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." Wholesale Hockey Jerseys .com) - Theres nothing better for a team than to send out the staff ace in the most important game of the season. Cheap Hockey Jerseys .FIFA said its appeals panel ruled the case not admissible.The former U.S. Attorney had objected to ethics judge Joachim Eckerts summary of the World Cup bid investigation, claiming numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of his work. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/. 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Day and Tringale combined to shoot a final-round, 7-under 65 and they finished one shot better than defending champions Harris English and Matt Kuchar at 32- under-par 184. Day is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, while Tringale has yet to win an official event on tour. This weeks tournament at Tiburon Golf Club is an unofficial event. It was awesome, Tringale said. I guess this counts as a win, my first as a professional. Its great to have a great teammate. This has been a fun week ... Its just a great event, Im happy to be a part of it and to win the first time out is pretty cool. English and Kuchar, playing in the penultimate group, used a late push to put some pressure on Day and Tringale, but it was not quite enough. The defending champions carded a 10-under 62 on Saturday to finish runner-up at 31-under 185. Ian Poulter and 2014 FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel (61) were exchanging blows with the winners all day, but a bogey at the last proved to be costly as the duo ended tied for third with Keegan Bradley and Camilo Villegas (61) at 29-under 187. Day and Tringale entered the day leading Graeme McDowell and Gary Woodland by three shots, but McDowell and Woodland could not go low enough as they finished at 28-under after a 6-under 66. A slow start from Day and Tringale allowed those chasing them to get within striking distance. Horschel and Poulter were rolling early on, including a birdie on four and an eagle on five from the FedEx Cup champion, which had the duo at 5-under through six holes. The eagle put them behind Day and Tringale by just two shots. Another gain from Horschel and Poulter had them up to 24-under and just one shot back. Meanwhile, a Kuchar eagle at six had him and English tied atop the leaderboard with Day and Tringale with Horschel and Poulter one shot back. It was tight atop the leaderboard when Horschel made another birdie on nine to make it a three-way tie for first. After five straight pars to start, Day finally rolled in his teams first gain on six to take the outright lead at minus-26. A Kuchar birdie on nine and a Poulter birdie from the bunker on 12 also put them in the lead.dddddddddddd Tringales eagle putt on No. 9 just lipped out, but he tapped in for birdie to take the lead back. That did not last long as Poulter poured in another gain on 13 to tie the lead at minus-27. Then it was Days turn to go on a run, starting with a big 20-foot birdie putt on 10 to give him and Tringale the lead again. Poulter kept going strong, however, with a gain on 14. Day stuck his approach on 11 to within a couple feet and he tapped in for birdie, but Horschel had the answer this time with a gain of his own on 15 to tie the lead. Another long birdie putt for Day dropped on 12 to regain the lead yet again. He then reached the par-4 13th green from the tee and two-putted for birdie to extend the advantage to two. Horschel was not going away that easily, however, as he drained a 30-foot birdie putt on 17 to pull within one. A big par save from Tringale at 14 preserved the lead. It was not to be for Horschel and Poulter as they both tripped to a bogey at the last and they ended three shots back. Meanwhile, after Kuchars eagle on six, he and English made up six shots over the next 10 holes, heading to the 17th down by just two. A birdie on 17 pulled the duo to within one. English really put the pressure on when he stuck his approach on 18 to within a couple feet and he tapped in for birdie to tie the lead at minus-31. Tringales eagle putt on 17 rolled about five feet by, but he made another clutch putt for birdie to take the outright lead for good as both he and Day settled for par at the last to earn the victory. We got off to a slow start, Day said. We really didnt get anything going momentum-wise. Cam hit a great shot into nine, kind of started things and then I went on a four-streak birdie there and just clutch putting from Cam. Just amazing. NOTES: Day, the No. 8 player in the world, last won at the WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship in February, when he defeated Victor Dubuisson in a playoff ... Tringale tied for second at The Barclays last season, which was his best finish ... Tringale became the 11th player to win in his debut at this event ... Day and Tringale earned $770,000 ($385,000 each) with this victory ... The PGA Tour is now off until the Hyundai Tournament of Champions on January 9, where Zach Johnson won last year. ' ' '