HoopsHype.com Rumors

NBA security had an anti-LeBron fan-held placard featuring a picture of Delonte West removed from behind the Heat bench. Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Delonte West 

Chris Tomasson: LeBron James: "Hansbrough, it's not the first time that he went after one of our players this year.'' Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tyler Hansbrough 

James said had Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough been immediately cited for a Flagrant 2 foul Tuesday and ejected for his hard hit on Dwyane Wade, then there would have been no retaliation foul from Haslem. Hansbrough instead was cited for a Flagrant 1 foul, which allowed him to remain in the game. The NBA later upgraded the violation to a Flagrant 2 foul, which would have mandated immediate ejection. Chicago Tribune

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tyler Hansbrough, Udonis Haslem 

"If there was a Flagrant 2 to start with," James said, "then U.D. would have never fouled him, which means U.D. never would have got suspended. I mean Hansbrough, it's not the first time that he went after one of our players this year. We have two guys suspended and basically they have no one suspended." Chicago Tribune

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tyler Hansbrough, Udonis Haslem 

Upset that the NBA suspended Udonis Haslem for a flagrant foul, the Miami Heat went on the offensive Thursday and accused the Indiana Pacers of a series of dirty hits on Dwyane Wade and LeBron James and blasted the league for ignoring it. "The league does not have a problem with hard fouls on our two main guys," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday before taking on the Pacers in Game 6. ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Erik Spoelstra 

LeBron James insists he's not concerned about his safety on the court, but vows to brace for more hard fouls on Thursday in Game 6 of what has become a brutally physical playoff series between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. "It may have gotten to that point. For me, it's always at that point," James said Wednesday after the Heat wrapped up practice and prepared to travel to Indiana. "I'm always in protect mode. For me, in the playoffs or the regular season, there are teams trying to go for me. It's happened. I'm not saying guys are playing dirty, but certain guys say if you hard foul LeBron, get him off balance, he'll stop being aggressive and things like that." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Kurt Helin: NBA Announces All-Defensive team. First Team: LeBron James & Serge Ibaka at forward, Dwight Howard at center, Chris Paul & Tony Allen guards Twitter

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Tony Allen, Serge Ibaka 

LeBron James was asked about possible Haslem suspension: “We can’t afford to lose anyone. We already have a big piece of our team out. And UD’s been playing some great ball the last few games so we’ll see what happens.’’ Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Jeff Zillgitt: LeBron James: "We’re all one group as players. At the end of the day, you don’t want to see anyone get injured." Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Jeff Zillgitt: LeBron James: "There’s no room for dirty plays in our game, period, no matter if it comes from us or Indiana, anyone in the league." Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Danny Granger laughed when recalling how teammates told him in afternoon about LeBron saying his antics "stupid.'' But Granger didn't fire back when I asked him about James' word choice. "No comment,'' said Granger, not wanting to stir up anything more prior to Game 5. Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Danny Granger 

Brandon Jennings: Lebron told Granger basically "just chilllllllllllllll for another 42 piece come ur way" #chillllllllll lmaooooooooooo Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, LeBron James, Brandon Jennings, Danny Granger 

Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have grown tired of what they think are baiting tactics from the Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger. James went so far as to call Granger's ploy "stupid." Granger has gotten called for technical fouls in each of the past three games for getting into both James' and Wade's faces after fouls. Granger said he doesn't intend to back down but several times he has appeared to be the one to instigate the confrontation. ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Danny Granger 

"Whatever he's trying, it is not working," James said Tuesday before Game 5. "He's said he's not scared of LeBron, I want to let (James) know. I guess he's doing it for his own psyche. It's stupid." Granger said his actions are part of a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality the Pacers have adopted for this series. The Heat were the heavy favorite coming in and Granger said the team feels it has to earn respect. "I think there is a line and I'm tip-toeing it," Granger said. "That's a product of the chip on my shoulder and we have on our shoulder as a team of not being respected. That goes not just for this series, but all year. We had the fourth or fifth best record in the NBA and I think we only had one televised game. Three or four teams that didn't make the playoffs had more televised games than us. It was just a matter of being disrespected nationally." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Danny Granger 

Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have grown tired of what they think are bating tactics from the Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger. James went so far as to call it "stupid." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Danny Granger 

"Whatever he's trying, it is not working," James said Tuesday before Game 5. "He's said he's not scared of LeBron, I want to let (James) know. I guess he's doing it for his own psyche. It's stupid." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Danny Granger 

Were the U.S. team's terrible showings in '02 and '04 -- the impetus, after all, for bringing Colangelo in the next year and giving him the power to unilaterally pick future teams -- held against Popovich? (A source close to James said Sunday that James thinks "very highly" of Popovich, echoing public statements James has made, and would have no problem playing for Popovich in future international competitions.) Or is there some other reason -- or someone else that Popovich has rubbed the wrong way? NBA.com

LeBron James, Coaching, Gregg Popovich, USA Basketball, Team USA 

Welcome to LeBron’s Book Club. He talked about reading The Hunger Games before Game 4. He’s been a book worm all these playoffs. “I’ve been doing it since the playoffs started,'' James said of reading before games. "It just puts me in a different mindset, honestly, before the game. I kind of don’t even thinking what’s going to happen throughout the game. I’ve just been reading and just been able to calm me down and then once I get on the basketball court I just kind and react. It’s been great.'' Sulia

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

I asked LeBron about average fan thinking he & D-Wade should always play like Sunday. I asked him how realistic that is. “Not realistic,’’ LeBron said. “It’s not realistic. You got to make shots. The shots that we’ve taken, we shot a high percentage. All the great players if they could do it every night they would do it every night. If you can have 40, 20 and 10 you’d do it every night. But it’s not realistic. You just take each game by its own and be satisfied with the way you play.’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Chris Tomasson: LeBron on Bosh out:'He’s out indefinitely.. It’s not like we’ve moved on but guys are stepping up.. We can’t worry about (what) he'd give us Twitter

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Injuries