cautious Murray to aim for the lines --

SAN ANTONIO -- Somehow, some way, the San Antonio Spurs seem to have discovered a secret that every team in the league desperately searched for all season long. They have figured out a way to slow down LeBron James. Whether its Kawhi Leonards incredible wingspan, Danny Greens dogged determination or a stash of kryptonite that Tim Duncan happened upon while taking a walk along the banks of the San Antonio River, its working. And yet the Spurs return home for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night perhaps feeling lucky to have earned a split in Miami. James is averaging a pedestrian 17.5 points and has posted his two lowest point totals in the post-season during the finals. One would think thats a recipe for a commanding 2-0 series lead. But San Antonio needed an incredible shot from Tony Parker with 5.2 seconds to play in Game 1 to hold off a charging James, then got blown out in Game 2 on Sunday night even though the four-time MVP scored 17 points on 7-for-17 shooting. "Obviously, LeBron is unbelievable," Parker said after the 103-84 loss to the Heat that evened the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. "Hes going to score. But right now the other players, they are playing great, too. So we cant have both." James shot an astounding 56.5 per cent during the regular season and made 103 3-pointers -- the first time in league history someone has made that many 3s while shooting a percentage that high. The improved shooting has made the 6-foot-8, 250-pound freight train almost impossible to guard this season, and had the Heat confident that their star player had the antidote for any type of defensive approach against him. The last time the Spurs were in the finals in 2007, they won their fourth title over the Cleveland Cavaliers by daring James to shoot the jumper in an all-out effort to keep him from attacking the rim. It worked beautifully when James shot an abysmal 35.6 per cent in a four-game sweep. The Spurs have essentially used the same approach this time around, with Leonard and Green sharing time on him and Duncan and Tiago Splitter crashing to double every time James even thinks about coming into the paint. And so far, that efficiency that he showed in the regular season hasnt been there. James had a triple-double in Game 1, but only scored 18 points on 16 shots in the 92-88 loss. He is shooting just 41.4 per cent from the field, is 2 for 8 from long range and has only attempted six free throws in the first two games, monumental achievements against the most dominant player in the game. "I know I attract a lot of attention," James said. "This team has been set up the right way where when I do attract attention, we have guys that can make plays." In Game 1, Dwyane Wade kept the Heat in it with 17 points in the first three quarters and Ray Allen hit three 3-pointers before Parker bailed the Spurs out with the shot of these playoffs. In Game 2, it was Mario Chalmers 19 points and three big 3s from Mike Miller that helped fuel a 33-5 run and put San Antonio away early in the fourth quarter. "I think LeBron is the type of player that you have to pay a lot of attention to," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "And its not something that happens that often that he scores less than 20. But I dont think that was the difference why they beat us so badly in the second half." Thats the biggest problem for these Spurs. They have done what many viewed as impossible. They have stopped LeBron James from scoring. And still, when the two teams boarded their respective planes to head for San Antonio, the defending champion Heat were the ones walking with a renewed swagger, with new life. The Spurs havent hosted a finals game since 2007. Theyre going to need the energy, the juice, the charge that should come from a passionate fan base eager to once again see the only show in town playing on the biggest stage. Because theyve thrown everything theyve got at James in the first two games. And wouldnt you know it, its worked pretty darn well. Yet there they were on Sunday night, staggering out of American Airlines Arena, their victory in Game 1 a distant memory. Instead, the realization was creeping in that theyve done as well as can possibly be expected against the leagues brightest star, and still they need to do so much more to stop James and the Heat from running away from them the way they have run away from everyone else for the last two years. "It wasnt just LeBron attacking us or getting those 13 points," Ginobili said of James awakening during the game-deciding run. "It was just the whole Miami team was killing us. ... So its not just that he turned it on. It was Miami that turned it on." Flames Jerseys 2021 . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. Calgary Flames Store . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Calgary Flames Pro Shop . LOUIS -- St. Flames Jerseys China . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. In recent years, no tennis player has been more physically fit than Andy Murray. Mental fitness, however -- particularly under duress -- has been an enduring issue.For the better part of six years, Novak Djokovic has been the best player in the world, the consummate model of commitment and mental toughness.And now, after Murrays decisive 6-3, 6-4 finals victory Sunday over Djokovic at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, they have traded places.With the year-end No. 1 ranking on the line in a single match, Murray absolutely commanded the court, dictating to Djokovic the way Djokovic dictated to him in winning 24 of 34 previous matches -- and 16 of the past 19.In two of those matches, back in January in the Australian Open final and, four months later, in the final at Roland Garros, Djokovic was indomitable. But here, the roles were reversed.I just played very poorly, made a lot of unforced errors from the backhand side, Djokovic said to the media afterward. On the other hand, credit to Andy for being mentally tough and playing the right shots, making me play extra shots in every rally. He definitely deserved to win.Murrays forehand was massive, and so were both his first and second serves, but it was his composure that was so unnerving to the man across the net. Two points from the match, at 30-all, Murray fearlessly bounded up to the net and forced a long lob.It was obviously a big match, a very important win for me, Murray said later. It was just a huge match to finish the year, to try and obviously finish No. 1. Obviously, this is a major event, as well, and one Ive not done well in in the past.So its been a great week.Djokovic, the four-time defending champion, meanwhile, was a mess -- off balance and tentative.Tellingly, he missed a bunny of an overhead in the sixth game of the first set and an even easier volley in the fourth game of the second. His cross-court backhand, the best and most natural shot in his entire palette, missed early and often.Djokovic came in with an enormous edge in terms of freshness. He dropped only five games in his Friday and Saturday matches; Murray went 3 hours, 38 minutes in his Saturday semifinal win over Milos Raonic, his second three-hour-plus match of the tournament.But fatigue was never a problem for Murray, whose bodyy language was exemplary.ddddddddddddI guess, even though he has had very long matches, especially the one yesterday, people were thinking maybe hes going to be slightly tired, Djokovic said. But he didnt seem so. More than anything, he felt comfortable in the rallies and exactly knew what to do.Murrays first big push to the top came four years ago. He won the gold medal at home in the London Olympics, and then, after losing his first four Grand Slam finals, he finally won one, the 2012 US Open, beating Djokovic in the final. The same scenario played out at Wimbledon the following year.Ivan Lendl, who coached Murray through that best-ever stretch, gets a lot of credit for giving him the gift of confidence. Lendl, a no-nonsense, eight-time Grand Slam singles champion, implored the cautious Murray to aim for the lines -- and not to despair when he missed. Going for it, Murray came to learn, was the same thing as believing in yourself.That surge might have eventually taken him to No. 1, but back surgery after the 2013 US Open and the departure of Lendl early the next year arrested that potential championship development.In June, Lendl agreed to return to Murrays coaching box, but he has hardly been a fixture in the athletes daily routine. Back in February, Murray and his wife, Kim, became parents. Pretty much ever since, outside of that French Open final and a five-set quarterfinal loss to?Kei Nishikori?at the US Open, things have gone swimmingly for Murray.At the age of 29, he finds himself ranked No. 1 for the first time ever. Murray finished the season on a run of 24 consecutive match wins. This, after establishing a career-best of 22 straight victories earlier this year.Thats a ton of momentum going into 2017.I would like to try and stay there, obviously, Murray said of the No. 1 ranking. Its taken a huge effort the last five, six months to get there. Im aware thats going to be extremely difficult because I had a great year this year. I only managed to do it by one match. To repeat that again next year is going to be extremely difficult.But now that Ive got there, I obviously would be motivated to try and stay in that position. ' ' '