Kritik und Lob » y at San Antonio.Its getting bette

MIAMI -- LeBron James has been here before, with dire results. It was two years ago, the end of the first season of "Big Three" basketball in Miami. The situation: Heat down 3-2, hosting Game 6 of the NBA Finals, only two home wins separating them from what would have been James first title. Then, thud. James had six turnovers in Game 6, the Heat were outscored by 24 with him on the floor, and the Dallas Mavericks became NBA champions. And now, here comes a chance to face the same situation. Down 3-2 again, and back at home for Game 6 of the finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, Miami needs two wins in three days or else it will be watching someone else end this season with a party on its own floor. "Were going to see if were a better team than we were our first year together," James said. Were also about to see is how much James has grown since that 2011 season. He has more at stake than any other Heat player in this series, especially now that the Spurs are one game away from grabbing the championship. If the Heat lose, itll be widely perceived as James failure. If the Heat win, his status as the games best player not only becomes even more cemented, but he might even win over a few more doubters. "Our next challenge, biggest challenge, will be Tuesday night," James said. "We have an opportunity on our home floor with our home fans to keep the series going, and we look forward to it." Getting swept in the finals by San Antonio in 2007, that one was written off as James just not having enough talent around him. Losing to Dallas in 2011, a year after he, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh came together in such ballyhooed fashion in Miami, was an absolute nightmare for James. Winning it all by topping Oklahoma City last season, that was his long-awaited ascension. And what will be written about this season, itll all be decided over the next few days. "I have to come up big, for sure in Game 6," James said. "But I believe we all have to play at a high level in order to keep the series going. So me being one of the leaders of this team, I do put a lot of pressure on myself to force a Game 7, and I look forward to the challenge." When the Heat have been in trouble the last two postseasons, its pretty much has meant James to the rescue. In matchups where the Heat have been down in a series or faced elimination over the past two seasons, the games best player has played like the games best player. Overall, in those eight games -- Game 4 against Indiana last season, Games 6 and 7 against Boston last season, Game 2 against the Thunder last season, Game 2 against Chicago this year, Game 7 against the Pacers this year and Games 2 and 4 against the Spurs -- James numbers simply pop. Hes averaged 31.1 points on 53 per cent shooting, added 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists, and the Heat are a whopping plus-128 with him on the floor in those contests. "LJ has proven himself enough in this league," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, "and on the biggest stage." The Heat arent down in this series with the Spurs because of James, who was a deserved scapegoat in 2011 against the Mavericks. He has more points than anyone else in this years NBA Finals, the second-most rebounds (two behind Tim Duncan) and the most assists (one ahead of Tony Parker). Theyre down in the series for a litany of other reasons, not necessarily related to James. The Spurs might be the best top-to-bottom team that the Heat have faced in these three seasons of playoff runs. They have the mastermind coach in Gregg Popovich, the veteran core of Duncan, Parker and Manu Ginobili, and the supporting cast like Danny Green (with a Finals-record 25 3-pointers and counting) and Gary Neal (12 3-pointers in the series, second-most behind Green). "Well, we challenge ourselves to see if were a better team than we was," Wade said. "Same position no matter how we got to it. Were in the same position going back home with Game 6 on our home floor. So were going to see if were a better ballclub and if were better prepared for this moment. Everything happens for a reason. And this is not a bad reason at all to go home for Game 6 on your home floor." There was no outward sign of Heat dejection before leaving San Antonio on Sunday night. In a corner of the arena where players milled about with their families before departing toward the charter flight that carried the team home to Miami early Monday, Wade had a quiet moment with girlfriend Gabrielle Union, Bosh made "roar" sounds toward some kids and James stopped to give high-fives to about a half-dozen boys who barely came up to his waist, if that. He was smiling the whole time, too. If there was a "what, me worry" vibe, James was masking it well. "Weve been through so many battles," Spoelstra said. "And weve been through everything. The trust level is there now. Weve been through enough losses, weve been through enough pain, been through success that were able to manage each other much better than initially the first few weeks together." Ray Allen said he would gladly have taken the deal at the start of the year, that being have two games at home to win the NBA title. Same goes for Mario Chalmers, who insisted he couldnt wait to see what the atmosphere in Miami will be like Tuesday night. "All I know is, the schedule says weve got another game," Bosh said. That was his way of saying that no, absolutely all is not lost for Miami. And in the 2-3-2 format, on paper, it was supposed to be exactly this way. "Thats the position were in," James said. "The most important game is Game 6. We cant worry about a Game 7. We have to worry about Game 6 and going back home, being confident about our game, being confident about getting a win, which we are. So it is what it is. We have a Game 6 on our home floor." He left off the last word of that sentence: Again. Authentic Air Max 95 For Sale . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. Air Max 95 For Sale Cheap . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. http://www.airmax95cheap.com/ . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. Air Max 95 Wholesale China .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Cheap Air Max 95 Wholesale . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. BOSTON -- Not too many teams have been able to outshoot the Raptors this season. The Celtics were the latest to try and fail.Kyle Lowry scored 21 of his season-high 34 points in the second half to help Toronto hold on for a 101-94 victory over Boston on Friday night.Toronto erased an eight-point halftime deficit and led by as many as 11 in the fourth quarter. The Celtics pulled within four in the final minute, but Al Horford fouled Lowry on a 3-point attempt with 30 seconds to play. Lowry made all three free throws to help close out the victory.DeMar DeRozan added 24 points, and Norman Powell had 20. The Raptors have won eight of their last nine.I dont think weve had a tough game in that sense of having to come back and fight, Lowry said. But weve done it before so I think our team is equipped to handle the pressure situations thats going on. We just kept going at it.Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas sat out his second straight game with a strained right groin. Marcus Smart started in his place, but struggled to keep up with Lowry down the stretch.Horford and Avery Bradley each had 19 points to lead Boston.Boston had nine 3-pointers in the first half and used a 13-0 run in the second quarter to take a 14-point lead. The Raptors crawled out of that hole with 21-3 run in the third. Lowry had 14 points in the quarter.The Celtics kept firing 3s in the second half, but cooled off and finished 17 for 42 for the game.They just werent falling tonight, Bradley said. We got some really good looks in the second half. We just werent making shots.DeRozan said the Raptors defense in the third quarter, limiting Boston to just five field goals while forcing five turnovers, is something to build on.It shows a lot about how resilient we are, he said. No matter if things arent going well for us, wwe can always play extremely hard defensively and try to figure out a way to win.ddddddddddddIP-INSRaptors: Powell started in place of DeMarre Carroll, who was given the night off to rest and was not with the team. F Bruno Caboclo (sore right knee) also did not travel.Celtics: Tied a franchise high with 17 made 3-pointers. ... Shot just 12 of 42 from the field in the second half. ... Were outscored 33-18 in the third quarter.MAKING PROGRESSThe closest Thomas came to basketball Friday was matching up against some kids in a pregame video game challenge on NBA 2K, which was played on the TD Garden jumbotron. He said that hes making progress in rehabbing from his groin strain and is hoping to return Wednesday when the Celtics play at San Antonio.Its getting better. It hasnt gotten any worse, Thomas said. Today I feel a lot better than I have since Ive gotten the injury. So well see.MINUTES WATCHAs much production as the Raptors have gotten out of Lowry this season, coach Dwane Casey said the coaching staff is mindful of the number of minutes hes playing. Lowry entered the night averaging 37.4 minutes per game, which was second in the NBA behind only New Orleans Anthony Davis (38.1). He played 36 minutes Friday.Its a big concern, Casey said. We watch it. We try to keep it down as much as we can. But at the same time were trying to win games. Because if we dont win as many games as we did last year worried about resting players, then we dont get home court advantage last year.UP NEXTRaptors: Host Milwaukee on Monday night.Celtics: Begin a two-game trip at Oklahoma City on Sunday night.---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '