Heat vs. Pacers: Miami Coach Erik Spoelstra Accuses Indiana of Headhunting

Erik Spoelstra has added more fuel to the wildfire that has engulfed the Miami Heat versus Indiana Pacers playoff series.

According to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, coach Spo believes that the Pacers have been committing dangerous fouls—particularly against LeBron James and Dwyane Wade—in every contest between the two teams this season.

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"The league does not have a problem with hard fouls on our two main guys. In nine games now, there's been over a dozen hard fouls to the face, some of the tomahawk variety," he said. "Some of them have drawn blood. They don't have a problem with it, so we don't have a problem with it. Our guys will continue to attack. They'll play their game and we'll focus on what we can control."

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Spoelstra isn’t wrong in his assertion, as his star players have been on the receiving end of some ridiculous hits. However, it is also true that certain players on the Heat have committed the most egregious acts of the series.

The first four games saw Danny Granger and LeBron going back and forth at one another, Wade demolishing Darren Collison on a fast break and several other brutal acts that do not belong on a basketball court.

The tipping point was Game 5—an absolute dogfight that saw two Miami players get suspensions for violent play while Tyler Hansbrough escaped with just a technical foul for drawing blood on Wade. 

Udonis Haslem retaliated shortly after Hansbrough's hit on Wade by delivering a two-handed club to the face and shoulder of the Pacers' forward. His act of retribution earned him a one-game suspension.

But in the waning seconds of a blowout win, Dexter Pittman took it too far, throwing a savage elbow into Lance Stephenson to warrant a three-game ban from the league office. 

This can no longer be considered a chippy matchup between two teams doling out hard fouls. It is now a full on war that is getting more vicious with each passing game.

Game 6 will be played tonight in Indiana, and it will be interesting to see if these teams hold back their aggressive behavior in fear of suspensions for a decisive Game 7, should it be necessary.

Fans should expect another scrappy confrontation between the two sides. There is unfinished business to take care of, and neither team appears ready to back down.