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ast years finals will be played over and over again. T

NEW ORLEANS - Four seasons after the Saints traded to get back into the first round of the draft to select Mark Ingram, the running back could be playing in his final game with New Orleans on Sunday. George Kittle 49ers Jersey .Hes not the only one.With the Saints missing the playoffs for only the fourth time in nine seasons, New Orleans offence could see a roster shakeup in the off-season.The Saints league-leading offence is built in part on several veterans who carry big contracts or are about to become free agents.Ingram, receiver Robert Meachem and centre Jonathan Goodwin all are free to sign elsewhere after this season.Receiver Marques Colston and guards Ben Grubbs and Jahri Evans have big salary cap numbers.The realignment of the offence could start in the backfield, however.The Saints declined to pick up a fifth-year contract option on Ingram this summer.Yet, hes having his best year as a pro. He has put up career highs with 212 rushes, 907 yards and eight touchdowns. He ran for at least 100 yards in three straight games in Weeks 8-10. And he carried the ball at least 23 times in four straight games in Weeks 8-11.I said this earlier in the year when all of a sudden you started seeing the week-in, week-out production. Saints coach Sean Payton said.Im so happy to see that from here because a year ago he laboured with an injury and still played. The first thing I think of is toughness. Hes a good football player. Im glad hes with us.Whether or not hes with the Saints next season, Ingram said showing that he can be relied upon consistently was important.I think thats a good thing, just seeing that I can carry the ball and that I can be out there doing whatever you ask me to do for a stretch of time and be healthy, Ingram said.Meachem and Goodwin both signed one-year contracts before the season.Meachem hasnt been used much this season and was inactive for six of the past eight games. His six receptions this year are half of his previous career-low season total.Goodwin has played through various injuries for much of the season and is part of a line that hasnt held up for quarterback Drew Brees, who has been sacked four times in two games and five times once.Colston, Evans and Grubbs all have contracts through 2016 that carry base salaries of at least $6.5 million and bigger salary cap hits.For that trio, it could come down to taking a pay cut to remain in New Orleans.Colston is New Orleans career leading receiver in receptions (664), yards (9,188) and touchdowns (67). Evans has been one of the NFLs best guards and has been to six straight Pro Bowls. Both players were taken by New Orleans in the 2006 draft, the first of the Payton era.While Payton said the Saints wont specifically go to a youth movement against Tampa Bay in the season finale, younger players have seen more playing time.Receiver Nick Toon, a fourth-round selection by New Orleans in 2012, is among those young players finally getting on the field. He has been active in the past five games, catching 16 passes for 191 yards and his first career touchdown.Everybody wants to play, Toon said. Everybody wants to contribute. And getting an opportunity to do those things has been awesome.Brandin Cooks, the Saints first-round pick in 2014, was a featured player until he went on season-ending injured reserve with a right thumb injury.And Kenny Stills, a fifth-round pick in 2013, has seen a more prominent role in the offence.Weve been able to utilize him more at some different positions and hes shown he can handle that mentally, Brees said. Hes really versatile in a lot of ways.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ;Dwight Clark Womens Jersey . Red Sox outfielder Jonny Gomes, the bandleader of the beard brigade during Bostons run to the 2013 World Series title, said he will be shaving his off before spring training so that he can file it "in the archive" with his memories of the teams improbable championship. Nick Bosa Jersey . -- Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the Dodgers starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Australia against the Arizona Diamondbacks.MIAMI -- Over the last 10 seasons, only one NBA player has been part of more wins than LeBron James. His name is Tim Duncan. Their numbers over that decade are incredibly similar. Duncan has appeared in 622 regular-season and playoff victories, James has played in 621. Duncan is shooting 50.2 per cent from the field, James is shooting 50 per cent. Duncan has won two championships with San Antonio during this 10-season stretch, James has two with Miami. Plus, when facing each other in the NBA Finals, both has won one, lost one. Here comes the tiebreaker -- a Finals rematch that will have high expectations. Miami and San Antonio are the leagues last two teams standing for the second consecutive year, their next chapter starting on the Spurs home floor Thursday night. The Heat won a wild series last season for their second straight championship, needing a frantic rally to avoid elimination in Game 6 and then riding the strength of a 37-point, 12-rebound effort from James to top the Spurs in Game 7. "I think our guys, they actually grew from the loss last year," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I call it fortitude. I think they showed an unbelievable amount of fortitude. If I can compliment my own team humbly, to have that tough loss, especially the Game 6 and not have a pity party and come back this year and get back to the same position, I think thats fortitude." Its the leagues first Finals rematch since Chicago and Utah played in 1997 and 1998. The teams have actually played three times since last seasons classic series ended, twice in the regular season, another being a preseason meeting in Miami where the Spurs acknowledged that the pain of losing Game 7 on that floor was still real. Then again, its almost like they wanted to feel that hurt at times. Popovich showed the Spurs clips of Games 6 and 7 early in training camp this season, not so much to open old wounds but rather speed up the healing process. "We were just trying to put it away, just get over that part of it, learn from it, and move forward from there," said Duncan, a champion in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007. Move forward, they did. San Antonio won 62 games in the regular season, the best record in the league. One of those wins was a 24-point romp over Miami, on the same floor where this series will start on Thursday. The Heat know whaat wanting revenge feels like. Jalen Hurd Womens Jersey. They lost the 2011 NBA Finals to Dallas, then opened the following season on the Mavericks floor and simply blew them away. Heat forward Chris Bosh called it "extra motivation" for the Spurs. "Its just something that we have to deal with, and we know that theyre going to be very passionate, and theyre going to play some good basketball," Bosh said. "So whoever we play, we just have to continue to keep our approach the same and play good basketball." While the Spurs were punching their ticket by ousting Oklahoma City from the West finals on Saturday night, the Heat were getting a day off. James was taking his kids to see X-Men. James Jones went to a home-improvement store for some supplies. Bosh insisted he was going to do as little as possible, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isnt summoning his team to practice again until Monday. By then, James will be locked in on the Spurs. "It hasnt really hit us that much yet because I think were in it," James said Friday night after Miami beat Indiana and clinched its fourth consecutive East championship. "I think it will once were done and were able to look back at what we were able to accomplish as players, as a franchise. I think thats when it will really hit us. We definitely dont take it for granted to be in this position." So for the next few days, all the highlights of last years finals will be played over and over again. The shot by Tony Parker -- who missed the second half of Saturday nights game with a left ankle injury -- to win Game 1 in Miami for the Spurs. James twirl-on-the-rim dunk as the Heat pulled away in Game 2. San Antonio sharpshooter Danny Greens Finals-record 3-point display. Boshs rebound that led to Ray Allens shot that saved Miamis season in Game 6. The yellow rope, the precursor to a Spurs celebration that never happened. All made for an epic series. The encore could be even better. "Obviously we are very happy and pleased with the season we have had so far, but we are not by any means satisfied," Green said. "We know we have a lot of work to do against a very good team. There is a reason why theyre back there and are two-time champs. We have our work cut out for us, but we are happy with going back -- just not satisfied." ' ' '
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