JOHN LAWTON » rease; that a dollar in, dollar out sce

(SportsNetwork.com) - The San Antonio Spurs are one win away from yet another title and they will go for it Sunday night against the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at AT&T Center. You can catch the action live tonight on TSN at at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt., you can also listen to Game 5 on TSN Radio 1050. The Spurs are knocking on the door of a fifth franchise title thanks to a pair of road drubbings of the Heat in South Beach. On Tuesday, the Spurs set an NBA Finals record by shooting almost 76 percent in the first half of a 111-92 waxing of the Heat. Then, with Miamis season basically on the line, the Spurs came out in Thursdays Game 4 and put on another clinic, demolishing the two-time reigning champs, 107-86. San Antonio hasnt won a title since 2007 and the Heat ripped the Spurs collective heart out one year ago. The Spurs held a 3-2 series lead in the Finals and had the lead with five seconds to go in Game 6. Ray Allen hit a crazy 3-pointer to force overtime of Game 6, which the Heat eventually won. Miami took Game 7 in South Beach and San Antonio lost its first Finals with this historic group. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Gregg Popovich have seen it all in Alamo City. Duncan and Popovich won their first title together in 1999 and they are cementing their status as a true dynasty. But, with the memories of last years Finals debacle still fresh, the Spurs take nothing for granted. "I think we go back to last year and we learn from that. Were 30 seconds away. We feel that we have it in the bag and it slips out of our fingers," Duncan said Saturday. "So I think we learn from that, and we draw on that, and we say, Hey, its not over till its over. Our goal right now is to just win one more game. Wed love to do it tomorrow. Wed love to do it in one game. But luckily weve put ourselves in a situation where we have a couple opportunities and were going to take whatever it takes. Theyre going to come out and give us their best punch possible." The Spurs got into this position thanks to dominating road performances. Tuesdays Game 3 was an offensive exhibition, but Thursdays victory was an overall gem. Kawhi Leonard, who scored a career-high 29 points in the Spurs Game 3 win, had another monster game with 20 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, three assists and three steals to lead San Antonio. Parker scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half, Patty Mills added 14 points off the bench and Duncan contributed a 10-point, 11-rebound double- double in the win. Boris Diaw, who was inserted into the starting lineup before Game 3, nearly recorded a triple-double with eight points, nine assists and nine rebounds. "We thought we could come in here and win these games," Duncan said when asked about the lopsided wins in Miami. "We came in here tonight with great focus and put a great game together." Duncan passed Magic Johnson for most double-doubles in postseason history with 158 and also passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most minutes played in a postseason career. History is on the Spurs side with a 3-1 series lead. Teams that have gone up by that margin are a perfect 31-0 in Finals history. "We need to win one game. Thats all we can think about," Miamis LeBron James said after practice Saturday. "We cant think about forcing a Game 7. We have to win one game. Game 5, being here in a hostile environment, we know if we lose, the season is over." James scored 19 of his 28 points in the third quarter of Game 4, though San Antonio had the game well in hand by halftime. "They smashed us two straight home games," James said. "They put you in some difficult situations." Chris Bosh tallied 12 points and Dwyane Wade finished with 10 on 3-of-13 shooting in the setback. With Game 4 a desperation scenario for the Heat, the Spurs dominated, especially in the critical categories, San Antonio shot 40-for-70 (57.1 percent) from the floor and outrebounded Miami, 44-27, Thursday night. The Spurs bench outscored Miamis reserves, 41-30, with James Jones netting 11 points off the bench in the final minutes and the Spurs owned a 46-30 edge in the paint. And now the Heat face the tallest of challenges in a bid to three-peat. They did win Game 2 in San Antonio, so theres cautious reason for optimism. "There is a point where no team came back from a 3-1 or 3-0 deficit in the ALCS, and then the Red Sox did it against the Yankees," said James. "So history is made to be broken, and why not me be a part of it? That would be great. That would be a great story line, right? But well see what happens. Ive got to live in the moment, though, before we even get to that point." The Spurs are in the process of becoming one the NBAs greatest champions. Just dont tell them that. "I dont think about legacy very often or at all, I guess," deadpanned Popovich. Game 6, if necessary, would be Tuesday night in Miami. Nike Air Max 1 Discount . -- Jim Furyk was 10 shots worse and right where he wanted to be Saturday in the BMW Championship. Nike Air Max 1 Sale Cheap . Gorges is believed to have suffered the injury while blocking a shot with a hand during Montreals win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Canadiens added to their defensive depth this week by acquiring veteran Mike Weaver from the Florida Panthers. http://www.cheapairmax1nz.com/. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, the Houston Texans No. 1 pick in the draft, was on the field Tuesday for the first time with former NFL Defensive Player of the Year J. Nike Air Max 1 NZ .Impact president Joey Saputo confirmed Thursday that he is part of a group of investors whose offer to buy the 105-year-old Italian club was accepted by the teams board of directors. Nike Air Max 1 Wholesale . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil.TORONTO – The Blue Jays recent stretch of winning baseball has fans thinking of the possibilities, dreaming big, about the summer – perhaps the autumn – thats to come. It was difficult, watching Royals ace and long-time Toronto tormentor James Shields work on Thursday night, not to consider how good he would look as a front-end of the rotation rental for the playoff push about which the organization, its players and its supporters has long dreamed. Using a July acquisition of Shields as a hypothetical example, nothing more, the Blue Jays would have to take on the pro-rated portion of his $13.5-million. If the club, say, was to acquire Shields on July 31, it would be on the hook for approximately $4.5-million. What isnt clear is whether the money would be available. "We have a number that we work with and I always have the ability to have that conversation," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "We came into the season at the number we expected to be at and as the year goes on, we have needs. Depending on how were playing and whats available, if we have a need come the trade deadline, I have every confidence well have the resources to do that. I have no doubts about that at all." Shields is exactly what Toronto needs. He has an expiring contract and would test the free agency waters for the first time in his career this winter. He has won at least 11 games in seven-straight seasons and pitched no fewer than 203 1/3 innings in each year of that span. Hes pitched in the playoffs three times, for the Rays each year from 2008 to 2010 and is notorious for his work ethic. Ownership stepping up in response to a group of players that have given the city its first tangible hope of watching a Major League Baseball playoff game live for the first time in more than two decades surely wouldnt go unnoticed in the clubhouse, either. This run of nine consecutive wins and 17 in 22 games has helped in more than just the standings. On some occasions, the home run has been the difference. On others, speed and defence. The starting pitching and vastly improved bullpen have been major contributors. Put together, it has created belief in a clubhouse a year removed from stunning disapppointment.dddddddddddd "Its just being a complete baseball team," pitcher Drew Hutchison told TSN.ca. "We can do the little things. You can do everything. You can beat them with speed. We saw that so much with Reyes scoring from second. Youve got a guy like Gose putting down bunts and making diving catches. Youve got the power of Eddie and Francisco and Bautista. There are so many ways, the way this team is, we can beat you." According to baseball-reference.com, the Blue Jays have $134.4-million committed to player payroll for 2014. Earlier this season, Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal reported that a group of high-salaried Blue Jays had agreed to defer salary in order to allow for the club to sign then-free agent pitcher Ervin Santana. When the deal fell through, Santana signed with the Braves, the National Posts John Lott reported that five players – Mark Buehrle, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Reyes and R.A. Dickey – had pooled together $14-million in the failed bid to bring Santana aboard. Last week, Peter Gammons reported on his website, gammonsdaily.com, quoted Anthopoulos suggesting the payroll was maxed out. One would infer there isnt much wiggle room for a payroll increase; that a dollar in, dollar out scenario would be most likely in any deal. "Were at a number to start the year. I think thats fair. I dont think it varies from anything weve ever said. Its always fluid," said Anthopoulos. "Even when we did the deals last year, we were supposed to be in an area and then something came up." With the annual June draft set to begin next Thursday night, trade talk is virtually non-existent. Consider, too, that with the two wild card system in each league there arent many teams that believe themselves to be completely out of contention at the moment. "We are having no dialogue whatsoever," said Anthopoulos. "If there is any (rumours) out there that were engaged with players, were not having any active talks at all. Were really immersed in the draft right now. I expect that when that draft is over, the Monday after, thats when everyone is going to start making their calls again." ' ' '