Wade Upset Over Rondo's "Punk Play"
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics already don't like each other; and a play by Boston point guard Rajon Rondo at the end of Miami's season-opening win will only add fuel to the fire between the teams.
Late in the fourth quarter, Wade began to drive past Rondo into the lane when the Celtics guard grabbed Wade around the neck with a clothesline. Wade looked as if he was ready to throw the ball right at Rondo before he began to back off and Ray Allen pulled him away from the Celtics.
The play, which came with just 16 seconds left in the game and Miami too far ahead of the Celtics for the team to comeback, earned Rondo a flagrant one foul. Rondo didn't try to defend Wade as he went by, instead just grabbing his neck as he went by.
"It was a punk play by him," Wade said. "The league will take care of it. He clotheslined me, with two hands."
Reigning NBA MVP LeBron James said after the game that, "It wasn't a basketball play."
Wade said he was "glad" he was able to stop and move on, but did warn, "We'll see next time we play."
A deteriorating relationship with Rondo was one of the key elements in sending Ray Allen to the Heat in the offseason.
