Already a testy series between the Heat and Pacers, matters got even uglier in Game 5 Tuesday night.
In the second quarter, Tyler Hansbrough made a move toward the basket until he ran into Udonis Haslem. Hansbrough put up a shot but was clobbered by Haslem’s forearm in the process. As he defended the shot, the Heat forward brought down both arms to Hansbrough’s head in an apparent deliberate act of malice.
Haslem arguably should have been called for a flagrant-two foul and thus ejected, but he was called only for a flagrant-one and remained in the game. It still remains possible that he could see disciplinary action from the league office.
The foul on Hansbrough might have been retribution for his hard foul that bloodied Dwyane Wade’s face minutes earlier:
Not to be outdone, Dexter Pittman doled out the most vicious blow of the night. In the waning moments of the contest, Heat public enemy No. 1 Lance Stephenson found himself in the crosshairs of the bruising Heat center, who targeted Stephenson with a potentially dangerous elbow:
Moments later Pittman could be seen winking to a teammate, apparently proud of the stunt he just pulled. He, too, earned only a flagrant-one but probably should expect a call from the league’s principal’s office as well.
Stephenson, meanwhile, reportedly had to be examined by team doctors as a result of the foul.
Videos via Eye on Basketball, Jose3030
Photo: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE
