Miami Heat's Latest Finals Push Is All About Pride, Passion and History

MIAMI — What greeted Erik Spoelstra on Thursday wouldn't be welcome in any other walk of life, but it was what he wanted to see. What he needed to see. What was absent at times in months that mattered less. What was essential to get to the month that matters most. 

"A very angry group," the coach said.

What were they angry about? Too much to chronicle quickly.

They were angry about the peripheral stuff, for sure, the stuff they couldn't control. Lance Stephenson's buffoonery. The officials' inconsistency. The Pacers' impropriety, their tendency during two years—and three postseasons—to talk much, much, much too much. 

They were angry most of all at themselves, for letting it get this far. 

"We knew we were better than this team," Ray Allen said. "But we still had to play at our best. Everybody just focused in and wanted to beat them. Whether you could talk about any individual player's antics out there on the floor... just dial in. Just dial in and stay focused. Don't allow for it to get to the point where they have control of this game on our floor. Just take it away from them early and do it often." 

"It was funny, talking to (Greg Oden) and Toney (Douglas), guys who haven't been around," Shane Battier said. "They were like, 'Who are you guys? This is not a team I've seen all year.' We said, hey, stay around long enough, stay around long enough, and you'll see a different team. Trust me, we're not bad. We're not bad when we play hard. Really, that's been the story of our team." 

That's a team the Pacers still can't touch.

"I think it's about not being able to reach their level," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Yet." 

If "yets" and "ifs" and "buts" were nuts, then, well, they'd be Lance Stephenson. But they also feel stale at this stage, since Vogel's team said many of those same things 360 days earlier, when it lost the second of three series to the Heat. That night, after getting routed by 23, the Pacers spoke of their promise. ("The great thing is we're a young team and we are past the building stage," Paul George said then. "This is really our first year tasting success. The rate we are going, we see championships soon.") And they committed to capturing the top seed in the East, as a means of avoiding another elimination game on the road against a team they'd been built to beat.

They made it their mission to get Game 7 on their floor. 

The Heat allowed just five points in the final eight minutes of the first quarter, while scoring 22. That was just a precursor to the pain to follow, with Miami outscoring the Pacers by an obscene 84-40 count from that inauspicious opening, and Vogel calling more timeouts than a kindergarten teacher.

Actually, he might have felt like one this season, dealing with bruised and inflated egos, and with fractures in the locker room that will likely become more apparent in the offseason x-ray.

But on this night, none of that was the primary problem.

Not Roy Hibbert's no-show, with just one field goal, and just four rebounds, his 10th playoff game with five or fewer of the latter. Not Stephenson's silliness, which included cupping James' chin ("uncalled for," James said), flagrant fouling Norris Cole and confronting Chris Andersen, a series of antics that caused Udonis Haslem to threaten him from the bench, with James smartly holding Haslem back.

Not George's tardiness, as the Pacers' signature star followed up a 2-of-9 struggle in Game 7 of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals by scoring just one point in the first half, before tallying 28 more with the contest decided. Not David West, the Pacers' rock, suddenly sailing passes out of bounds.

No, none of it.

The primary problem was in the home whites. The Pacers weren't winning on this night, regardless. There was no way the bloodthirsty Heat would allow it. 

Not after they'd been roused. Roused by history, and the opportunity to reach a fourth straight NBA Finals, something no team since the 1987 Celtics of Parish-McHale-Bird-Ainge-Johnson had done.

So, you could say that, after an uneven season, they were mostly roused by pride. Chris Bosh's pride not to allow Hibbert to dominate the paint the way he did last postseason: "I really took the personal challenge to do a better job." And he did, not only defensively, but by breaking out offensively in the final three games, and throwing in a few fistpumps.

Chris Andersen's pride to prove he could have, should have played in the past couple games, even with a bruised thigh; he provided nine points and 10 rebounds in 13 minutes on Friday. 

And then? 

"He got pretty angry with me in the fourth quarter for taking him out," Spoelstra said. "Telling me I'm holding him back."

Dwyane Wade's pride to push himself through a rigorous program, to prove that he is still a worthy championship sidekick. Shane Battier's pride, and Ray Allen's pride, and Rashard Lewis' pride, to prove they still have something left to give. 

"There isn't an article written about us that doesn't mention our aging role players," Battier said. 

James' pride to keep working towards becoming the best there ever was. 

"We're competing against the Michael Jordan of our era, the Chicago Bulls of our era," Vogel said.

James smiled when told of that statement. 

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"Me and D-Wade grew up watching the great Chicago Bulls team and the great Michael Jordan and the rest of those guys," he said, after posting an efficient 25 points, plus six assists. "Any time I hear my name or our team in the same breath with legends and great teams and franchises, it's so humbling, man. I really don't know...."

And in the end, it really doesn't matter if we know exactly what it was that got them so furious and focused—that got them to flip that switch, and turn out Indiana's lights. 

All that matters is where the Heat ended up.

Again.

In the NBA Finals.

Where they always believed they'd be.

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Miami Heat

MIAMI — Shane Battier, a 13-year N.B.A. veteran and two-time champion Miami Heat, was the perfect player to provide a bit of context to the happenings late Friday. Although some of his teammates said they would need time to gain perspective on their latest accomplishment — a playoff series win over the Indiana Pacers, a fourth straight trip to the finals — Battier seemed to possess a good deal.

Battier, 35, said that in the current environment of the N.B.A., with restricted spending and frequent player movement, sustained periods of success were becoming increasingly rare. That the Heat had made it to the league finals for the fourth consecutive year, he said, was a testament to the creativity of their front office in building a stable team and the willingness of its ownership to pay for it.

Battier said the stars would be the first to tell you that, too. Later, as if on cue, James rolled up to his postgame news conference on the back of a golf cart, wearing a limited edition version of his sneakers that had been made available in May to people who had completed several dozens of hours of tasks in a video game. The shoes were listed on online auction sites for more than $1,000.

The jungle cat pattern on the sneakers and the image of a lion on his shirt suggested his alpha status. But soon, relatively unprompted, James was doling out praise to a list of less heralded teammates.

James said the Heat started to hit their stride in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday when Chris Andersen, who had missed the previous two games with a bruised left thigh, entered midway through the first quarter. He credited Norris Cole’s drives to the basket for creating space. And he described Rashard Lewis as “the key to everything.”

“Once those guys got it going,” James said, “I think we all fed off of it.”

James recently suggested that the Heat were not the league’s most talented team — he would not say which teams were more talented — but that their collective smarts and experience made them among the best.

Battier nodded as this hypothesis was relayed to him Friday. That is what he and his teammates were talking about in the locker room.

“You can’t win big without talent, and obviously, we have talent,” Battier said. “But so much of it is the togetherness and the cohesion and the belief in the plan and the ability to withstand adversity.”

He added, “Going through this three years now, those are essential qualities in getting it done.”

The formative nature of the shared hardship and success was a big theme among the Heat players and coaches after their 117-92 victory in Game 6.

Coach Erik Spoelstra recalled discussing the group’s legacy and potential place in N.B.A. history on the first day of training camp in the Bahamas. Even to the newer players, Spoelstra tried to impart the idea that they were being absorbed into a larger undertaking that was in progress.

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The team has acknowledged that chemistry is a factor that lifts them to a championship level. The hallmark of these Heat squads, as much as high-flying play, has been stability, a steady culture of professionalism.

Wade was drafted in 2003 and has played only for the Heat. Udonis Haslem joined the team that year, too. James and Bosh arrived in 2010 to form the star triumvirate. Miami acquired Mario Chalmers from Minnesota on draft day in 2008, and three years later did the same to obtain Cole. Lewis and Ray Allen joined the team in 2012 and Anderson in early 2013 as accomplished veterans.

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Hip thrust with leg extension. A fantastic way to strengthen your glutes

Hip thrust with leg extension. A fantastic way to strengthen your glutes

Tighten up those glutes with this exercise ...

How to

Begin with your back on the mat, knees bent at 90 degrees.

Extend left leg straight up and lift your hips off the mat (picture A).

Pull left knee into your chest while keeping your hips off the ground (picture B).

Extend left leg straight out at a 45-degree angle, keeping knees at same height, side by side (picture C).

Pull leg back to centre and lower hips down. At the last rep, hold position A and pulse up for 10 more reps, really squeezing your glutes at the top.

Swap legs.

Reps: 10

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7 Exercises for Better Sex

7 Exercises for Better Sex

Master these moves, and an orgasm is practically in the bag

Exercise doesn’t just help you tone up and slim down—it can also make sex so much hotter. Try any (or all!) of these moves from the Women’s Health Big Book of Sex during your next workout for a more intense orgasm—no kegels necessary!

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Hip thrust with leg extension. A fantastic way to strengthen your glutes

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France Restricts Coverage of D-Day Anniversary

The administration of Francois Hollande has handed two French broadcast networks exclusive rights to the main international ceremony, and they are now imposing sports-style syndication fees on global news agencies, satellite and cable news channels, and online news outlets.

The French host broadcasters, France Televisions and TF1, are demanding that global news providers AP, AFP, Reuters and ENEX pay nearly 200,000 euros ($265,000) collectively for live broadcast and online streaming coverage of the official ceremonies, which feature at least 18 heads of state.

The French networks are providing coverage free to European state broadcasters, who belong to the 100-member European Broadcasting Union consortium.

AP, Reuters, AFP and ENEX together represent over 1,500 broadcasters and thousands of digital platforms.

The four agencies have protested the decision, calling for all news organizations to be granted free access to live coverage of an event of global importance, as has been common practice at similar events elsewhere.

"We are dismayed that the Elysee Palace is denying The Associated Press and other international news agencies fair access to live broadcast coverage of D-Day commemorations, which will be attended by world leaders and hundreds of veterans," said Kathleen Carroll, senior vice president and executive editor of AP.

"By granting access to only a few select channels and charging prohibitive sums, millions of viewers around the world will be unable to witness this historic, global event, the solemnity of which will reflect the commitment of an international array of forces 70 years ago," Carroll said. "We believe the Elysee and its French broadcast partners should allow free and unrestricted access to all newsgathering organizations."

The global news director of Agence France-Presse, Philippe Massonnet, called the restrictions "incomprehensible."

"The commercialization of this historic event is shocking," he said. "We hope that the presidency of the French republic will allow agencies the right to film and distribute the event live under conditions that are acceptable and in conformity with the spirit of freedom that these ceremonies represent."

The Elysee reversed itself May 15 despite having provided the agencies with verbal assurances on March 27 and written assurances on May 7 that they would be granted access to the broadcast to distribute free of charge to affiliated news organizations outside France.

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CBSE cbse.nic.in cbseresults.nic.in CBSE Result 2014 12th Result XII Result CBSE 12th Result CBSE XII Result CBSE 12th Board Result.

CBSE 12^th class results to be announced in the last days of month May

Important Note:CBSE - Class XII Examination - Announced on 26th May 2014 (Chennai & Trivandrum Regions) School Wise Results. Other regions CBSE 12th XII result 2014 are expected to announce on Wednesday

The central board of secondary education is one of the finest educational boards of India and it has been famous among the masses due to its extensive rational changes in the system. Every year the examinations season is commenced in the month of the March and then after a couple of months, the results are then announced.

This year, the board has announced the dates for the examinations of 10^th and 12^th class. The commencing date for both the classes is same which is March 1, 2014, but the ending date is set to be different. The 10^th class will be getting free on March 19^th while the exams of 12^th class will terminate on April 17, 2014.

The expected result of class 12^th will be released by the mid of May, 2014. The official announcement about the result declaration date of 12^th class CBSE is yet to be announced and we are trying to get an official verdict on it. AS soon as we get any official form CBSE on the subject, we will be bringing it right away to you. For now the third week of May is crucial for the release of the result of 12^th class.

There are 20000 more students appearing in the 12 class examination this year as compared to 2013 and the reason of this increment is the new schools which are affiliated with the board in the recent past. The board has more than 13000 schools registered with it along with schools in 22 countries. 

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IPL LIVE Streaming CSK vs MI cricket

Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by seven wickets with eight balls to spare at the Brabourne stadium. 

The Chennai dugout get up and clap in celebration. Now handshakes as a glum-looking Mumbai side exchange pleasantaries. As soon as Raina found the fence, he punched the air in delight and then hugged his partner. The crowd at Brabourne Stadium slowly troop off. One can only hear the sound of whistles tooting all over the stadium now. The men in yellow celebrate, while the ones in blue go home. Chennai now have booked their place in the second qualifier against Punjab. Mumbai's late innings collapse, left them at least 20 short and though they tried to make a match of it, Chennai were too strong tonight. The opening stand was crucial tonight and Mumbai can look back at that decision by Oxenford when he reprieved Dwayne Smith early on by not giving it out lbw. That could've changed things, Mumbai might argue. But that's how the game goes. Still Harbhajan bowled superbly and brought his side back into it, but Raina and Hussey just pressed the accelerator and took their side home. Mumbai though must be given credit for the way they have performed in this tournament. They lost 5 games in a row in the UAE, they were last on the points table and to qualify from there for tonight's game was some achievement. And without even mentioning the last game that they played against Rajasthan, when they produced arguably the performance of the tournament, to be here. But as Rohit said in his post-match interview, Chennai were better on the day and that's what counted. Once again Chennai have proved that they are the team to watch out for in the crunch stages of the tournament. The way they handled the chase today, shows what a confident side they are.

That's an EMPHATIC WIN for Chennai who have KNOCKED OUT the defending champions in the IPL!!

18.4 overs: FOUR!! Suresh Raina leans forward and flicks it through midwicket for a boundary. Raina SCORES THE WINNING RUNS for Chennai!! 

With Suresh Raina(50) and David Hussey(39) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 170/3 after 18 overs.

TEN RUNS off the over!!

17.4 overs: Suresh Raina leans forward and drills it straight down the ground for a single. That's FIFTY for Raina!!

17.1 overs: FOUR!! Suresh Raina goes on the backfoot and pulls it with disdain for a boundary. 

With Suresh Raina(44) and David Hussey(37) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 160/3 after 17 overs.

EIGHT RUNS off the over!!

16.2 overs: FOUR!! David Hussey was looking to squeeze the yorker out and gets an inside edge towards third man for a boundary.

TWENTY RUNS off the over!!

15.6 overs: SIX!! Suresh Raina stands tall and smashes it over midwicket for the maximum. That was HAMMERED by Raina!! 

With Suresh Raina(22) and David Hussey(2) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 103/3 after 12 overs. 

NINE RUNS off the over!!

10.4 overs: SIX!! Suresh Raina dances down the track and thumps it oveer covers for the maximum. That was BEAUTIFULLY EXECUTED!! 

With Suresh Raina(9) and David Hussey(1) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 89/3 after 10 overs.

NINE RUNS off the over!!

David Hussey is the new man in for Chennai.

9.3 overs: That's OUT!! Pragyan Ojha has got Brendon McCullum outstumped by the wicket-keeper. McCullum shimmies down the track lokking for the big shot but gets beaten with the spin as Aditya Tare whips the bails off in a flash to catch him short at the crease. Brendon McCullum departs after scoring 14 runs off 11 balls with two sixes. BIG BLOW for Chennai!!

9.2 overs: SIX!! Brendon McCullum skips down the track and slams it towards long-on where Ben Dunk lets it through his hands for the maximum. ThatCOULD PROVE COSTYLY for Mumbai!! 

With Suresh Raina(7) and Brendon McCullum(8) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 80/2 after nine overs.

EIGHT RUNS off the over!!

8.3 overs: SIX!! Brendon McCullum dances down the track and smashes it over long-off for the maximum. That was SMOKED by Baz!!

EIGHT RUNS off the over!!

7.6 overs: FOUR!! Suresh Raina reaches out and crashes the cut past backward point for a boundary. 

With Suresh Raina(1) and Brendon McCullum(0) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 64/2 after seven overs.

FOUR RUNS off the over!!

Brendon McCullum comes to the crease for Chennai.

6.5 overs: OUT!! Harbhajan Singh has got Faf du Plessis out caught at deep sweeper cover. Du Plessis was looking to go inside-out but lobs it straight into the hands of sub(Ben Dunk) in the deep. Faf du Plessis departs after scoring 35 runs off 20 balls with five boundaries and a six. Another BLOW for Chennai!! 

Suresh Raina comes to the crease for Chennai.

Bhajji STRIKES IN HIS 1ST OVER for Mumbai!!

6.2 overs: That's OUT!! Harbhajan Singh has got Dwayne Smith out caught at long-on. Smith was looking to go over the fielder but sends it straight down the throat of Kieron Pollard who doesn't drop those. Dwayne Smith departs after scoring 24 runs off 20 balls with four boundaries. 

First sign of spin, Harbhajan Singh comes into the attack for Mumbai Indians. 

With Dwayne Smith(24) and Faf du Plessis(34) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 60/0 after six overs.
SEVENTEEN RUNS off the over!!

5.6 overs: FOUR!! Dwayne Smith takes it on the full and drills it wide of backward point for another boundary. POOR LINE from Bumrah!!

5.4 overs: FOUR!! Dwayne Smith transfers his weight on the back leg and carves it over point for a boundary.

5.3 overs: FOUR!! Dwayne Smith employs the short-arm jab and sends it racing through midwicket for another boundary.

5.2 overs: FOUR!! Dwayne Smith was looking to play it towards the on-side but gets an outside edge through the slip cordon for a boundary. That's SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WICKET for Mumbai!! 

First change, Jasprit Bumrah comes into the attack for Mumbai Indians. 

With Dwayne Smith(11) and Faf du Plessis(30) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 43/0 after five overs.

FIVE RUNS off the over!!

Praveen Kumar comes back into the attack for Mumbai. 

With Dwayne Smith(8) and Faf du Plessis(28) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 38/0 after four overs.

EIGHTEEN RUNS off the over!!

3.6 overs: FOUR!! Faf du Plessis goes on the backfoot and clubs it over midwicket for a boundary.

3.5 overs: SIX!! Faf du Plessis rocks back and slams it over deep square leg for the maximum. MIGHTY BLOW from du Plessis!!

3.3 overs: FOUR!! Faf du Plessis walks down the track and hoicks it over mid-off for a boundary. 

With Dwayne Smith(5) and Faf du Plessis(9) at the crease, Chennai Super Kings are currently at 16/0 after two overs.
TEN RUNS off the over!!

1.5 overs: FOUR!! Faf du Plessis skips down the wicket and slaps it towards deep square leg for a boundary. That was MUSCLED from Faf!! 

1.1 overs: FOUR!! Faf du Plessis leans into the drive and sends it scurrying through mid-off for a boundary. POOR EFFORT from Rohit Sharma there!! 

Corey Anderson will bowl from the other end for Mumbai Indians. 

FIVE RUNS off the over!!

0.2 overs: FOUR!! Dwayne Smith leans forward and flicks it through midwicket for a boundary. That was BEAUTIFULLY TIMED by Smith!! 

Dwayne Smith and Faf du Plessis are out in the middle for Chennai Super Kings while Praveen Kumar will start the proceedings for Mumbai Indians. 

Mumbai Indians scored 173 runs at the loss of eight wickets after batting first against Chennai Super Kings at the Brabourne stadium.
That's the END OF INNINGS for Mumbai!!

19.6 overs: SIX!! Harbhajan Singh picks the slower delivery and smashes it over long-on for the maximum. Bhajji FINISHES IT OFF in style!! 

Mohit Sharma will bowl the FINAL OVER for Chennai!!

18.3 overs: FOUR!! Kieron Pollard picks the length early and hammers it through square leg for a boundary.

18.1 overs: SIX!! Kieron Pollard goes on the backfoot and slams it over square leg for the maximum. 

EIGHT RUNS off the over!!

Ambati Rayudu comes to the crease for Mumbai.

17.3 overs: OUT!! Mohit Sharma has got Rohit Sharma out caught at short third man. Sharma was looking for the big shot but gets a top edge that goes high in the air for Brendon McCullum to take a simple catch. Rohit Sharma departs after scoring 20 runs off 16 balls with three boundaries.

17.2 overs: FOUR!! Rohit Sharma skips down the wicket and drills it through covers for a boundary.

FIVE RUNS off the over!!

Kieron Pollard comes to the crease for Mumbai Indians.

16.4 overs: That's OUT!! Ravindra Jadeja has got Lendl Simmons outcaught at long-on. Simmons was looking for the big shot but mistimes it towards Suresh Raina who doesn't drop those. Lendl Simmons departs after scoring 67 runs off 44 balls with five boundaries and four sixes. BIG WICKET for Chennai!! 

With Lendl Simmons(66) and Rohit Sharma(13) at the crease, Mumbai Indians are currently at 140/2 after 16 overs.
THIRTEEN RUNS off the over!!

15.6 overs: SIX!! Rohit Sharma gets a big stride forward and smashes it over long-on for the maximum. MEATY BLOW from Sharma!!

15.3 overs: FOUR!! Rohit Sharma dances down the track and heaves it through covers for a boundary.

TEN RUNS off the over!!

14.1 overs: SIX!! Lendl Simmons clears his front leg and smashes it over long-off for the maximum. 

With Lendl Simmons(29) and Michael Hussey(23) at the crease, Mumbai Indians are currently at 54/0 after six overs.

TWENTY RUNS off the over!!

5.5 overs: FOUR!! Lendl Simmons goes on the backfoot and crashes the cut past backward point for another boundary.

5.4 overs: SIX!! Lendl Simmons picks the length early and smashes it towards the cow corner for the maximum. MEATY BLOW from Simmons!!

5.3 overs: FOUR!! Lendl Simmons shimmies down the track and slices it over covers for a boundary. Simmons is LOOKING DANGEROUS here!!

5.1 overs: FOUR!! Michael Hussey goes for the pull and gets an outside edge over the slip cordon for a boundary. 

With Lendl Simmons(14) and Michael Hussey(18) at the crease, Mumbai Indians are currently at 34/0 after five overs.

ELEVEN RUNS off the over!!

4.2 overs: FOUR!! Michael Hussey leans forward and flicks it through midwicket for another boundary. BACK-TO-BACK boundaries for Hussey!!

4.1 overs: FOUR!! Michael Hussey stands tall and smokes it back over the bowler's head for a boundary. 

With Lendl Simmons(13) and Michael Hussey(9) at the crease, Mumbai Indians are currently at 23/0 after four overs.
SIX RUNS off the over!!

3.3 overs: FOUR!! Michael Jussey hangs back and swats it through extra cover for a boundary. That was ELEGANT from Hussey!!

First change, Mohit Sharma comes into the attack for Chennai. 

With Lendl Simmons(12) and Michael Hussey(4) at the crease, Mumbai Indians are currently at 17/0 after three overs.

SEVEN RUNS off the over!!

1.4 overs: FOUR!! Lendl Simmons reaches out and slaps it through covers for a boundary. CRACKING SHOT from Simmons!! 

Ishwar Pandey will bowl from the other end for Chennai Super Kings.

SIX RUNS off the over!!

0.3 overs: FOUR!! Lendl Simmons leans forward and flicks it through midwicket for the first boundary in the over. BEAUTIFUL SHOT from Simmons!!

Lendl Simmons and Michael Hussey are out in the middle for Mumbai Indians while Ashish Nehra will start the proceedings for Chennai Super Kings.

TEAM NEWS: Chennai have Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Faf du Plessis and David Hussey as the overseas players in their Playing XI. On the other hand, Mumbai will play Kieron Pollard, Corey Anderson, Lendl Simmons and Michael Hussey as the overseas players in their Playing XI today. 

Toss: Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to field against Mumbai Indians. 

The Sudden Death:

It is sudden death time for Chennai and Mumbai. A fortnight ago, no one would have anticipated these two teams to be fighting to stay alive in the competition at the play-off phase. Chennai were cruising along and looked set to seal one of the top-2 spots, while Mumbai looked down and out the defending champions struggling for any sort of momentum.

But in an inspired burst of hitting, Yusuf Pathan derailed Chennai's hopes of finishing amongst the top two and Corey Anderson led Mumbai to a stunning victory over Rajasthan to seal the final qualifier slot.

It means Chennai and Mumbai, two of the most celebrated rivals, are back facing each other for the third time this season, and in the eliminator match of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Statistics:

Head-to-head: These two teams have met 17 times before with Mumbai winning 9 games and Chennai winning 8.

The LAST TIME Mumbai took on Chennai at the Brabourne Stadium in 2010 they beat them comfortably by 5 wickets.

Ravichandran Ashwin needs 4 more wickets to get to 150 wickets in T20s.

League Outings:

Chennai have defeated Mumbai on both occasions this year. They won their home game in Dubai by 7 wickets before defeating Mumbai by 4 wickets in their own backyard.

Chennai Super Kings:

Will Brendon McCullum, who flew back home for the birth of his child, be available for Chennai on Wednesday? If yes, MS Dhoni's side will have their destructive opening partnership back as both Dwayne Smith and McCullum have done very well together this season. However, when McCullum was absent, Faf du Plessis was promoted up the order and he too did well alongside Smith. So Dhoni will be happy with either of the opening combinations.

CHN also have IPL's best batsman - Suresh Raina. Though he has been hot and cold this season, with close to 3200 runs overall in the history of the tournament, Raina is not only an experienced campaigner, but also knows how to tackle pressure. MS Dhoni finally got going this year with over 100 runs in the last two games, meaning that he is ready to tee-off when it matters most for the side.

Mohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have been the pick of the Chennai bowlers, with the former being the most impressive. Mohit has showed that he has a very good slower ball which has come in handy for the side in pressure situations. Deservingly, he has taken 19 wickets and Dhoni looks up to him when he desperately needs to break a partnership.

Meanwhile, Jadeja has not only played a few crucial knocks with the bat to bail his side out of trouble, with 17 wickets, he has outplayed his spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has had a poor season by his standards. It will be interesting to see if Dhoni persists with Ashish Nehra or if he prefers to use the services of young Ishwar Pandey.

Mumbai Indians:

Having begun with five straight losses in the UAE, the comeback has been spectacular for Rohit Sharma's side. They looked lost in the Middle East. Questions were asked about their dismal purchases at the auctions. Mike Hussey was left out after initial failures. His replacement, Ben Dunk, couldn't do much as well. When Lendl Simmons arrived as an injury replacement for Jalaj Saxena, Mumbai's luck changed for the better.

He gave stability at the top of the order almost immediately, which made the Mumbai side look very different. All of a sudden, they got the starts they wanted and runs were flowing freely. In just his second appearance, Simmons scored a half-century and scored one more before going on to register the only individual hundred this season. He also formed a formidable opening partnership with Michael Hussey, who was brought back into the side for the last few games.

Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu have been floating around in the batting-order but have made valuable contributions. Though he managed to make a few runs in this competition, Kieron Pollard has not fired all guns blazing yet. Mumbai will hope that he turns it on tomorrow and makes it big. Corey Anderson hardly did anything until the last game, despite being given a good run in the competition. It was a master-stroke call from the MUM team management to play him in their do-or-die game against Rajasthan and just like that, he played, arguably, the innings of IPL-7.

The absence of Lasith Malinga has weakened the bowling line-up a bit as Mumbai have not found a good replacement for him. Krishmar Santokie and Marchant de Lange were tried but they have not managed to deliver quality goods to seal a place in the side. Jasprit Bumrah has been impressive while Pragyan Ojha has not done justice to his potential. On the whole, Rohit Sharma would hope that his bowlers do well as a unit on Wednesday.

Key player to watch in today's crucial tie:

Corey Anderson: The 23-year-old New Zealand player was known for his powerful hitting but his record-breaking 36-ball ODI hundred made him an overnight star across the globe. With the ability to clear the ropes at regular intervals, Anderson is just the guy you need to take the game away from the opposition. Apart from his batting prowess, Anderson is a more-than-handy seamer with a knack of picking wickets at crucial intervals. His all-round abilities also earned him a whopping Rs 4.5 crore after Mumbai Indians secured the services of the Kiwi sensation during IPL 2014 auction. The Christchurch batsman will surely be one of the most influential players in the IPL this year.

MS Dhoni: If Chennai Super Kings intend to repeat their 2010 and 2011 heroics in the IPL 7 this year, it has to be skipper MS Dhoni who'll need to lead from the front. The 32-year-old Captain Cool is one of the best finishers in limited overs cricket today. His ability to hold wickets in pressure situations and then accelerate ferociously at the death overs has earned him accolades all over the globe. With over 2200 runs in 96 games for Super Kings, Dhoni is as ferocious as they come in T20.

Kieron Pollard: The 26-year-old Trinidadian cricketer has been one of the most influential players for Mumbai over the years. A prolific batsman, wicket-taking bowler and an absolute livewire in the field, Pollard has the right mix of being a successful limited-overs specialist. The right-hander slammed 420 runs and took 10 wickets to lead Mumbai to their first-ever IPL title last season. Kieron Pollard will need to continue his good run if Mumbai intend to successfully defend their title this year.

Brendon McCullum: The 32-year-old swashbuckling batsman is the latest weapon Super Kings boasts of in the seventh edition of the IPL. The New Zealand skipper is one of the most explosive batsmen in the shortest version of the game. His breathtaking knock of 158 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural IPL match showcases his ability to take the game away from the opposition. With over 1200 runs in 48 games, McCullum will be one of the key players for the Super Kings this season.

Rohit Sharma: While he faced a lot of criticism for his performances in an Indian shirt, Rohit Sharma has been an absolute sensation with the bat for Mumbai Indians. The right-handed batsman has amassed over 2500 runs and took 14 wickets in 97 games for Mumbai in his IPL career. He was also the leading run-scorer with over 500 runs for Mumbai Indians in their victorious 2013 IPL season. The Mumbai skipper will face stern test in defending the team's title against arch-rivals this season.

Teams(from):

Chennai Super Kings: Dwayne Smith, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, David Hussey, MS Dhoni(c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohit Sharma, Ashish Nehra, Pawan Negi, Samuel Badree, Ben Hilfenhaus, Matt Henry, Baba Aparajith, Mithun Manhas, Ishwar Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Ronit More, John Hastings

Mumbai Indians: Lendl Simmons, Michael Hussey, Corey Anderson, Rohit Sharma(c), Ambati Rayudu, Kieron Pollard, Aditya Tare(wk), Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Lasith Malinga, Shreyas Gopal, Josh Hazlewood, Chidhambaram Gautam, Sushant Marathe, Jasprit Bumrah, Apoorv Wankhade, Marchant de Lange, Krishmar Santokie, Ben Dunk, Pawan Suyal, Praveen Kumar

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