HoopsHype.com Rumors

Chris Tomasson: Shane Battier on physical play: “It’s a typical Eastern Conference playoff. I played in the soft Western Conference the last 10 years.’’ Twitter

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

Mixing and matching with All-Star forward Chris Bosh out with an abdominal strain, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra started center Ronny Turiaf and forward Shane Battier in Sunday’s Game 4 up front with LeBron James. Dwyane Wade, hoping to bounce back from the worst playoff game of his career, is in the backcourt with Mario Chalmers. Boston Herald

Miami Heat, Ronny Turiaf, Shane Battier 

Charles Barkley had some strong comments about the Miami Heat on TNT. "The Miami Heat have flaws,'' Barkley said. "They have a real small team. If Roy Hibbert (continues to) dominate this series, they are going to win this series. Miami’s bench (with the exception of Shane Battier) is not very good. The two problems they have is that they are very small so a big team is going to beat them and their lack of depth is coming back to haunt them.” Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Roy Hibbert, Charles Barkley, Shane Battier 

Sure, Shane Battier would rather relax with drinks, eye beautiful women during timeouts but no chance in playoffs. “It would be great if we could rest and take our time and they could serve little drinks with umbrellas in it during timeouts and we could relax and watch beautiful women walk by and have a relaxed scenario but it’s the playoffs,’’ Battier said. This all started when I asked Shane about LeBron playing the entire second half and not getting a breather. Sulia

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

Frank Vogel says everybody’s talking about LeBron's defense on Danny Granger but nobody's talking Shane Battier's defense on Granger: “We put some different looks in just to try to get (Granger) freed up from LeBron but also from Battier,'' Vogel said. "That’s what not nobody's really talking about. The job LeBron did on Danny, he does a great job on Danny. But sometimes LeBron is on David West and Shane Battier's been doing a great job as well. So you have to give him credit.’’ Sulia

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Danny Granger, David West, Shane Battier, Frank Vogel 

Vogel made the comments to get the attention of the officials during the series, which begins at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Miami. "It's (the) playoffs," Heat forward Shane Battier said. "It's about basketball. It doesn't really matter what anyone believes or thinks or writes or spouts on TV. It's decided on the court." Heat forward Chris Bosh was one of the few players to respond to Vogel's comments. "It's fantastic motivation because we're at the point now, not many teams are playing," Bosh said. "We're getting to that point where everything is starting to tighten up and you know you're a good team. "And you can point out reasons why everyone can't win it all. But we know it will come down to heart and determination. Everything else is just motivation, that's all." Indianapolis Star

Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Shane Battier, Frank Vogel 

Shane Battier said he didn't think much of getting awarded the game ball after the Heat's Game 3 playoff win for his defense against Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, who was just 7-for-23 from the field and finished with 22 points. "Because guess what? If he'd made more of his shots, no game ball," Battier said after Tuesday's practice on the eve of Game 5 at AmericanAirlines Arena. "And if he misses more of those shots in Game 4, guess who gets the game ball?" South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Shane Battier 

Anthony had his best scoring game of the series, making 15-of-29 field goals and 10 of 14 free throws for 41 points, including the tiebreaking 3- pointer with a hand in his face with 54.5 seconds left. He scored 10 of the Knicks' final 14 points. "You can always do things better," Battier said in response to whether he questioned anything he did against Anthony. "But it's a game of errors. As long as you give the effort, understand what you did right and what you did poorly, you don't play the results. You play the process and you live with it." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Shane Battier 

Chris Tomasson: Shane Battier on Tyson Chandler taking Defensive Player of the Year Award: "He's deserving, but LeBron was also deserving'' LeBron 4th. Twitter

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Free Agency, Tyson Chandler, Shane Battier 

Shane Battier saying Miami-New York series won’t be like the 1997-2000 meetings: "It's a different NBA where melees like we saw then are a thing of the past,'' Battier said. "But it will be a passionate, emotional series.'' Sulia

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Shane Battier 

I brought my theory to someone with a much more refined basketball mind than my own, Shane Battier, who raised some interesting counterpoints. LeBron at the point could work for stretches, he said, but playing that way consistently would test Miami's bench -- and LeBron's physical stamina. Also, such a lineup requires a 3-point shooter to space the floor. Ideally, that would be Mike Miller, who is currently listed as "questionable for the rest of his natural life" with another injury. "For us, I think we'd have to be fully healthy with Mike Miller," Battier said. "I think he's sort of the key to that lineup. We could do it now, but I think our depth would be tested. With Mike Miller, I think we're a little more flexible with another handler. We could do it with James Jones to a lesser extent. That would entail somewhat of a shift in the rotation." CBSSports.com

Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, James Jones, Mike Miller, Shane Battier 

Here is Heat President Pat Riley singing “My Girl” at Shane Battier‘s recent “South Beach Battioke” charity event. NBA.com

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Pat Riley, Shane Battier 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Shane Battier said major reasons he chose Miami over OKC: the Heat offered 3 yrs -- and he thought he had better chance to finish games. Twitter

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Shane Battier 

With Shane Battier going 0 of 4 from the field Sunday, his shooting percentage on the season dropped to 31.3 percent, the lowest of his career. Battier is heralded for his defensive prowess, but he hasn’t been able to contribute much recently on the other end of the court. Not only is Battier adjusting to a new offense, he is only averaging 23 minutes per game, also a career low. “I’m struggling with the age old question of when to pass and when to shoot,” Battier said. “That’s the basic philosophy on offense. The great Hubie Brown said, ‘Know when to pass, know when to shoot,’ and I’m finding a way to mess that up.” Miami Herald

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

No need to use Google when Shane Battier is standing nearby. If Miami Heat players need a question answered, they turn to Battier, their versatile forward — versatile, that is, with his knowledge. “He’s probably the No. 1 smartest basketball player and person I’ve been around,” said Heat forward LeBron James. “He knows everything.” FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

During a recent practice, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was drilling his players. He asked if anybody knew the width of the court. After seeing some blank stares, Spoelstra turned to Battier. “He said, ‘I don’t know.’ And he goes, ’50?’ Spoestra said. “And the guys gave him a hard time that even when he doesn’t know the answer he gets it.” FOXSports Florida

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

Chris Tomasson: Carl Landry thinks Shane Battier could be president of the US some day-'I would vote for him. He cares about people. Definitely president' Twitter

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

Erik Spoelstra, on Shane Battier: "He is like an additional coach on our staff. When I do not know something and am speaking in front of the team, I turn to Shane and ask him. It doesn't even have to do with basketball. Even when he doesn't know the answer, he is somehow able to come up with it. Even when he doesn't know the answer, he gets it right." Sulia

Miami Heat, Coaching, Erik Spoelstra, Shane Battier 

As one of the top charge-takers in the game, Battier knows a thing or two about when to take a charge. With the game on the line, do defenders like Haslem ever get that charge call with only a few seconds left? "Never," Battier said. "You have to commit an act of violence maybe involving an animal or something deviant for them to call a charge there." So if Haslem was never going to get the call, he was wrong to take the charge, right? "See, that’s the misnomer," Battier said. "The charge is effective because it puts doubt into the offensive player’s mind. Is the ref going to call it? No, but Rose stuttered and any doubt you create is a win for the defense." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Shane Battier 

This time, Battier got credited with a block. But for his entire career, it was just one of those many little things that never showed up in the stat sheet. There isn't a tie-up or jump-ball column in the box score. "See, that’s my pet peeve," a very animated Battier said after the game. "When I was in Houston, they never gave me anything. They never gave me a block. They never gave me a steal." You could tell this has been bothering Battier for quite some time. "I complained ... I moaned .. I said 'Guys, that’s a block,'" Battier said. "They responded, 'It’s a jump-ball. It’s nothing. It’s a tie-up.'" ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Shane Battier