CLEVELAND � Is LeBron James jinx proof? His coach believes so.

Cleveland�s superstar is making his ninth appearance on Sports Illustrated�s cover this week. He�s pictured doing his trademark pregame routine of blowing hand powder in the air over the headline �Cleveland Rocks (No Joke),� a feature about how the Akron native � and league MVP � could finally end the city�s 45-year championship drought.
Cavs coach Mike Brown was unaware of James� latest appearance or the notorious S.I. cover jinx, a notion that bad luck soon comes to individuals or teams that appear on the cover.
�Did something bad happen to him the other eight times?� Brown wondered with a hint of sarcasm after shootaround on Wednesday. �I�m OK with it.�
James� career has been on a steady ascent since he first appeared on S.I.�s cover as a 17-year-old high school phenom. After winning an Olympic gold medal last summer, the 24-year-old led Cleveland to a franchise record 66 wins during the regular season and the team is a perfect 8-0 in the playoffs entering Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic.