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SAN ANTONIO - LeBron James should be used to the NBA Finals by now. 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." Mens Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 31 .Then came December.Three straight losses, including a crushing 27-24 defeat to Washington (4-11) on Saturday, has the Eagles (9-6) on the brink of playoff elimination. Grey Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 31 . - Olympic champion Marielle Thompson accomplished her mission of defending her skicross World Cup title at Nakiska Ski Area on Saturday. http://www.cheapairmaxzoom.com/ . The turf is scheduled to give way to actual grass that is bright green, so we dont have to complain any more—we just have to wait a few years. Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played. Black Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 . - The RBC Canadian Open will return to Glen Abbey Golf Club next year, marking the 27th time that the national open championship will be played at the Oakville, Ont. Orange Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34 . - Jordan Addesis shootout goal helped the Plymouth Whalers to a 3-2 win over the Sault Ste.ARE, Sweden - Struggling to overcome jet lag after making the trip from Canada to Europe, Tina Maze surprised herself on Friday.The overall World Cup leader from Slovenia sped down the Olympia course in the second run of a giant slalom to win in a combined time of 2 minutes, 23.84 seconds. It was her third win of the season and 26th of her career.Honestly Id rather say Oh come on, just let me sleep. But then I said (to myself) Come on, you took this program now you should get yourself together and do the races, said Maze, the Olympic champion in the giant slalom. Sometimes you just have to push yourself over what your head is saying.Maze was in seventh place after the first run, but she still finished .20 seconds ahead of Sara Hector of Sweden, who secured her first career podium. First-run leader Eva-Maria Brem of Austria was third, .28 behind.Despite feeling sluggish, Maze was .70 faster than Hector and .86 faster than Brem on the second run.On the first run I didnt find the right pressure on the skis at the top, Maze said.After fulfilling her media obligations, Maze laid down on the snow with her arms outstretched for several moments, already preparing to get some well-earned rest.Feeling groggy actually seemed to help her to focus.Im still jet-lagged. For sure you pay more attention on that ... if youre in that state of mind that youd like to sleep, Maze said. Sometimes things are coming to you really fast and sometimes when youre not focused the mistakes caan happen.ddddddddddddMaze, who won the overall World Cup title in 2013, was 12th on the womens all-time list for World Cup wins.She has shown her versatility this season, with a downhill win in Canada last month and victory in slalom in Finland.Im probably the only one doing all events (this year), Maze said. Its amazing. Im really happy about my skiing. Im just relaxed.Her form is picking up quickly after she made a difficult start to the season, finishing 22nd at the season-opening giant slalom in Soelden, Austria. She improved to fourth in giant slalom last month in Colorado.I didnt worry too much about Soelden, the others did more. I know I have something else, she said. I expected a podium, I must say. I didnt expect a victory today.Brem secured her third podium of the season — all in GS — after winning in Colorado and placing third in Soelden.I had my first podium here last year, Brem said. For me, everything changed here.Italian skiers Federica Brignone and Nadia Fanchini were fourth and fifth, respectively, while Anna Fenninger was sixth.Marie-Pier Prefontaine of Ste-Agathe, Que., was 22nd.Fenninger, the Olympic giant slalom silver medallist from Austria, was looking to become the first woman since Anja Paerson in 2004 to win five GS races in a calendar year.A mens giant slalom under floodlights was to follow later Friday.The womens race was moved from Courchevel and the mens from Val dIsere because of a lack of snow in the French Alps. 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