Nothing like some more drama headed into Game 6 of the NBA Finals, huh? Dirk Nowitzki, who played with a fever over 100 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, called Dwyane Wade's and LeBron James' coughing and mocking of Nowitzki "childish" and "ignorant."
According to NBC Miami, Nowitzki said:
"I just thought it was a little childish, a little ignorant," Nowitzki said before Saturday's practice in Miami. "I've been in this league for 13 years. I've never faked an injury or illness."
Ouch. The Heat, childish or ignorant? Never. We all know LeBron James would never be so childish as to have a live ESPN special on where he'll sign as a free agent, would he? And if he happened to sign with the Heat with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, they'd never be so childish as to hold a WWF-esque rally to commemorate the signings, would they?
Nah, never.
Wade, though, defended his coughing and sneering.
"I actually did cough," Wade told reporters today, explaining that the pair weren't poking fun at Nowitzki. "And with the cameras being right there, we made a joke out of it because we knew you guys were going to blow it up...
"We never said Dirk's name. I think he's not the only one in the world who can get sick or have a cough. We just had fun with the cameras being right in our face about the blowup of the incident, and it held to be true. You blew it up."
Game 6 will be held on Sunday night, and hopefully Dirk doesn't come out of the tunnel choking and laughing with Tyson Chandler - though that'd be more appropriate than James' and Wade's antics.