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The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are no strangers to the NBA Finals. The Heat are returning to the championship for a fourth consecutive year while the Spurs are making their sixth trip since 1999, including last years matchup with the Heat. Both clubs are filled with All-Stars and future Hall of Famers. With so much talent and experience on the court, picking a winner isnt an easy thing to do. The question is, which player in the NBA Finals is most important to their teams success? Who needs to be on top of their game for their team to have a shot at the Larry OBrien Trophy? Lets start off with the Miami Heat. The obvious choice is LeBron James. The player widely regarded as the best in the world is a game-changer in every sense of the word. Hes taken home the Finals MVP the past two championship seasons for the Heat and is in the prime of his career. In Game 7 against the Spurs last year, James racked up 37 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Not a bad performance for the biggest stage an NBA player could ever play on. If James is on his game, or close to it, are the Heat a lock to capture their third consecutive championship? Dwyane Wade played the 2013 Finals with a bad left knee and was still able to contribute to the teams success. Now in 2014, the 32-year-old has a clean bill of health (for his standards) and is ready to compete for his fourth title in a Miami uniform. Wade is averaging 18.7 points and close to 20 minutes of play per game throughout these playoffs. The knee doesnt seem to be an issue. Wades leadership and secondary scoring behind James may be integral to Miamis chances. The third wheel when it comes to the Miami Heat is Chris Bosh. The 30-year-old Dallas native doesnt seem to get the same respect as his fellow Heat All-Stars. But, the reality is, Bosh is a good player. The Heat probably wouldnt have been as dominant as theyve been over the past few seasons if Bosh had stayed with the Toronto Raptors. Does Bosh need to continue being effective for the Heat to be at the top of their game as a group? The Spurs have their share of talented players as well. The ageless Tim Duncan will be vying for his fifth championship with San Antonio. Even as a 38-year-old in his 17th season in the NBA, Duncan hasnt missed a step in these playoffs, averaging close to a double-double. Will Duncans leadership and flawless fundamentals on the court be the difference-maker in a Spurs series victory? Last year it was Wade hobbled with an injury in the Finals, now its Spurs point guard Tony Parker stricken with the bug. Parker is dealing with a lingering left ankle problem that forced him to miss the second half of Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Finals. Hes expected to play in Game 1. Even with the wonky ankle, the 32-year-old is leading the team in points (17.2) and assists (5.7) this post-season. If Parker can stay healthy enough to contribute on the court, San Antonio might be able to figure out Miami. Manu Ginobili is arguably the most reliable bench player in the Association and is a major key to the Spurs success. If San Antonio is going to beat Miami, will Ginobili be a major reason why? And then there is Gregg Popovich. The four-time NBA champion and three-time Coach of the Year (including this season) knows the game like the back of his hand. Will his fiery intensity be enough to help dethrone the Heat? So there you have it, the main characters of the 2014 NBA Finals. It was a great seven-game series last June and theres no reason the same wont happen this time around. With these teams being so evenly matched, its hard to predict a winner and one player could be the difference. So, which player is most important to their team winning the Larry OBrien Trophy? As always, its Your! Call. Sneakers Online Australia Sale .ca. Hi Kerry, Welcome back! 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Off-season additions Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley did not train with the club today, prompting Nelsen to declare its too early to tell if either will be ready for Saturday.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays had a difficult decision to make: What was more encouraging, Canadian Erik Bedards performance or the offences breakout night? Bedard, from Ottawa, gave up one hit in seven scoreless innings and the Rays had 10 hits in a 7-1 victory Saturday over the Cleveland Indians that broke a four-game skid. Winning his second straight start after 15 without a win, Bedard gave up a double to Ryan Raburn in the second inning, Clevelands only hit until Lonnie Chisenhall led off the ninth with a single off Grant Balfour. Just as refreshing for the Rays, who had lost six straight home games, was the offensive output led by James Loney, who had three hits and drove in two runs. The Rays had only 10 runs while losing the four preceding games on their homestand. "Tonight we came out ready to swing and it led to good things," said Matt Joyce, who drove in two runs with sacrifice flies. "We have some great players here. Obviously, this year hasnt gone the way we wanted so far and it was a rough week for us, but weve still got a little ways to go." Bedard (2-1) is the only Rays starter to go six innings over the teams last seven games. Manager Joe Maddon "was tinkering with the idea" of sending him for a seventh before calling for Juan Carlos Oviedo, who followed with two perfect innings. "I had probably 10 pitches left," said Bedard, who has allowed one run or less in three straight starts for the first time since 2008. "Im always a slow starter so the first couple were rough, but after that you just get in the groove oof things and throw strikes.dddddddddddd" Bedard got nine of his outs on flyballs. "He just really mixed and matched angles, speeds, everything," said Cleveland manager Terry Francona. "(Raburn) hit the line drive double, but other than that, there was a lot of lazy flyballs. Kind of exactly what he wants you to do." Zach McAllister (3-3) gave up eight hits and five runs in 4 1-3 innings for the Indians, who had won four straight. David DeJesus drove in Tampa Bays first run with a two-out single in the third. The Rays made it 3-0 in the fourth when Loneys first hit was followed by Wil Myers double and the first of Joyces sacrifice flies. Yunel Escobar drove in the second run with a two-out single. Ben Zobrist had two hits and scored twice for the Rays, who had lost six straight home games. NOTES: John Axford is out as the Indians closer, Francona announced before the game. A group of four relievers that includes Cody Allen, Scott Atchison, Marc Rzepczynski and Bryan Shaw could all get opportunities to fill the role. ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb, who has been on the DL since April 13 with a left oblique strain, is likely to pitch in a simulated game Monday in Port Charlotte, Florida, then make a rehab start five days later. Cobb hopes to pitch for the Rays by the end of the May. ... Indians CF Michael Bourn, as expected, was rested. He played Thursday and Friday after missing three games with a tight left hamstring. ... Rays RHP Chris Archer (2-1) and Indians RHP Josh Tomlin (1-0) are Sundays scheduled starters. ' ' '