MIAMI -- Erik Spoelstra said he mentioned how daunting the task would be only once. Adidas Trevor Lewis Jersey . Back in September, when the Miami Heat assembled to begin training camp, Spoelstra addressed his team about furthering its championship legacy and how rare it is for a team to find its way to the NBA Finals in four consecutive seasons. "Weve never brought it up since then," Spoelstra said. Itll get brought up now. The seed the Heat coach planted in the Bahamas at that training camp took root. The Heat are finals-bound -- for the fourth straight time. The sputtering stretches of play in March and April, surrendering the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs to Indiana, winning 12 fewer games in this regular season than a year ago, they all seem moot and meaningless now. The Heat have a chance at a third consecutive NBA title, with the finals starting Thursday night against San Antonio in a title-series rematch. "Its amazing to make it to one finals," Heat forward Shane Battier said. "To do it four times in a row for some of these guys, its a tremendous, tremendous accomplishment and it speaks volumes to the dedication, luck, and perseverance that you need to do it." Spoelstra spoke of that luck factor when he gathered his team for a locker-room huddle moments after the celebration started Friday night, after Miami wrapped up its fourth straight East crown with a 117-92 win over Indiana to win the series in six games. His words were interrupted twice by LeBron James, which nobody minded. "We dont take this for granted," Spoelstra said. "No, sir," James added, nodding. "We do not take it for granted," Spoelstra repeated. "No way," James interjected. "How tough it actually is and how many things have to go our way," Spoelstra continued. "Four times, you guys who havent been here with us the whole time, you guys inherit everything that weve experienced." Only six current Heat players appeared in the 2011 post-season, Miamis first of the "Big 3" era and the last in which it actually lost a series. James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, James Jones and Udonis Haslem are the last holdovers. Battier and Norris Cole arrived after the 2011 finals loss. Ray Allen, Chris Andersen and Rashard Lewis -- all playing huge roles these days for Miami -- came after the first title run of this Heat era in 2012. The core of last seasons title squad, with the exception of amnestied Mike Miller, was back to try it again this time around. Even with all that talent, with that championship experience, Spoelstra knew a tone had to be immediately set when the season began. "What I was really encouraged about was our attendance and commitment in training camp in the Bahamas," Spoelstra said. "Right from there, and we communicated during the summer that, if were real about this, about how difficult that journey is, that you cannot shortcut, that we would show it immediately in training camp." Theyre still showing it now. Miami is 12-3 in these playoffs, 8-0 at home, and has won a road game in 15 straight post-season series. The Heat will need to extend that streak to win the NBA Finals; the Spurs will hold home-court advantage. "Obviously, going through the weeks and weeks and weeks and grinding months of a regular season, it was a toll on all of us," James said. "But I felt like down the stretch, if we could get healthy, we could get everyone in uniform and have our full strength, it didnt matter what seed we were. I felt like we can represent the Eastern Conference again in the finals if we had the health, and we were able to accomplish that." At times, like Friday night, they make winning look easy. Collectively, they insist its much harder than it appears. "You still have to go out and do it every single night," Allen said. "Its the toughest thing Ive ever done and I guarantee the guys in this locker room would say the same thing." Only the Lakers and Celtics have appeared in four straight finals, with Boston (1984-87) the last to do so. Wade was 5 when that run ended, James was 2, and Cole, Michael Beasley and Greg Oden hadnt even been born. Now the Heat are in that club. And regarding what Spoelstra said in that first-day conversation, the point of his words then has become perfectly clear to his team now. "Having a chance to win is always a special thing," Bosh said. "We always talk about not taking it for granted from Day One. We know its a very long season. It has its rewards in the end if we stick together and do what were supposed to do. But it hasnt really hit us yet. I would rather it hit me in two weeks." Adidas Kelly Hrudey Jersey . Gough finished in fourth, 0.433 seconds behind American Erin Hamlin, who took the bronze medal at the Sanki Sliding Center in Rzhanaya Polyana. Adidas Rob Scuderi Jersey . On the day the club activated Casey Janssen from the 15-day disabled list, his return from a strained oblique that cost him the first six weeks of the regular season, it announced Sergio Santos would be placed on the disabled list on Monday with discomfort in his right forearm. http://www.kingshockeypro.com/adidas+drew+doughty+kings+jersey . The 24-year-old Pruneau played his CIS football with the Montreal Carabins. The six-foot, 200-pound Montreal native had 41 tackles, 3.ATLANTA -- Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry took an indefinite leave of absence Friday, making the move under fire for his racially charged comments about a player. Hawks CEO Steve Koonin has resisted calls for Ferry to be dismissed, but said the 47-year-old GM asked for the leave. My hope that this time away from the Hawks organization allows him the privacy he needs to listen to the community, to learn about his mistakes, and to begin the long process of personal healing, Koonin said in a statement. Ferry issued his own statement, saying he plans to undergo sensitivity training and meet with local leaders. He gave no indication that he plans to step down. My focus moving forward is to tirelessly work to rebuild trust with this community and with our fans, he said. Ferry made an inflammatory assessment of Luol Deng during a conference call with the Hawks ownership group in June as the team was pursuing the free agent. The GM described Deng as someone who has a little African in him. Hes like a guy who would have a nice store out front and sell you counterfeit stuff out of the back, Ferry said on the call, which was recorded. Deng, who was born in what is now South Sudan, signed with the Miami Heat but didnt know if Ferrys comments until this week. Deng said he was proud of his African roots, while adding he was saddened and disappointed that this way of thinking still exists today. I am even more disturbed that it was shared so freely in a business setting. Koonin said Ferry was disciplined for his comments, but refused to disclose the punishment. Both Ferry and Koonin have said the GM was merely repeating statements made by others in scouting reports on Deng. Former NBA great Magic Johnson is among those who have recommended that Ferry step down. An internal investigation into Ferrys comments uncovered an unrelated email sent two years ago by the teams controlling owner, Bruce Levenson, who theorized that black fans were keeping suburban white fans from attending games. Levenson said he was embarrassed by what he called an ill-advised attempt to improve the teams attendance and that he intends to sale his share of the Hawks. The whole affair has been another embarrassment to the NBA, which only last month forced Donald Sterling into selling the Los Angeles Clippers after he was heard on secretly recorded conversations with his girlfriend asking that she not to bring African-Americans to his games. Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers for a record $2 billion. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who quickly issued a lifetime ban against Sterling, said he supported Levensons decision to sell the Hawks but doesnt think Ferry should lose his job. No words can adequately describe my remorse for the hurt that I have caused many people through the statements I repeated, most importantly Luol Deng, Ferry said in his statement. Adidas Luc Robitaille Jersey. While these were not my words, I deeply regret repeating them. Almost all the background information I provided during the lengthy presentation regarding Luol was positive and my personal and professional recommendation during the call was very much in favour of adding Luol to our team, but I never should have uttered those offensive remarks and for that I apologize. Ron Klempner, acting executive director of the NBA Players Association, said the union was pleased to learn that Ferry acknowledges his statements were offensive, has extended a personal apology to Luol Deng and the other Atlanta Hawks players, and that the Hawks organization has determined that discipline of Ferry was warranted. After listening in on the conference call, co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. sent a letter to Levenson recommending that Ferry resign or be fired. That led the team to hire a law firm to investigate the matter, which led to the discovery of Levensons email. Koonin said Ferrys comments were deeply troubling but added that the matter was exasperated by discord among the ownership group, presumably referring to Levenson and Gearon. At the heart of this dispute is an unfortunate disagreement amongst owners, Koonin said. That said, we have taken several steps to address what we can do as an organization to be better and stronger, including working with a diversity consultant to examine us and to train us to ensure something like this never happens again. Koonin said the team plans to hire a chief diversity officer and will consult with community leaders, though a scheduled meeting this week with civil right activists was cancelled by the team. Coach Mike Budenholzer will take over as the head of basketball operations during Ferrys absence, reporting directly to Koonin. The Hawks, who have made the playoffs seven years in a row, have largely assembled their expected roster for this season. Ferry has been credited for his efforts to overhaul the team and build a culture modeled on reigning NBA champion San Antonio, where he worked before joining the Hawks in 2012. Two of his most lauded moves were dumping the big-money contracts of Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams. Now, Ferry is fighting for his future with the team. I realize that my words may ring hollow now and my future actions must speak for me, he said. I will maximize my time during this leave to meet with community leaders and further educate myself and others on the extremely sensitive issues surrounding race, diversity, and inclusion. I will find a way to make a positive difference in this area. There is other important business, as well, The process of selling the team, which is to remain in Atlanta, Koonin said, is already underway. Cheap Jerseys Store Jerseys NFL Cheap Cheap NFL Black Jerseys China Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys ' ' '