(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. Scarpe Scontate Outlet . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. Air Max 270 Outlet . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. https://www.scontatescarpeoutlet.it/scontate-air-max-270-outlet-italia-c2766.html . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Air Max 270 Offerta . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Air Max 95 Outlet Italia . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. CLEVELAND -- Francisco Lindor drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and the Cleveland Indians survived another poor start by Josh Tomlin to beat Minnesota 5-4 on Tuesday, extending the Twins losing streak to 12 games.Lindors double off Alex Wimmers (0-1) snapped a 4-4 tie and helped the Indians maintain their lead over second-place Detroit in the AL Central.Rajai Davis hit a three-run homer and Jason Kipnis added a solo shot for Cleveland, which trailed 4-1 in the second after the Twins knocked around Tomlin. Dan Otero (4-1) pitched 2 2/3 hitless innings, Bryan Shaw worked out of a jam in the seventh and Andrew Miller got five outs for his third save since joining Cleveland.Minnesotas current slide is the third longest in club history. The Twins lost 13 straight in 1961 and a team-record 14 consecutive games in 1982.Brian Dozier homered for the Twins, winless since Aug. 17.As the playoff race heats up, the Indians found some outfield depth, agreeing on a trade to acquire Coco Crisp from Oakland. A person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press the sides are only awaiting approval from Major League Baseball. The 36-year-old Crisp began his career with Cleveland in 2002.Clevelands offense has been in a funk, but it awakened in time to offset the shortest outing of Tomlins career. The right-hander was tagged for four runs and seven hits in just 1 2/3 innings.With runners at first and second in the fifth, Lindor barely missed hitting a three-run homer when his shot caromed high off the wall in left-center. Davis scored easily from second, but Kipnis was thrown out at the plate by shortstop Eduardo Escobar, who made a perfect relay.The Indians had two runners thrown out at third and one at home.Down 4-1, the Indians, who had scored one run or fewer in seven of the past eight games, tied it on Davis three-run shot in the second off Andrew Albers.dddddddddddd. Abraham Almonte doubled and Chris Gimenez walked before David connected on his 12th homer, a shot to left that bailed out Tomlin.It was another troubling performance for Tomlin, who is 0-5 with an 11.47 ERA in his last six starts and could soon find himself out of Clevelands rotation. He started the season 7-0, but has been plagued by home runs, giving up 10 in his last six outings.Tomlin was in trouble on his first pitch, with Dozier driving it into the seats for his 31st homer. The Twins made it 2-0 on Miguel Sanos RBI single.Cleveland got a run back on Kipnis 21st homer.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: RHP Trevor May (strained back) will throw a bullpen session at Target Field on Wednesday. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since Aug. 7.Indians: OF Michael Brantley expects to wear a sling for six more weeks as he recovers from his second surgery since November. The former All-Star only played 11 games this season and endured numerous setbacks as he tried to come back from offseason right shoulder surgery. He had an operation on his biceps earlier this month.UP NEXTTwins: Pat Dean makes his second start since being recalled Aug. 12. The right-hander lasted just three innings in his previous start, allowing six runs and eight hits in a loss to Toronto.Indians: Making a run at his second AL Cy Young Award in three seasons, Corey Kluber (14-8) starts the series finale. He hasnt lost since July 3, going 6-0 in his last nine starts. Kluber led the AL with 16 losses last season. ' ' '
