MEMPHIS, Tenn. _ Udonis Haslem's Thanksgiving included a side of NBA security, with the league interviewing him Thursday in the wake of his sideline interaction with a fan during Wednesday night's loss to the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
"I gave my statement and that was it," the Miami Heat power forward and team captain said.
Asked whether he expected any sanction, he said, "I've been at this a long time. We'll just see what they say."
Haslem acknowledged that there might have been a better way to handle the taunting than the extended verbal confrontation during a timeout opposite the team benches.
"I could have gone to the ref or gone to somebody to ask them to escort the guy from the building," he said following Friday's shootaround at FedExForum in advance of Friday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the close of this four-game trip. "But timing is everything. It just wasn't the time. I know the rules. I'm not running five rows into the stands. I know better than that."
But he felt something had to be said.
"Like I said, I don't have a problem with anybody cheering, rooting for their team, rooting against the Heat," he said. "But, from the moment I stepped on the floor, with 7:30 left, down 30 points, and he just was attacking me."
Haslem entered the 107-84 loss for the first time with 7:22 to play and the Heat down 26.
"Like I tell everybody," he said, "I'm going to give you a three-joke maximum. You've got three jokes. They better be good. After that third one, I'm going to be on you."
Haslem said he told NBA security he recognized there was a line that was not to be crossed.
"I'm not going over to put my hands on nobody, you know what I'm saying?" he said. "That's not who I am or what I am. I just wanted the guy to know that, 'Listen man.' "
As it turned out, Haslem said he continued to hear it for the balance of the game, just from a distance.
"They said they kicked him out," he said, "but I saw him like three rows back a little bit later, still woofing."
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