With his size, strength and speed, LeBron James is usually the one making people wonder if he could have been an NFL star. Remember when he asked about NFL free agency during the NBA lockout? That brief question sparked speculation on how the three-time MVP would fare on the gridiron. After all, he did play high school football. Despite James' flirtation with football, his teammate, Dwyane Wade, showed in Game 2 against the Pacers that he also has what it takes to make a tackle in the open field. After a flagrant foul against Indiana's Darren Collison, Wade was the member of the Heat being talked about like he should be wearing a helmet.
With the Heat trailing by seven in the fourth quarter, Mario Chalmers tried to split the Pacers defense but turned the ball over. When Danny Granger picked up the rolling ball with Collison to his right, it looked as if Indiana would have an easy two-on-none fast break.
But just after Chalmers lost possession, Wade, then standing in the corner, broke into an all-out sprint. He ran down Collison from behind and then ran him over as Granger was passing the ball to him. Collison tumbled down and slid about 10 feet on the hardwood.
"I think Joey Crawford is going to call a flagrant foul on Dwyane Wade and I think it's deserved," TNT's Steve Kerr said. "He just looked like a free safety lining up a receiver here... Look at this. Wade just tees off on Collison."
As Wade argued with an official, TNT showed a graphic explaining the rules for flagrant fouls. Wade was called for a Flagrant-1, which is unnecessary contact against an opposing player, while a Flagrant-2 is unnecessary and excessive contact against an opponent.
New Orlean's Jason Smith was called for a Flagrant-2, which results in an automatic ejection, for running down Blake Griffin and lowing his shoulder into him on a fast break, an act that looks similar to Wade's foul on Collison.
Wade wasn't done taking shots at the Pacers following Miami's loss, ripping them celebrating on the court.