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 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Heat players angry not only that Haslem was suspended, but that the league waited until the team landed in Indy before announcing decision. Twitter

Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem 

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 

Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger's ankle is swollen "like a small softball" and he's on "every type of anti-inflammatory" he's ever heard of, but he plans to play as his team faces elimination against the Miami Heat Thursday night. Granger sprained his left ankle Tuesday in the first half of the Pacers' 32-point Game 5 loss when he came down on LeBron James' foot after a shot attempt. He attempted to return but didn't last long and has been in a walking boot. But with the season on the line, he's going to try to play through it. "I have to play," Granger said. "With an elimination game, our backs against the wall, I have to play." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Danny Granger, Injuries 

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 

Erik Spoesltra: "In nine games now there's been over a dozen hard fouls to the face, some of the Tomahawk variety, some have drawn blood. They don't have a problem with it so we don't have a problem with it. We'll focus on what we can control." ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra 

Udonis Haslem's agent, Henry Thomas, is not happy at all with client's 1-game suspension. "I thought it was a bad decision,'' he told FOX Sports Florida. "If you’re going to suspend Udonis, you should have suspended (Tyler) Hansbrough.’’ Thomas also represents Dwyane Wade, hit by Hansbrough on a flagrant foul. Sulia

Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem, Referees 

Dwyane Wade agent Henry Thomas confirmed Wade had left knee drained last week but says he's having no problems now. "He’s fine,’’ Thomas said. “He was having problems with it and he got that procedure done and he’s better.’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Injuries 

Dwyane Wade agent Henry Thomas doesn't deny Wade could drop out of Olympics. Decision won't be made until after season. “I don’t know yet,’’ Thomas said of whether Wade will play in the Olympics. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, all he’s focusing on is another championship (to add to the one he won in 2006).’’ Sulia

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, USA Basketball, Olympics 

League announces suspension for Udonis Haslem (one game) and Dexter Pittman (three games). Sulia

Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem, Dexter Pittman 

Erik Spoelstra anticipates some big-time referees being dispatched to Indy for Game 6: "I’m sure we’ll get a good veteran crew tomorrow. Nobody’s going to do anything, and I don’t think anyone will be allowed to do anything over the line.'' Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, 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 

"I'm just hoping that everyone can keep doing what they're doing and extend the season," Bosh told ESPN.com on Wednesday at American Airlines Arena. "I do have a chance to play again. That's the light at the end of the tunnel for me. That keeps me going every day." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Injuries 

"You take it for granted how those little muscles in there play such a huge role in every single thing -- sitting down, getting up, turning, walking, talking, anything," Bosh said. "But it's gotten a lot better." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Injuries 

"I've come a far way in a week," Bosh said. "I was kind of nervous initially but it wasn't the worst news I could have gotten. I just have to keep believing and stay mentally strong. I think I'm healing at a very fast rate right now." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Injuries 

Tuesday's game in Miami was marred by three flagrant fouls - one committed by Indiana's Tyler Hansbrough against Dwyane Wade, another by Miami's Udonis Haslem against Hansbrough moments after Wade was bloodied. The last was a particularly hard play by Heat reserve center Dexter Pittman against the Pacers' Lance Stephenson in the final seconds. "I agree with his assessment. We did play soft," Indiana's Danny Granger said Wednesday. "We got smacked around. We got beat up, we got bullied, and we really didn't respond well. "I've been with Larry since I've been in Indiana for seven years," Granger added. "He's not been one to hold his tongue, and 99 percent of the time what he's saying is right. I think he just called out what everyone else saw. We played a soft game. We didn't play with the playoff intensity that we needed to win." MSNBC.com

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Danny Granger 

Ken Berger: Udonis Haslem's foul on Tyler Hansbrough is almost certain to be upgraded to a flagrant-two, a person familiar with league matters said. Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Tyler Hansbrough, Udonis Haslem 

Chris Tomasson: Udonis Haslem doesn't expect to be suspended. "Until I know anything else, I’m getting myself prepared to play,'' he said. Twitter

Miami Heat, Udonis Haslem