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." Dikembe Mutombo Jersey . Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were each convicted on four charges of aggravated rape, one of attempted aggravated rape and two for aggravated sexual battery. Vandenburg was also found guilty of tampering with evidence as well as an unlawful photography charge. Dominique Wilkins Hawks Jersey . Grilli hasnt pitched since straining his left oblique in late April. 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Charlie Brown Hawks Jersey . -- League scoring leader Anthony Mantha had two goals and two assists to lead the Val-dOr Foreurs over the Blainville-Boisbriand Phoenix 6-3 on Wednesay in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League play on Wednesday.That Eric Lindros has been passed over five times for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame proves he is every bit as divisive in retirement as he was during a superlative playing career. And thats a shame because by any objective measure and most subjective ones, he deserves enshrinement. Love him or hate him, theres no denying Lindros profound impact on the game. The Hall of Fame is intended to be a permanent residence for those who left indelible marks on the game. Lindros was written in black marker punctuated with an exclamation mark! He was a force of nature the game had never seen before and has not seen since. Lindros was the ultimate power forward. A bigger Mark Messier, playing at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. It boggles the mind his seismic significance, however injury-interrupted, however muted measured against his own possibilities, has not earned him the ultimate endorsement of individual achievement. Its hard to understand how Lindros has never received the minimum 14 of 18 votes and even harder to understand that during his eligibility period (since 2010), the Selection Committee has left a total of four player election slots unfilled. Only one of a maximum four players was elected in 2010 and just three earned 75 per cent support in 2013, meaning that at least two years Lindros omission cant simply be explained away by the presence of an overcrowded eligibility class. Voting for the 2015 class is not until June, but during the week the hockey world gathers to honour its newest class of officially certified eternal stars of the game, it bears repeating: Lindros belongs among them. Here are five reasons why Lindros has earned the letters HHOF beside his name: 1. He ranked third in points per game (1.31) to the legendary Mario Lemieux (1.99) and certain first ballot Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr (1.42) during a decade of dominance (1992-93 through 2001-02). Lindros averaged more than a point per game every season (except 2000-01 which he missed entirely). He ranked just 15th in points because he missed so much action, playing only 79 per cent of games. 2. Lindros won one Hart Trophy during his career and while more might have been expected when he entered the league in 1992 as the most celebrated prospect since Lemieux, consider this: Every Modern Era Hall of Fame-eligible Hart Trophy winner but one – Chicago goalie Al Rollins - is in the Hall. 3. Longevity is a major measuring stick, but not the only one. Ken Dryden (397 games), Bobby Orr (657), 2014 inductee Peter Forsberg (706), Cam Neely (726) and Mike Bossy (7552) are five all-time greats elected to the Hall of Fame despite playing fewer than Lindros 760 games.dddddddddddd Each of them proved in relatively short periods of time they deserve membership in hockeys most exclusive club because they all had an influence on hockey history. So did Lindros. 4. Lindros and Theo Fleury are the only two Hall of Fame-eligible players who averaged more than a point per game in both the regular season and playoffs not in the Hall. 5. Lindros has holes in his resume and had his warts. He never won a Cup, which should be a non-factor, and he never won a popularity contest … except among fans, who registered their votes each and every night they paid to watch him play. He was the show. Eric Lindros cut something of a solitary path through a controversial career, but it should nonetheless lead to the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Selection Committee faces an entirely different choice when it comes to another man who went his own way – albeit to different effect. The late Winnipeg-based agent Don Baizley had as high profile a practice – representing the likes of Anders Hedberg, Ulf Nilsson, Jari Kurri, Joe Sakic, Forsberg and Paul Kariya – as he did maintain a low profile among all but the hockey intelligentsia. Former Winnipeg journalist Vic Grant is trying to change all that; he is heading up a group that nominated Baizley for the Hall of Fame. I was among those who contributed supporting letters. Here is what I believe to be true: There are those who establish identities unlike any other. Baizley, a player agent for five decades, was one of these men. He was a pioneer - playing a major role in facilitating the first wave of European players to North American hockey - and a peerless advocate for players and the game, itself, during a turbulent period of the sports history. Baizley was an original thinker whose counsel was sought by people at all levels of hockey - on and off the ice and on both sides of the management-labour divide. He conducted himself professionally and personally with the utmost integrity. He was regarded as the most respected man in hockey and he used his position and powers of persuasion, not just for the betterment of his players, but for the sport. Baizley was, indeed, a builder. A builder of consensus whether in the thick of contract negotiations or discretely to the side in collective bargaining negotiations. No agent has ever been named to the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Don Baizley would be a worthy consensus choice to be a pioneer one more time. ' ' '