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. Elvis Andrus Rangers Jersey . -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Rangers Jerseys China . He looked very comfortable Wednesday night. Konerko had a big three-run double and Gordon Beckham homered for the second straight game, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sliding Chicago Cubs. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/262...ey-rangers.html. The Islanders own the fifth pick in the 2014 draft but had until June 1 to decide whether to keep it or defer to 2015. The selection was packaged in the teams deal for Thomas Vanek on October 27, 2013. Lance Berkman Jersey . A steady downpour and low temperatures were predicted for much of the night. No makeup date was immediately announced, although it was determined that the game will not be part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Steve Buechele Rangers Jersey . They named Mark Washington as their defensive co-ordinator on Thursday and appear to be closing in on an offensive co-ordinator. GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Just two days after surprisingly watching from the bench for a second straight game, No. 1 goalie Henrik Lundqvist agreed to a long-term contract extension with the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Lundqvist, in the final season of a six-year, $41.25 million deal, agreed to a seven-year contract worth $59.5 million. His salary-cap charge will rise from $6.875 million to $8.5 million and make him the NHLs highest-paid goalie. Lundqvist will earn $11 million next season, $10 million in 2015-16, $9.5 million the following season, $9 million in 2017-18, $7.5 million in 2018-19, $7 million in 2019-20, and $5.5 in the final year. The deal should keep him starring on Broadway for the rest of his career. "About eight months ago I sat down for the first time with my family and my agent and kind of discussed my future," Lundqvist said Wednesday after practice. "There were two things that became really clear to me: No. 1 was I really wanted to win the (Stanley) Cup here in New York. Its my biggest goal and my biggest dream and what really pushes me right now to work harder. Secondly, I want to be a Ranger for life. "To picture myself anywhere else, it was just wrong and it was never an option." New York general manager Glen Sather and team owner James Dolan agreed. That helped negotiations go smoothly until they were completed Tuesday. "There were lots of pieces," Sather said. "This was a very friendly, peaceful, low-key, unemotional decision to be made by everyone. It was fun. I enjoyed it." With the salary cap projected to rise, one hurdle was cleared. "A lot of that is speculation, so far. You still have to be careful," Sather said. "It is terrific that Henrik decided to stay here. If he had gone someplace else, I am sure he wouldve earned more money, but it always isnt money thats a factor. You have to have a competitive team. "This organization is all about team, and Henrik is all about team. There was no Im going to leave if you dont give me what I want." Now Sather can turn his focus to a slew of other potential free agents, such as captain Ryan Callahan. Sather said behind-the-scenes talks are already underway. "Henrik was the one that had to be signed first, and thats the way we tried to do it," he said. Callahan said he hasnt tied his contract situation with Lundqvists, but he made it clear that he also wants to stay. "This is where I want to be," he said. "I am not going to air it out in the media about my contract and what is going on. I will just go about my business on the ice, and that stuff takes care of itself." It has been an unusual few days for the 31-year-old Lundqvist. The Swedish native is off to a slow start this season, especially by his standards, going 8-11 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in 20 games. With the sudden emergence of backup Cam Talbot, the slightest hint of a goalie controversy arose when Talbot was given the start by coach Alain Vigneault on Monday at home against Winnipeg two days after he started against Vancouver, led by former Rangers coach John Tortorella.dddddddddddd. "Its been a different week," Lundqvist said, "but you learn from all these different experiences. This was an opportunity for me to go really hard in practice and focus on my game. Now we managed to get this done, and I hope from here I can just raise my game and play at the level I need to play to help this team win." Talbot had won six straight starts before Monday, including a pair of shutouts, and hadnt allowed more than two goals in any outing. Those runs ended in New Yorks 5-2 loss to the Jets. Talbot still sports a stellar 1.79 GAA in nine appearances. "It wasnt weird at all," Callahan said. "We just continued to go about our business and prepared for our next game." Not that there was any doubt on the identity of the Rangers No. 1 netminder. Now there is no question who it is and who it will be for years. That future begins Thursday at Buffalo when Vigneault will start Lundqvist against the Sabres. "What do they say? Happy wife, happy life. Happy goalie, happy team," Vigneault said with a laugh. "As you can tell, I think this was a relief for Hank to finally know for sure that he is going to be a New York Ranger for the rest of his career. "I think this is very positive for our whole team." Lundqvists deal will take him through the 2020-21 season and keep him away from free agency until he is nearly 40. "He is everything that you would want on and off the ice," Dolan said. "As a team owner, he is the model of what you want in a player and a leader." Lundqvist has been a Vezina Trophy finalist as the NHLs top goalie in five of his eight seasons, winning it in 2012. He is 284-182-57 in the NHL, all with the Rangers, with a 2.26 GAA, .920 save percentage and 47 shutouts. "Henrik has been at the top or near the top of the league in goaltending excellence," former Rangers coach Tom Renney told The Associated Press in an email. "Through the typical and non-typical dynamics of the league, players in and out, coaching changes, living and playing in Manhattan, he has been as reliable as they come. "He is driven and passionate about winning, and takes his responsibility as the starting goalie for the Rangers very seriously. Good contract for a great goalie." Lundqvist, a seventh-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2000, made his NHL debut in 2005 when Renney coached New York. "He is paying for dinner, thats for sure," Callahan said of Lundqvist. "I am happy for him. He is the backbone of this team, and weve seen for all the years Ive been here how good he is." ' ' '