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(Sports Network) - Two of the NBAs most successful franchises, not just during this regular season, but over the past 15 years, will square off in the NBA Finals, starting Thursday night. The Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, who also double as the defending NBA champion, will have home-court advantage over the Western Conference winners, the San Antonio Spurs. The Heat finished with the NBAs best regular-season mark, a staggering 66-16, which featured a 27-game winning streak, the second-longest in the history of the league. The Spurs had the third-best record in the NBA at 58-24. If not for a Tony Parker ankle injury late in the season, San Antonio might have well earned the next-best record behind the Heat. But one season hardly makes for a successful franchise. The measure of greatness in professional basketball can be counted by the number of Larry OBrien Trophies in team headquarters. Since 1997, the Spurs have the best postseason winning percentage in the league. The Heat are third. The Heat won last seasons title and lost in the Finals the previous year. The Spurs have four championships since 1999, with the last coming in 2007. That year, San Antonio knocked off a young Cleveland Cavaliers team led by LeBron James. Fast-forward to June of 2013 and James is already staking claim to the title of one of the best players in NBA history. Hes won four MVPs, including the last two, and is a much more-seasoned force. "My Cleveland team, we were very young, and we went up against a very experienced team, well-coached team. And they took advantage of everything that we did," James said after the Heats Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Mondays Eastern Conference Finals. "I think for this team, this is our third year advancing to The Finals. So were very experienced as well. Were not young, were not inexperienced. We understand the opportunity that we have. "And Im a much better player. Im 20, 40, 50 times better than I was in the 07 Finals." James had to be that much better a player to get by the Pacers. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the other members of Miamis Big Three, which is slowly becoming the Big One, had dreadful series against Indiana. Wade came alive in Game 7 with 21 points, but hes battling a balky knee. The Spurs have been sitting home since a week ago Monday. They swept the Memphis Grizzlies in four games in the Western Conference Finals. The rest is a good thing for an older Spurs squad, led by their own Big Three. Tim Duncan, a three-time Finals MVP, enjoyed a career Renaissance this season. After shedding 25 pounds in the offseason, Duncan averaged 17.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg and 2.7 bpg. He returned to the All-NBA First Team for the first time since the 2006-07 season and was Second-Team All-Defensive. Parker emerged as an MVP candidate until an ankle injury sidelined him during the second half. And Manu Ginobili, while struggling with his shot during the postseason, is still a huge piece. When it comes to sizing up Big Threes, San Antonios is historic. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili have combined for 98 playoff victories. That total is second all-time to the Los Angeles Lakers trio of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabar and Michael Cooper. Duncan, Parker and Ginobili have played 150 playoff games together. That is 72 more than the next highest trio of active players - Bostons Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo. (Wade, Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers are third with 69.) And while James at times took games over, hell need Wade, Bosh and everyone in a Heat uniform to play at a high level. "Obviously were a much better team when we have everyone clicking at the same time. Thats obvious," James said after the Game 7 win. "And weve had more games where everyone was clicking than not so. It just happened that this series guys were just not in the rhythm, not feeling like themselves." These teams are both so strong and sadly, the head-to-head regular-season matchups offer little insight. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, who can join Pat Riley and John Kundla in third place in NBA titles as a coach, famously sent Duncan, Parker, Ginobili and Danny Green home the day of the first regular-season matchup in Miami. The NBA fined the Spurs $250,000 for the action, but the Heat barely squeaked out the victory In the second regular-season meeting, this time in Alamo City, the Heat clinched the best record in the league and sat James and Wade. Miami still prevailed. "Theyre still the defending champs. Theyre still the best in the regular season," Duncan said. And the respect goes both ways. "Theyve got a bunch of Hall-of-Famers, so I look forward to the challenge," James said. Cheap Air Max 90 Black . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Wholesale Air Max 90 Ultra Se . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. http://www.outletairmax90cheap.com/outlet-off-white-x-air-max-90-all-black-cheap.html . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Fake Air Max 90 White . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Wholesale Air Max 90 White . Third-seeded Murray had the easiest path to victory on New Years Eve, barely breaking a sweat during his 6-0, 6-0 win over 2,129th-ranked Qatari wildcard recipient Mousa Shanan Zayed. One series. Four teams. Four new captains.The inaugural Netball Quad Series opens on Saturday with new skippers at the helm of competing powerhouses New Zealand, Australia, England and South Africa.Silver Ferns enforcer Katrina Grant stands in for the absent Casey Kopua, while Diamonds defender Clare McMeniman does the same for the rested Laura Geitz.Proteas midcourter Bongi Msomi also holds the fort for incumbent captain Maryka Holtzhausen, who was felled by a knee injury on the eve of the series.Roses veteran Ama Agbeze was named England team captain in April and has already led the side through Mays Netball Europe tournament.Its been a long road, a very long road, Agbeze said on Thursday.Ive experienced lots of things, been to lots of places and met lots of people, and Im still here.McMeniman, who led the Diamonds in Geitzs absence in their 3-0 series whitewash over England in January, was clear on what style of leadership she preferred.She hoped to make the most of the experience.Im quite direct and honest, I like to be myself and I dont pretend to be anyone else, the 31-year-old Queensland Firebirds star said.I like to hold people accountable for what theyre meant to be doing, to drive standards, and I can be a stickler for the rules.Grant, who also skippers club side Central Pulse, saaid shed transfer some of the lessons learned in Wellington to the international stage.ddddddddddddVice-captain Laura Langman would be a constant point of reference.This is an amazing bunch of girls to lead, so Im very privileged to have the honour of doing that, the 29-year-old Grant said.Ill still be the same me, the same leader.The tournament starts off in Auckland with Australia meeting South Africa, before the Silver Ferns try to make home advantage count against the Roses.None of the captains took their opponents for granted, with the Diamonds on red alert for the Proteas high-octane approach.We dont have much exposure to them but theyre only going to have strengthened their skills and line-up, McMeniman said.In that situation its about focusing on our own game style.Grant was equally mindful of Englands strengths.Theyve come a very long way and we had some close games against them in the World Championships, Grant said.Theyll start strong and we need to be wary of that, and stick to what we do and know best.Msomi, 28, couldnt wait to tussle with the worlds best.Were looking forward to the challenges ahead, to seeing what will come out of this, Msomi said. 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