LeBron James Enjoys Lance Stephenson’s Trash Talk

Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is a confident fellow, often times, irrationally so. LeBron James says he gets a big kick out Stephenson’s yapping, mostly because no matter what’s said, it’s not hard to figure out who will come out on top. Per ESPN: “Referees’ calls and rulings from the league office are out of James’ control. As for Stephenson dropping one of the best games of his career on the Heat on Tuesday and mugging James — even what looked like blowing in his ear in some sort of unusual harassing technique at one point — that galled him. The mention of Stephenson’s request to guard James that night was a conversation-ender with him. The technical Stephenson drew on James for baiting him and the sixth foul Stephenson drew on James on a moving screen chewed at him for two days. Especially that sixth foul, not that it was called, but that Stephenson got the best of James on a play on which the Pacers’ young spark plug messed up the pick-and-roll coverage and was rewarded for it. Even that irked James. […] On James’ personal (Game 5) checklist was one item: Stephenson. He stamped that one late in the fourth quarter when he stood over Stephenson as he slumped on the baseline, the Pacers guard having been called for a disqualifying sixth foul this time. James stared down as Stephenson lay in frustration, in much the same posture he assumed after he viciously dunked on the Boston Celtics’ Jason Terry back in March. […] ‘Lance is one of those guys who likes to talk some,’ James said after scoring 30 points with eight rebounds and six assists. ‘And I’m for it, too. I really don’t start it, but if it gets started, then I love to do it.’ Oh, James was all for it. He would bark at Stephenson after made baskets. When James tricked Stephenson with an old-fashioned rip-through move for Stephenson’s fifth foul, James fist-pumped in his face to rub it in. […] ‘As a competitor, you love challenges,’ James said. ‘I think it’s great. It shows a competitive spirit between two individuals.'”