with Neuvirth in Washington. He from zgr123's blog
SAN ANTONIO - LeBron James should be used to the NBA Finals by now. Christian Folin Wild Jersey . After five trips to the championship series in eight years, it would make sense if he had a been-there, done-that attitude when stepping onto the sports biggest stage. He doesnt. On Wednesday James took a seat inside a makeshift interview area, sneaked a quick glance at the NBA Finals signage that was off to his left side, and beamed like a kid in a candy store. Just a couple years removed from being ripped for not delivering in the moments that decide championships, James seems more comfortable in these surroundings than ever. "Im blessed, man," James said. "Thats all I can say." And then, without stopping, the four-time MVP said much more. "This is my fifth appearance in a finals," he continued. "Im blessed. I was a kid who watched so many finals appearances and, you know, watched Michael Jordan and watched Shaq and Kobe ... we watched throwback finals games. ... I just wished maybe I could see the finals verbiage behind me and be a part of this." His wishes come true again Thursday night, when James and the Miami Heat open these finals against the San Antonio Spurs, the NBAs first championship-series rematch since 1998. The Heat are going for a third straight title, the Spurs are trying for their fifth crown since 1999. If Miami wins, the perception will be James came through. If Miami loses, the perception will be he didnt do enough. James knows thats the reality. He doesnt mind. "I play for my teammates, our team, the city of Miami, my friends and family, and I gave it all for that," James said. "And at the end of the day, win, lose or draw, Im satisfied with that. I dont get involved in what people say about me and my legacy. I think its actually kind of stupid." By now, the story behind James rise to a champion is no secret. He left Cleveland in 2010 because he felt Miami gave him a better opportunity to win titles. In 2011, when Miami lost to Dallas in the final round, James said he was relying too much upon proving his doubters and naysayers wrong. So the next season, he vowed to play the game the way he had in the past. Championship No. 1 came in 2012, championship No. 2 came last season in an epic seven-game series against the Spurs, and now the shot at No. 3 is here. "Hes really taken his game to a whole other level," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "Obviously as an individual hes grown, as a man, both on and off the court from his own experiences. So I think hes done a phenomenal job. ... If I sit back and look from afar, hes done an unbelievable job under the microscope that hes been under since he was 16 years old of doing things his way and been very successful at doing them." If James is feeling pressure right now, it doesnt show publicly. Away from the public eye, though, teammates have marveled all season about how someone who makes more than $50 million a year in salary and endorsements is working perhaps harder than ever. "Nothing he does is normal," Heat forward Michael Beasley said. "He practices wearing a weight vest. Does that sound normal?" James spent the majority of his question-answering time Wednesday laughing or smiling. Off-stage, he joked with a few other people, chatting and seeming as relaxed as he would if this was the eve of a Heat-Spurs game in January, not one in June. The Spurs are worried about stopping James, they know that wont happen. "We understand LeBron is the best player in the league and just physically hes just a monster," San Antonio forward Tim Duncan said. In 2007, when the Spurs swept Cleveland, James was still learning. In 2011, he felt like he absolutely had to win, and failed to get it done. In 2012 and 2013, he just played the game the way he felt it needs to be played. And its no coincidence that its all fallen into place since. "Every time I come up here and talk to you guys or I do something, you know, very well on the basketball floor or off the floor, my city is rewarded by that," James said. "My family is rewarded by that, my friends are rewarded by that, the kids and all the kids in the world that look up to me are rewarded by that. Thats enough to get me by. Everything else is extra credit." Ryan Suter Wild Jersey . "Youre not really spending time to sit back and analyze what your competitions doing and things like that," Anthopoulos said. "Youre so focused on what were trying to get done." Ultimately, while the landscape around them changed with trades both major and minor, the Blue Jays did nothing before Thursdays non-waiver deadline. Nino Niederreiter Wild Jersey . Before that, Rousey needed a total 23 minutes and 26 seconds to take care of her last eight opponents - and one of those fights lasted 10 minutes and 58 seconds.BUFFALO, N.Y. - In a season full of lessons, the Edmonton Oilers learned a quick one to snap their losing streak.A day after getting discouraged when the Boston Bruins came back and scored on them, the Oilers responded multiple times Friday night against the Buffalo Sabres to win 3-2 at First Niagara Center.Erasing an early deficit and then one in the third period, the Oilers got the winner from Boyd Gordon to end their skid at four. It was a victory coach Dallas Eakins knows his team needed.Its important for our dressing room, Eakins said. We fully understand critics and we fully understand and I embrace the result. You can stand and talk about how well youre playing and how youve improved, but if youre not getting points, no ones going to listen.These were two valuable points in a back-to-back situation for the Oilers (5-8-1), who are on the road for two more games: Sunday at the New York Rangers and Tuesday at the Nashville Predators.Now we want to start a winning streak, said centre Mark Arcobello, who scored his third goal of the season. Getting that win was big for us and now weve got to get back on track.Facing the Sabres (3-10-2), the NHLs last-place team with just eight points in 15 games, this looked like a trap for an Edmonton team that didnt skate Friday morning after playing in Boston.Sometimes these things dont set up very well, Eakins said. Youve lost a few in a row and youre coming in to play a team thats struggling and youre playing back-to-back and the odds arent lining up very well for you.It didnt help the odds that the Oilers fell behind 26 seconds into the second period on Matt Moulsons first of the season. But Iiro Pakarinen answered 54 seconds later with the first of his NHL career.I dont even remember, said Pakarinen, who made his NHL debut Thursday night in Boston. I was a little bit shocked. It was so fast of a situation. I jumped on the ice and the rebound was there and I tried to shoot as hard as I can.Eakins said Pakarinen looked a bit like a deer in the headlights against the Bruins, and many of his Oilers teammates werent much different. A 2-1 lead quickly turned into a 5-2 loss for Edmonton, which is without captain Andrew Ference (suspeension) and left-winger Taylor Hall (knee injury). Thomas Vanek Wild Jersey. We were up by a goal we have a big hiccup and next thing you know were kind of sulking and then boom-boom-boom its in the back of our net, alternate captain Matt Hendricks said of the Bruins game. Weve had that problem all season.Thats why Eakins was impressed when his players took a deep breath when they went down Friday night, not just when Moulson opened the scoring but when Drew Stafford snapped a shot past Viktor Fasth 6:34 into the third to make it 2-1 Sabres.At 11:42, Arcobello whiffed on a rebound attempt but beat Michal Neuvirth to tie it up again. That set the stage for Gordons winner at 15:45 after Hendricks forced a turnover and Teddy Purcell found the fourth-line centre streaking to the net.Heno made a good play to him and then Teddy made a nice move and got the puck over and fortunately it went in for us, said Gordon, who has goals in two straight after none in the first 12 games of the season.In a game between the last-place teams in each conference, the Oilers outshot the Sabres 52-31.Well take 52 every night if we can, Eakins said.But Neuvirth, who has excelled of late, was the difference in keeping the Sabres in it and frustrating the Oilers.He doesnt do a lot, but he doesnt do a lot wrong, said Hendricks, who played with Neuvirth in Washington. He always just seems to be square with every shot. I think we couldve had quite a few goals tonight if it wasnt for Neuvy.Notes — Legendary Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and longtime Sabres announcer Rick Jeanneret took part in a ceremonial puck drop on Hockey Fights Cancer night. Kelly, who led Buffalos NFL team to four straight Super Bowls, was declared jaw cancer-free in September. Jeanneret said on local TV before the game that he was told this week hes throat cancer-free. ... During a commercial break in the second period, Sabres general manager Tim Murray said in a taped message that he was fighting for Bryan Murray. His uncle, the GM of the Ottawa Senators, has been fighting cancer since the summer. ... Martin Marincin replaced Oscar Klefbom in the lineup a day after the Oilers loss in Boston.___Follow @SWhyno on Twitter Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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