Stephenson’s comments unlikely to go down well in Miami.
Indiana Pacers star Lance Stephenson has revealed that he will have to be aggressive against rival Dwayne Wade, and hopes to put pressure on his ailing knee.
Wade had battled knee problems throughout his career including in last year’s NBA Finals, while he also missed 28 games this season with various injuries including a hamstring strain in March.
The pair have engaged in some heated exchanges already this season, and Stephenson is clearly relishing the prospect of taking on his rival again, although some would argue that by targeting an injury is perhaps disrespectful and uncalled for considering he should be focused on playing his own game.
Both players drew technical fouls after a brief scuffle during their game back in March, while Stephenson was subsequently ejected after receiving another technical for taunting Wade later in the same game.
“I think his knee is messed up, so I’ve got to be extra aggressive,” Stephenson said, according to The Palm Beach Post.
He said he plans to “make (Wade) run” and “make his knee flare up or something.”
Stephenson claimed that the tension between the two isn’t personal and that it wouldn’t spill over away from the basketball court.
However, he insists that both men will play hard to reach their objective as the Pacers are set to host the two-time defending champions in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday, and know that they must be as physical as possible in order to unsettle their opponents.
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