Biete - Deuterium » vier Arenas, DT Jonathan Babineaux, OT Camero

MIAMI -- LeBron James says his new protective mask is hot, uncomfortable and prone to fogging up. Plus, as teammate Dwyane Wade pointed out, it looks weird. So James is in the market for design suggestions. "Ive been talking to Marvel Comics for the last couple of days, and DC Comics, to try to come up with one of the greatest masks of all time," James said with a chuckle Wednesday. "So well see what happens." James spoke after trying out his new mask for the first time in practice. He plans to use it Thursday when the Miami Heat play the New York Knicks. The game will be the first for James since he broke his nose last Thursday in a victory at Oklahoma City. He and his mask took part in contact drills Wednesday, and coach Erik Spoelstra was encouraged by James progress. "Hell give it a shot Thursday," Spoelstra said. "He was able to go through today without any hiccups. But he also didnt take a hit today." Given James aggressive style of play, hes bound to receive an inadvertent blow to the face sooner or later. Thus the mask. "It lessens the impact," said James, who wore a mask 10 years ago to protect a broken cheek. "You can still feel it, because the nose is still tender. But it definitely lessens the pain." James had removed his clear mask by the time media were admitted to the gym for the end of practice, but teammates provided a description. "He looked like every other player in a mask -- it looks weird," Wade said. "He looks like the LeBron that wore a mask the first time, only about 30 pounds heavier, a little more muscular, a little less hair." Said Shane Battier with a grin: "As long as No. 6 is in uniform, he looks all right to me." James was on a roll when hurt. On Thursday hell try for his fifth consecutive 30-point game, which would be the second-longest such streak in Heat history. The Heat have won five consecutive games and trail Eastern Conference leader Indiana by one game. But theyve been prone to stumble against weak opponents, and their next three games are at home against team with losing records -- the Knicks, Magic and Bobcats. Nine of the Heats 14 defeats, including one against the Knicks, have come versus teams that are below .500. "You dont want to lose to the good teams. And you dont want to lose to the teams that arent as good," Wade said. "So then you would be 82-0. Youve got to lose to somebody. You cant play your A game for 82 games, so you have some of those moments. It happens to every team. Were no different." Lately the two-time defending NBA champions have been consistently on their A game, in part because of stout defence. They held Oklahoma City to 81 points, which tied the Thunders season low, then held Chicago to 79 in a victory Sunday as an antsy James watched from the bench. The injury-plagued Knicks have lost their past three games, and in their season of upheaval, the latest jarring development came Tuesday. Point guard Raymond Felton was arraigned on two felony weapons possession charges following an early-morning arrest. After going 54-28 last season, the Knicks are 21-36. "They havent forgotten how to play," Spoelstra said. "Theyve been injury-riddled all year long, and thats tough to deal with. That adversity coming into our game is irrelevant. Im sure theyll be ready." The Knicks split two games earlier this season against Miami, and theyre one of the few teams with a player who can match James basket for basket. Carmelo Anthony has scored more than 40 points in three of the past four games. James said hes sorry to see his friend endure such a difficult season in the standings. "I want him to win, and I want him to succeed," James said. "Obviously he has been playing great basketball, but I definitely dont like seeing him lose the way theyve been losing." Jesse Gonzalez USA Jersey . DETROIT LIONS AT ATLANTA FALCONS, 9:30 AM (ET) Detroit - RB Reggie Bush, TE Eric Ebron, TE Joseph Fauria, WR Calvin Johnson, QB Kellen Moore, TE Brandon Pettigrew, OT LaAdrian Waddle Atlanta - CB Javier Arenas, DT Jonathan Babineaux, OT Cameron Bradfield, WR Freddie Martino, QB Sean Renfree, OT Jonathan Scott, LB Tyler Starr SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, 1:00 PM (ET) Seattle - DT Jordan Hill, CB Byron Maxwell, OT Andrew McDonald, TE Zach Miller, C Max Unger, LB Bobby Wagner, WR Bryan Walters Carolina - CB Bene Benwikere, LB Chase Blackburn, WR Philly Brown, G Amini Silatolu, G Trai Turner, RB Fozzy Whittaker, RB DeAngelo Williams HOUSTON TEXANS AT TENNESSEE TITANS, 1:00 PM (ET) Houston - OT Jeff Adams, DB Josh Aubrey, LB Brian Cushing, DB Darryl Morris, WR DeVier Posey, QB Tom Savage, LB Jeff Tarpinian Tennessee - RB Antonio Andrews, WR Kris Durham, TE Richard Gordon, DL DaQuan Jones, CB Coty Sensabaugh, OT Will Svitek, TE Taylor Thompson BALTIMORE RAVENS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS, 1:00 PM (ET) Baltimore - CB Chykie Brown, LB Arthur Brown, DL Chris Canty, TE Owen Daniels, G/C Gino Gradkowski, RB Bernard Pierce, OT Jah Reid Cincinnati - RB Rex Burkhead, DE Will Clarke, WR A. Matt Besler Jersey .com) - Nino Williams posted 18 points and seven rebounds, as Kansas State edged No. http://www.soccerusateamonline.com/Erik-...erica-Jersey/.9 million deal Thursday. The 25-year McGinn had 19 goals and 19 assists in 79 games last season in helping the Avalanche tie a franchise record with 52 wins. Bobby Wood Jersey . JOHNS, N. Christian Pulisic Jersey .J. Hardy to avoid a three-game sweep after blowing a big early lead. Odour had a leadoff single in the seventh and scored the tiebreaking run with the help of two errors by Hardy as the Rangers went on to beat the Orioles 8-6 on Thursday night.SAN FRANCISCO -- Yasiel Puig believes he has the support from his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates and the club to help him keep his focus on baseball despite challenges off the field. Puig returned to the starting lineup in right field for Thursdays series finale against the Giants amid reports that smugglers who helped him defect from Cuba had threatened his life. "Im only concentrating on the season and being the best teammate and helping my teammates," Puig said, speaking in Spanish during an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday morning at his locker in AT&T Park. While Puig wont address the details specifically because of a pending legal case, he said he will focus on baseball and on helping the defending NL West champion Dodgers keep winning. He went 1 for 4 with a strikeout in Thursdays 2-1 victory. While he dropped a routine fly to right, he also made two nice catches on the run. "I have great teammates who are helping support me so much this season and to focus on the season when I get to the stadium so I am comfortable," Puig said. "That way I dont start thinking about anything negative in the stadium. Im only thinking about working on the things that are going to make me a better ballplayer." The 23-year-old, scratched from the starting lineup after arriving late for his teams home opener April 4, is hitting .250 with one home run and five RBIs in his second major league season. He said after the game he is committed to baseball "so those things that are happening dont torment me." "Were at the field right now. Weve just got to be thinking about baseball," teammate Hanley Ramirez said. "What Ive seen is hes been llearning and hes just happy to be here.dddddddddddd Hes playing today and he told me hes going to do everything it takes to win todays game." Manager Don Mattingly said he has read articles about Puigs journey and will offer support. He has spoken briefly with the outfielder, but not regarding specifics of his journey to the United States -- saying if Puig wants to keep those details private, he will respect that wish. Mattingly is committed to helping Puig, who signed a $42 million, seven-year contract. Court documents, part of a federal lawsuit in Miami, say smugglers who helped Puig leave Cuba on a speedboat have made death threats against him and against a Cuban boxer who says he defected with Puig. Boxer Yunior Despaigne says in an affidavit he is afraid of being harmed by the smugglers or their associates if Puig hasnt paid them money he owes. "He hasnt talked about his background. Nobodys told me about his background. Nobodys told me about his story," Mattingly said. "If its true, its a wild story." Other Cuban big leaguers have shared similar experiences. In Oakland, Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes discussed in February 2013 how he worried constantly about his family members the previous season as they made their way to the U.S. He wasnt sure whether they might be targeted because of his legal issues stemming from a former agent who claimed the outfielder owed him money. "If you care about Yasiel, you worry about some serious stuff there that he has to deal with," Mattingly said. "If you care about him as a person, you worry about what hes going through." AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson in Miami contributed to this report. ' ' '