing within one game of the Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland is now playing at another level, one that might require a more significant talent infusion.

To that end, with Marshall and the emergence of Anderson Varejao, it will be interesting to see how high the Cavs are willing to go with free-agent power forward Drew Gooden. And is Ronald Murray actually worth the full mid-level exception?

In a bid to upgrade, don't discount a trade of underutilized center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. And one gets the sense that Cleveland doesn't know if Hughes truly is the answer in the backcourt.

Nonetheless, the playing field has changed. With LeBron James ' continued growth, don't understate Cleveland emerging as the favorite in the Central Division.

_Clippers: Like Cleveland, Los Angeles made an unexpected jump, also within one victory of the conference finals.

Unlike the Cavaliers, the Clippers seem to have all the pieces they need.

The question is how many they retain.

Free-agent point guard Sam Cassell, at 36, wants two more years at something close to the past season's $6.2 million. Then there is forward Vladimir Radmanovic, whose free agency is compounded by his lack of Bird rights, meaning the Clippers can offer no more than the $5 million mid-level exception. Also up for negotiation is an extension for center Chris Kaman.

Beyond such contract issues is the upcoming final year on the contract of coach Mike Dunleavy, which would seem like the easiest of decisions for owner Donald Sterling. Cleveland just took care of coach Mike Brown.

Factor in the need to find more playing time for guard Shaun Livingston and the acceptance of a sixth-man role by Corey Maggette, and Elgin Baylor will have to live up to his Executive of the Year laurels.

With the Cavs and Clippers, the issues are about getting to the next level. With the Spurs, it's about keeping it together for one more title run, when, hopefully, the seeding structure won't prove as cruel.