CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nicolas Batum said he isnt planning to alter how he plays the game after signing a five-year, $120 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets.And thats just fine with coach Steve Clifford.Clifford said Batum doesnt need to put additional pressure on himself to score just because hes now the highest-paid player in Hornets history. He told him to play how he plays.You dont change the nature of how you play. I think guys get messed up with that, Clifford said. ... I dont think you try to reinvent yourself because the money changed. We gave him the money because he played so well. In my opinion he was an All-Star-caliber player last season when healthy.Batum was acquired in a trade with Portland before last season and turned out to be a gem for Charlotte, which won 48 games and tied for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Batum averaged a career-high 14.9 points and 5.6 assists while becoming one of the teams top three go-to options.Batum said hes learned from experience that its not worth putting pressure on himself just because he signed a big contract.He did in that 2012 after inking a four-year, $46 million deal to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers. While he still played well, he said it was pointless.I was a young guy at the time and I didnt know what to expect, Batum said. Now I know. I know what I have to go through right now. I know what the views of the media and the public will be. I know that, and Im good with it.For Batum, pressure no longer enters the equation because the Hornets trust him and believe in him.Its more relief than pressure, Batum said.The Hornets made re-signing him their No. 1 priority, offering the Frenchman a huge deal about an hour into the free-agency signing period. Batum also received several offers from other teams shortly after the deadline, which he called flattering.The 6-foot-8, 200-pound Batum enters the season as Charlottes best all-around player and a favorite among teammates.Guys are so much more comfortable when hes out there on the floor because he makes it so much easier at both ends, forward Marvin Williams said.Williams said theres a naturalness to Batums game, and hes incredibly unselfish -- hes always looking for the better shot option.He likes to make the assist, and he likes to get everyone involved, Williams said. I think that is why so many people like playing with him. Its why I love playing with him.And why Clifford views him as irreplaceable.When Batum went down in the second half of last season with an ankle injury, the Hornets struggled to find their rhythm.Hes not a numbers guy to me, Clifford said. People can say, `Well, hes making this or hes making that (much money), but if he plays at the level he played at last year when he was healthy, we have a chance to be a really good team.The Hornets continue to work on 5-on-5 scrimmages extensively during practice as Clifford gets a feel for his team.But there were several key players missing on Thursday.Point guard Kemba Walker (knee) and center Cody Zeller (knee) remained out of practice while rehabbing from injuries. Guard Jeremy Lamb did not practice after stepping on a basketball and twisting his ankle, while Brian Roberts was held out after injuring his hamstring when he slipped on some water on the court. Clifford said he hopes to have Lamb and Roberts back in a few days. Ed Davis Jersey . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. C.J. McCollum Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. http://www.cheapblazersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-jusuf-nurkic-jersey . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Al-Farouq Aminu Jersey . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Cheap Blazers Jerseys China . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from.LOS ANGELES -- Sidney Crosby has earned the ESPY Award as Best NHL Player. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain beat out Henrik Lundqvist, Alex Ovechkin, Martin St. Louis, and John Tavares for the honour on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Another Canadian, Andrew Wiggins of Thornhill, Ont., accepted the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year prior to the main ceremony. LeBron James padded his trophy collection, receiving three at the ESPY Awards, including male athlete of the year for helping the Miami Heat win a second straight NBA championship. James also won in the championship performance and NBA player categories, completing a sweep of the three awards he won last year. He shared in the best team award Wednesday night. "We went through so much adversity," teammate Ray Allen said. "We did everything we could to fight, scratch and claw to put ourselves in that moment." James beat out Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps for male athlete honours. James mentioned his fellow nominees, then told them, "This is for all four of us, man, but Im just keeping it at my house." Serena Williams won two awards, including female athlete of the year. She defeated a pair of Olympians, gymnast Gabby Douglas and swimmer Missy Franklin, and former Baylor basketball star Brittney Griner. Williams didnt attend because shes playing a tournament in Sweden. Peterson and Phelps also won two awards each. Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris was nominated for best male action sports athlete, but the 19-year-old Regina native did not win. Jon Hamm, the star of AMCs "Mad Men" and a noted St. Louis Cardinals fan, hosted the 21st annual show from the Nokia Theatre. He joked it was "the worlds largest gathering of people wearing sunglasses indoors" as the cameras caught James and NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick behind shades. Hamm got in some digs about former Los Angeles Lakers centre Dwight Howard. "We thought it would be nice to honour Dwight Howard with his greatest moments with the Lakers," Hamm said as no film clips appeared on the screen behind him while the crowd laughed. Hamm noted the talk about possible suspensions resulting from baseballs latest drug investigation has included Alex Rodriguez. "Thats OK, Yankee fans are used to him not showing up for the second half of the season,"he joked. Quarterback Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M won male college athlete honours after flying in earlier from Hoover, Ala., where he attended SEC media day. Griner, who now plays for the WNBAs Phoenix Mercury, won female college athlete. Peterson won trophies for NFL player and best comeback, while Cabrera won as best MLB player. Williams won female tennis player, giving her eight career ESPYs. Phelps also claimed best male Olympian, while teenage swimming sensation Missy Franklin won best female Olympian. Kaaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers won as breakthrough athlete.dddddddddddd. Rick Pitino won as coach-manager for guiding the Louisville Cardinals to a national basketball championship. The best game was Game 6 of the NBA finals between the Heat and San Antonio Spurs. The award for best upset went to Florida Gulf Coasts mens basketball team, a No. 15 seed that upset No. 2 seed Georgetown in the NCAA tournament. The best moment award singled out 7-year-old Jack Hoffmans 69-yard touchdown run at Nebraskas spring game in April, which was replayed on national TV and viewed more than 2 million times on YouTube. The boy from Atkinson, Neb., has brain cancer. As his father spoke, Jack held the big trophy that blocked part of his face. Sidney Crosby won NHL player, while Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls won MLS player. South Carolina football player Jadeveon Clowney won best play for his hit on Michigans Vincent Smith in which he knocked the runner on his back with a helmet-toppling smack, then reached out with one hand to snare the ball. Helping out Hamm with comedy bits were Jack McBrayer of "30 Rock" as a befuddled NFL replacement referee and Jay Pharoah of "Saturday Night Live" as Jay-Z explaining how in his new gig as a sports agent he only represents winners. Former "SNL" star Bill Hader spoofed Russian president Vladimir Putin, who was accused by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft of stealing his 2005 Super Bowl ring. In the bit, Hader showed off his other sports collectibles, including the Stanley Cup, some of Phelps Olympic gold medals and "the ring Kobe gave his wife that one time for no reason." The Arthur Ashe Courage award went to "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts, who underwent a bone marrow transplant last fall to treat a life-threatening blood and bone marrow disease. She was off work for five months before returning to her TV job. James presented Roberts with the award, and first lady Michelle Obama saluted her via video. Roberts received a standing ovation and noted her friendship with the late Ashe. "At this moment Im filled with such gratitude," she said. The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance was given to father-and-son duo Dick and Rick Hoyt by actor-director Ben Affleck. The younger Hoyt was born with cerebral palsy and is unable to use his hands and legs. His 73-year-old father Dick pushes him in a custom-made running chair, and together they have participated in more than 1,000 endurance events, including 31 Boston Marathons. "I dont think you could find two guys more proud to represent the city of Boston," Dick Hoyt said. His son spoke through computer-generated voice technology, saying, "I cant hardly believe we are here. Thirty-seven years ago nobody would even talk to us ... It only proves the wisdom of Jimmy vs words, Dont give up, dont ever give up." The winners in most categories were determined by fan voting. ' ' '