Heat tried to confront Lance Stephenson after 2012 playoff game

The Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers did not like one another back in 2012. Danny Granger and LeBron James got into it early in the Eastern Conference semis: 

And then when LeBron James missed a late free throw in Game 3, Lance Stephenson decided to make the "choke" sign:

Now from Sirius XM, Danny Granger says that three members of the Heat came to the Pacers' locker room looking to confront Stephenson at one point:

"Udonis Haslem, Chris Andersen, and Juwan Howard came to our locker room, searching him out."

(One key problem with this? Chris "Birdman" Andersen wasn't with the team in 2012. So either Granger is wrong about his involvement, or the year.)

This was apparently a huge deal. NBA security, team officials, and other players were involved in trying to prevent an escalation, which they did. What's really surprising about this is that it never got out. You've got all this media covering that series, and no one was able to find out about a near fight that happened on what Granger says was an off day in between games? 

Granger also speaks to the fact that as a young player you have to listen to the older guys, and he mentions that for those Heat players, they were protecting LeBron. That's likely what James is referring to when he says the Cavaliers don't have an enforcer. Anyone that clowns James now isn't getting a visit from Tristan Thompson or Timofey Mozgov. 

Stephenson would go on to become a key part of the Pacers, then was involved in the incident in which he blew in LeBron James' ear, then was let go in free agency by the Pacers, and flamed out in Charlotte and Los Angeles. He's now trying to stay in the league as a member of the Grizzlies, who have a team option on him next year. 

Still, a fascinating story of how intense those Pacers-Heat series used to be.