BOSTON -- Of all the places LeBron James' mind could've gone following the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 5 win in the Eastern Conference finals -- a night he passed Michael Jordan for first place on the NBA's all-time postseason scoring list, clinched his seventh straight NBA Finals appearance and solidified the historic championship matchup against the Golden State Warriors -- James thought about his teammates. Two of them in particular.

"I think the first thing for me was seeing the excitement on Kyle (Korver's) and Deron (Williams') face," James said after the 135-102 series-clinching win against the Boston Celtics. "You've got one guy with 12 years, first Finals appearance, and another guy 14. So that's the first thing I picked. And just to see the excitement around my teammates -- I do it for them, and they give it back to me as well."

That's more evidence of the Cavaliers' family environment, one built on a foundation of sacrifice and togetherness. Inside that tight-knit locker room, it's about we, not me. That's why James wasn't the only one celebrating the Finals newbies.

"It means a lot," Tristan Thompson told cleveland.com. "I remember watching D-Will as a kid and watching Kyle in the 3-point contest with his two long socks on with the Sixers and D-Will with his pocket passes making (Carlos) Boozer an All-Star. But being able to be a part of this journey with them to go to their first-ever Finals, it makes me feel very young, but that's what really excites me the most about tonight."

When General Manager David Griffin traded for Korver in January, the sharpshooter became the newest member of the family, a perfect fit both on and off the court.

As much as the Cavs' wanted Korver's 3-point prowess, they were also drawn to his personality, quickly believing he was one of the best guys in the NBA. After getting close twice during his career, Korver finally got to don that much-anticipated championship hat and participate in the team's water-filled celebration.

"It's amazing. For this to happen now it means so much," Korver said. "You work all summer, you work all season for so many years in a row hoping to get to this point. I don't think it's sunk in all the way yet. But this is really special.

"It's the only game your family expects for you to totally lock in on -- basketball. You have no other responsibility, just go out there and play and try to win. Obviously, this is what we all play for and this is what we all dreamed about when we were kids."

Williams, who scored 14 points Thursday, his most this postseason, said the emotions started to hit him on the court as the clock was ticking away, calling it a surreal feeling. A playoff veteran participating in his 85th career postseason game, Williams got close to this moment once, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 Western Conference finals while with the Utah Jazz.

"This is my first time. Twelve years in the league," he said. "It's one of those things where you don't know if it's ever going to happen and don't know if it's going to happen again so for me I just want to make the most of this opportunity, enjoy it, soak it in and try to win a ring."

For both Korver and Williams, things weren't always smooth. Korver arrived and the Cavs lost seven of the final 11 games in the month of January. There were injuries, postgame airing-out sessions and frustration while trying to incorporate Korver into the offense.

"I didn't doubt we would get here," Korver said. "At the end of the game, LeBron came up to me and was like, 'Sorry for those first couple of months, but we're here now.' Then he went to Deron and was like, 'Sorry for that one month, but we're here now.' I think we all believed. We believed in the players that are here obviously and we had a little tough stretch here in the season, but this is what I came here to do."

Williams admitted he wasn't always optimistic. How could he have been? He watched the Cavaliers shine from afar, but when he first arrived, the team was at a low point.

They went 7-10 in his first full month with the squad, suffering blowout losses against the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards and Spurs.

There was little practice time with a compact schedule and Williams was trying to learn everything on the fly. Even though he had previous relationships with numerous players in the locker room, he was also getting used to a new role as backup point guard.

"For me I think there was [some doubt]," Williams said. "For those guys I don't think as much. But for me I was like, 'Man can we really turn it on?'

"A couple of the guys - James Jones and some of the other veteran guys that have been here said, 'We will turn it on.' I think that's what's happened. I think once a team like this, veteran guys, guys who have won championships, guys who have been around, once they lock in on one time and just scouting that one team and that's all you're focused on it's a lot easier to flip that switch and lock in on one opponent."

Rookie Kay Felder, inactive in the playoffs, and injured big man Walter "Edy" Tavares will also be first-time Finals participants. Same goes for Derrick Williams.

None of them likely will have a big on-court role -- although theoretically Williams would fit in a seven-game series against the small-ball Warriors -- but the trio is still embracing the moment. They took pictures with the Eastern Conference championship trophy in the locker room.

"It's awesome, man," Derrick Williams told cleveland.com. "At the beginning of the season ... I was on another team. ... Everything happens for a reason so just happy to be with these guys and try to take advantage of the opportunity.

"That's what I've done since I've been here ... put in work, contribute and be a nice puzzle piece in this big puzzle we have. We have 15 players on this team that can really play and I'm just one of those guys who will do whatever coaches ask me to do."

Korver was caught off guard by his trade. Atlanta was a place he called home for four and a half years. But Thursday is why Korver was thrilled to join the Cavaliers. It's why Deron Williams locked in on Cleveland as soon as the Dallas Mavericks bought him out. It's why Derrick Williams accepted a buyout from Miami -- giving him an opportunity to seek a new NBA home.

The trio will be leaning on other players with Finals experience in the coming days. There will certainly be a message coming from James as well.

But shortly after winning Game 5, James didn't want his guys thinking about the Warriors or what the Finals stage is like. There will be plenty of time for that. James wanted them to savor the first taste of championship hardware -- with another possibly coming.

"We need to live in the moment," James said. "This is a great moment and this is not promised. We know that. But once we start to lock in on that beast of a matchup that we've got next round, then we'll be very focused and I'll let those guys know what to expect out of a Finals appearance."

Joe Vardon contributed to this story.