SAN ANTONIO - LeBron James should be used to the NBA Finals by now. Will Fuller V 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." Brian Cushing Jersey . "I wouldnt read anything into what happened Saturday at Torrey Pines," Woods said Tuesday after an 18-hole exhibition for past winners of the Dubai Desert Classic. Kareem Jackson Jersey . -- Jake Peavy arrived at Bostons spring training complex on Monday with a large white bandage covering his left index finger, the result of a weekend accident. http://www.thetexansfootballpro.us/texans-jay-prosch-super-bowl-jersey-authentic/ . As TSN reported Thursday, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport is under intense pressure from the federal government to focus drug testing on athletes who compete in international events representing Canada. Since funding for the tests has been frozen and the cost of testing can eclipse $1,000 per test, university athletes in a number of sports are being tested less often.SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Justin Brauns soft shot made it on net and the rebound floated in the air long enough for Joe Pavelski to bat it in for yet another goal. Thats the way its been going for Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks of late. Pavelski scored his 19th goal in the past 21 games and Alex Stalock made 20 saves in his second straight shutout to help San Jose beat Winnipeg 1-0 Thursday night, handing Paul Maurice his first loss in five games as coach of the Jets. "Ive been expecting to score for a while," Pavelski said. "Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesnt." Pavelski snapped a scoreless tie with 13:12 remaining for his third straight game-winning goal. He moved into sole possession of second place in the NHL with 28 goals this season, including seven in the past four games. "We hope it lasts for a long time," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Right spot, right time, great hand-eye. ... Very good hand-eye co-ordination to put it in." The Sharks used that goal and another strong performance from their backup goalie to win their fifth straight game. Stalock, who got his first career shutout with 24 saves last Thursday in Florida, was just as stingy against the Jets and has allowed only four goals in winning his last four starts. "Obviously, it feels good to get a shutout," Stalock said. "I think in the last two games, maybe a total of 40 shots. You see that sometimes in one game, and it says a lot to spread that out among two games. You put it on a team effort, clearing away rebounds, and it makes it a lot simpler." Ondrej Pavelec made 31 saves for the Jets, who had won four straight since Maurice took over for Claude Noel. Winnipeg scored 16 goals in those four games but couldnt break through against San Jose two nights after handing Anaheim its first home loss in regulation all season. Winnipeg managed only nine shots on goal in the final two periods Thursday but kept San Joses chances to a minimum to stay in the game. "I like a lot of what I saw defensively," Maurice said. "Its what we are trying to do. Custom Houston Texans Jerseys. Our offence needs to improve. I like this group; they are still young and have potential. These guys are willing and they listen." The winning goal was set up when Olli Jokinen made a poor clearing attempt out of the defensive zone for Winnipeg. Braun kept the puck in at the blue line and put a backhand on goal. Pavelski batted the rebound out of the air and into the net. "They got the bounce and we didnt," Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba said. "(Pavelec) certainly did a great job to keep us in it. We can take a lot of positives out of this game." The game was scoreless after two periods as both teams played tight defence and allowed few prime scoring chances or rebounds on the 37 combined shots. The Sharks had to kill penalties in the first period and needed a sprawling pad save from Stalock against Andrew Ladd on an odd-man rush late in the first period to keep it scoreless. San Jose appeared to get the first goal late in the second after it got a power play when Jokinen took down Joe Thornton in front of the net. Pavelski won the faceoff and then got into position to knock a rebound into an open net, but the goal was waved off because Thornton fell into Pavelec after being hit by Mark Stuart. It was the second time this season the Sharks were hurt by a disallowed goal against the Jets. On Nov. 10 in Winnipeg, Patrick Marleaus apparent overtime winner was disallowed because Tommy Wingels made contact with Pavelec in the crease. The Jets won that game 5-4 in a shootout. The Jets killed off the rest of the penalty and got another chance on the power play when Mike Brown was called for charging against Trouba. Winnipeg took exception to the hard hit into the boards but could not capitalize on the man advantage. NOTES: The Jets are just 7 for 76 on the power play on the road, second-worst in the NHL. ... The Sharks hosted a team from Winnipeg for the first time since Dec. 7, 1995, when they beat the original Jets, who later moved to Phoenix, 5-3. ... San Jose D Dan Boyle played his 400th game with the team. Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Jerseys 2019 China Jerseys ' ' '