Lance Stephenson said he wants to be “extra aggressive” and make Dwyane Wade’s knee “flare up” during the Eastern Conference finals. The two players do not like each other—jawing between Wade and Stephenson led to an ejection of the latter in the Pacers’ 84-83 win against the Heat on March 26. From the Palm Beach Post:

Looking ahead to his matchup with Wade, beginning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday (3:30 p.m., ABC), Stephenson revealed that making Wade’s problematic right knee “flare up” is part of his strategy.

“D. Wade — I think his knee is messed up, so I’ve got to be extra aggressive and make him run and have him running around and make his knee flare up or something,” he said after the Pacers practiced this afternoon. “I’ll do anything as much as possible.”

Wade’s knee appears to be doing well after a season-long maintenance program to preserve it. He also seems to have fully recovered from the strained hamstring he suffered in late March. He played through an unspecified injury in his right hand in the second round against Brooklyn and says it is a non-issue.

44