a sport if the sum of the parts is str

SAN ANTONIO -- Hours away from drawing the toughest defensive assignment of his two-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard wasnt feverishly taking mental notes of how to guard LeBron James. The second-year pro was simply relaxing at home Monday night, watching Miami rout the Indiana Pacers 99-76 to set up a showdown with San Antonio in the NBA Finals. Seeing how Paul George and Lance Stephenson defended James wasnt as important to Leonard as the outcome. "I was just laying (down), seeing who we were going to play," he said. Leonard means no disrespect. He is just happy to know who the Spurs will play after a weeks wait following their sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals. The 6-foot-7 Leonard will draw the primary defensive assignment against James, the reigning NBA Finals MVP and two-time league MVP who is averaging 26.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.4 assists in the playoffs. James is also shooting 51 per cent overall and 39 per cent on 3-pointers. "Its just a great challenge for me to try to help my team win by playing good defence on him," Leonard said. "I just accept the challenge and am ready to play." Facing a player on a hot streak isnt new to San Antonio this post-season following showdowns with Golden States Stephen Curry and Memphis Zach Randolph. After averaging 24 points and 10 assists in an upset of the Denver Nuggets, sweet-shooting Curry was held to 18.2 points and 6 assists against the Spurs -- excluding a 44-point, 11-assist effort in a Game 1 loss by the Warriors. Randolph averaged 18.4 points and 10.8 rebounds while bullying the Oklahoma City Thunder in the paint, but was limited to 11 points and 12 rebounds against the Spurs. His production included a two-point, seven-rebound effort in a Game 1 loss to San Antonio. In some respect, the Spurs are facing a hybrid of Curry and Randolph in the 6-foot-8, 250-pound James. "Hes great on offence and defence," said Leonard, who has a 7-3 wingspan. "He can pass, he can shoot the ball, gets offensive rebounds and defensive rebounds and he can guard the best player on the other team." While Leonard will be James primary defender, the Spurs will attempt to move him toward defensive help in the hope he gives up the ball. Its a strategy that helped San Antonio limit opponents to 44.2 per cent shooting, which was eighth in the league. But James isnt the only player the Spurs know they will need a group mentality to defend, starting with All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. "Theyve got more than just the big fella," San Antonio guard Danny Green said. "They are a great team. There is a reason they won last year, and they also added some pieces this year. On paper they have a really good team. Obviously they havent been playing as well as of late, but they have so many shooters surrounding the Big 3 they are a mismatch problem for any team." There was speculation that Miami was vulnerable considering Wade was battling a knee injury and Bosh was struggling offensively, leading to a Game 7 against a young Pacers team. Spurs forward Tim Duncan was stunned by that assertion. "I dont know how to answer that question," Duncan said. "I will know that when they stand in front of us if that be the case, but as of right now they are still the defending champs and the best team in the regular season." Wade dismissed a lot of those notions with 21 points and nine rebounds Monday night to lead Miami to its third consecutive NBA Finals. "Hes an All-Star," Green said of Wade. "I dont think it surprises anyone what hes capable of doing. He obviously hasnt been shooting as well, and neither has Chris bosh, but we know what theyre capable of. Any given night they can come out and give a game like that. "Good players do big things on big stages. We expected them to do that last night and we expect them to come out in the Finals and be playing their best basketball." The Heat swept the regular season series with the Spurs, but both games dont mean much. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich sent Duncan, Green, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili home rather than have them travel to Miami to play the second night of a back-to-back on Nov. 29. The Spurs were fined $250,000 by the NBA for the decision. Miami returned the favour by sitting James and Wade on March 21 in San Antonio. Still, the Spurs could have a leg up on the advance scouting against James and the Heat since the Pacers have a similar roster and defensive strategy. "Its basketball, so its not grossly different," Popovich said. "There are some things that we might emphasize or not emphasize as much as Indiana did just because were a different team. Everybody is going to do things a little differently, but a lot of the things that we all do are similar." Kahale Warring Texans Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. DeAndre Hopkins Texans Jersey . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. http://www.texansrookiestore.com/Texans-Cullen-Gillaspia-Jersey/ . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Houston Texans Jerseys . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. J.J. Watt Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Netballs international future hinges on developing depth outside traditional powerhouses Australia and New Zealand, South Africas coach Norma Plummer believes.The former Diamonds coach, who has coached the Proteas for just over a year, says its vital that nations such as South Africa become more competitive.And Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennie Wyllie agrees.Although planning is still in the early stages, NZ Netball are keen to introduce an international component following next years new-look domestic league.Wyllie says thats crucial if netball is to continue to develop depth beyond its big four - Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica.Its crucial that all those developing nations get that level of exposure, because we will become stronger as a sport if the sum of the parts is strong, she told NZ Newswire.Plummers fifth-ranked South Africa team are a case in point.They have just completed the New Zealand leg of the four-team quad series with a 65-46 loss to the Silver Ferns in Hamilton onn Wednesday.ddddddddddddPrior to that, they were beaten 65-39 by Australia in Auckland three days earlier.The margin of the losses doesnt bother Plummer, who guided Australia to successive world titles in 2007 and 2011.Were not going to cry if we dont get over the line - were here to learn, she told NZ Newswire.South Africa has an impressive player base - Plummer estimates there are over four million netballers in the country - but she says the lack of funding and infrastructure is telling.You know that if the African countries could ever get their act together, we might not touch the ball.The natural talent there is sensational but they havent got the coaches and they havent got the money.Plummer says netball has to develop depth if it is to achieve on the international stage at events like the Oympics.If we dont help the rest of the world come up, nothings going to change. 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