Whiteside leads Heat in narrow loss to Pacers

Hassan Whiteside recorded his sixth game with 20 or more rebounds, but the Heat fell short to the Pacers in Indianapolis.

Welcome to the Hot Hand, where after every Miami Heat game win or loss we recognize the player who best put his stamp on the game.

Chasing a playoff spot without your most consistent offensive force can prove difficult to any team, and a monster double-double from Hassan Whiteside was not quite enough as Paul George’s 28 points and 10 rebounds squeaked the Pacers just past the visiting Heat, who have lost just 5 times in their last 26 contests.

Whiteside finished the night with 26 points, 21 rebounds and a block, but shot just 11-of-21 from the field in 33 minutes. He also knocked down 4-of-5 free throws, which is something that we don’t see very often from a player who routinely shoots in the 60’s.

His 10 offensive rebounds were a career-high, and it marked his ninth consecutive double-double and 45th overall.

It was also Whiteside’s 5th game of 20+ points and 20+ rebounds on the year, the most in the NBA by far (two of those have come against the Pacers).

Oh, and he had quite a few highlight reel plays along the way as well.

https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/841098280054464517

After struggling (somewhat) over the past two weeks, Whiteside broke out in a big way and was certainly there when his teammates needed him, dominating the offensive glass and carrying a Heat squad that was without its leading scorer in Goran Dragic.

Facing a steep climb against an Indiana team that was aching for a much-needed home victory, Miami clawed and fought tooth and nail, eventually taking the lead on a Dion Waiters jumper with 3:24 left in the fourth period.

Despite their efforts, the Pacers would answer with a 6-0 run and would no relinquish the lead for the rest of the night.

”We would have loved to come in here and steal this one,” said Whiteside, who was still upbeat despite the outcome. ”But sometimes things don’t go your way.”

While the end result certainly could have been more favorable, the offensive energy brought by Whiteside is certainly a bright spot as the season finds itself slowly winding down to the finish line.

With Whiteside in the lineup, the Heat produced nearly 12 more points per possession and shot the three at a much more consistent rate.

Points (Per 100 Possessions)

Whiteside on court: 107.2

Whiteside off court: 97.4

Three Point Percentage

On court: 33.3 percent

Off court: 12.5 percent

The Heat may not have had the same success rate from beyond the arc that they’ve been experiencing as of late (9-of-32 as a team), but it is evidently clear that with Whiteside on the floor and active within the flow of the offense, Miami is a far more effective club from that distance.

Did I mention rebounding?

Whiteside’s credo since gaining national stardom in 2015, the Heat grabbed 14 more offensive boards with him in the game, and the numbers were nearly identical on the defensive side as well.

Offensive Rebounds (Per 100 Possessions)

On court: 24.5

Off court: 10.4

Defensive Rebounds (Per 100 Possessions)

On court: 41.4

Off court: 27.8

It doesn’t stop there, either. Whiteside’s effort on the boards was so dominant, that Miami nearly DOUBLED its rebounding rate with him manning the paint than without.

Total Rebounds (Per 100 Possessions)

On court: 65.9

Off court: 38.2

The casual fan may not think of rebounding as a critical part in a modern team’s game plan, but as the old saying goes: no rebounds, no rings.

While Miami almost certainly won’t be competing for a championship in the forseeable future, it is definitely a relief to see some of the old-school style of play still alive and thriving.

Charles Barkley certainly wouldn’t mind, either.

Just how impressive has Whiteside been on the boards this year? He’s currently third in the league in total rebounding, behind only the likes of Andre Drummond and DeAndre Jordan.

Surprisingly, Whiteside actually leads the NBA in rebounds-per-game at 14.1.

Overall, with Dragic due to come back soon and Waiters keeping up his stellar play, a strong finish to the season for Whiteside may end up being the deciding factor in Miami’s playoff hopes.

The Heat (32-35) are slated to return home for a Wednesday night showdown with Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:30 p.m. ET.