In the wake of Dwyane Wade's suspension for kicking Charlotte Bobcats' Ramon Sessions in the groin, the Miami Heat took the unusual step of issuing a statement firing back at the league office on Friday.
The Heat said they disagreed with the suspension and further complained about how their players have been being treated by opposing teams recently. Wade, the Heat said, is one of the players the opposition "takes privileges with." They said they had "made their feelings known to the league office."
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The Heat referred to Wade's 10-year record as being "an exemplary player and positive influence" in their dispute of the ruling. The league does not typically explain disciplinary decisions but has reviewed several Wade fouls and actions over the last few seasons without taking further action.
Wade, who will serve his suspension Friday against the Detroit Pistons, said the kick to Sessions was inadvertent.
"It was a bang-bang play, man," Wade told reporters Friday morning. "It's a play you kind of have to be there. It was something that was looked at over video review and it can be taken any kind of way."
Sessions said Friday that he had not heard from Wade since the game but did not harbor any ill feelings.
"They looked at the film and saw what everybody else saw," Sessions said. "It was a kick to the groin, there was no secret about it. Things like that happen in the battle of a game."
Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap said he felt the league would come down on Wade.
"When we looked at the film it was obvious they had to do something," Dunlap said. "Dwyane is a class human being, he represents the league at the highest level ... but there's no place for that."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra implied the Heat's stars are being targeted by opposing teams. During the game Wednesday in Charlotte, Bobcats forward Gerald Henderson fouled LeBron James hard.
"That was a very physical game; there were a lot of hard hits in that game," Spoelstra told reporters in Detroit. "What we're getting tired of as an organization are the hits, particularly to Dwyane and LeBron and Chris (Bosh). That is the game plan against us."
. We not about to go 0-3 against this damn team. If we do, then 
