National Basketball Association

Stevenson: James 'checked out' vs. Mavs

Published Jun. 8, 2011 8:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson is directing some sharp words toward Miami's LeBron James on the eve of Game 5 in the NBA Finals.

Stevenson says the Heat forward ''checked out'' in the final minutes of Game 4 on Tuesday night, when James was held to eight points — the lowest he managed in 90 career playoff games.

Stevenson isn't worried about the perception of his comments, either.

After Dallas practiced Wednesday, Stevenson was saying that the Heat are still getting to know each other, that James wasn't himself in Game 4 and that the two-time MVP is ''talented enough that he can use anything in the paper to kind of boost his ego.''

Game 5 is Thursday night. The series is knotted at two games apiece following Dallas' 86-83 win on Tuesday night.