The Eastern Conference final between the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers is already a physical bout. Ahead of Thursday night's Game 5, the Pacers suggested that Heat player Shane Battier plays dirty.
Pacers players David West and Roy Hibbert told reporters that part of their game planning against Miami is to protect their knees from Battier, ESPN reports.
"I (learned) to always have my guard up and protect my knees," West said. "(Battier) has got this funny way of moving into your knees. We're very conscious of that. We talk about making sure we protect our knees."
This isn't the first allegation of dirty play leveled at Battier. Hibbert called Battier a "dirty player" after the 34-year-old veteran kneed him in the midsection on a drive to the basket.
"I know what (Battier) brings to the game and it's worked for him in the past. He has to do whatever he has to do to make sure his team wins," Hibbert told reporters. "I'm going to watch my knees, watch my groin. ... To tell you the truth, I don't care. I'm in there, I'm playing tough. He has to do what he has to do.
"Obviously I don't like it but it's a part of the game. I don't want to look back say I gave in to a dirty player."
"It's an irritant; when guys are bearing into your knees. I'm doubly conscious of it having an ACL (tear) a year and a half ago," West added. "I don't know (if it's an intent to injure), I just know the way he plays he's trying to make an impact any way he can."
Game 5 starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Battier didn't talk to reporters about the Pacers' comments. He's an undersized power forward, and at times he struggles to cover the larger bodies of West and Hibbert. He did, however, take time to deny allegations that he is a flopper.
"In a perfect world, we'd all love to be stoic, immovable forces where the force of very large men throwing themselves into you doesn't affect you," Battier said. "Yeah, that'd be great. But unfortunately, there's a thing called physics involved that seems to win out more often than not."
