Miami Heat ‘Disappointed’ in Hassan Whiteside’s Behavior
By Wes Goldberg
Soon after being fined for hit tackle on Phoenix Suns center Alex Len, Hassan Whiteside will likely be in trouble with the league office again.
During the Miami Heat’s 100-90 loss to the Boston Celtics Monday night, Whiteside cross checked Celtics center Kelly Olynyc in the back in what seemed to be an unwarranted move of aggression. Whiteside was immediately given a flagrant 2 and ejected from the game by league rule. He hadn’t been playing well in 22 minutes.
This has officially become a trend for Whiteside, whose maturity issues had prevented him from signing or sticking with NBA teams in the past.
After Whiteside was ejected, Udonis Haslem (who wasn’t playing due to injury) followed his teammate to the locker room. One can only guess what awaited the hot headed center.
Udonis Haslem just stormed back to the locker room. I'm not sure why. But Whiteside might not like what's headed his way.
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) March 10, 2015
After the game, Whiteside’s teammates voiced their disappointment.
Dwyane Wade said he is "very" disappointed in Hassan Whiteside. "We all are."
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) March 10, 2015
WADE on Whiteside: "If you’re a Heat fan, you are. In this locker room, you are. Everybody. He’s going to have to learn."
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) March 10, 2015
The league will review the film of Whiteside’s ejection and determine the punishment. One can assume he won’t get off easy, since he is now a repeat offender. Along with this ejection, Whiteside also has seven technical fouls in 34 games. That means he’s earning a tech in roughly one of every five games.
Whiteside has got to learn to keep these emotions in check. Sure, it’s frustrating being a part of a struggling team and considering he wasn’t playing well surely doesn’t help. He’s dealt with physical play over the course of the season, and has voiced his frustrations about how the refs are handling it, but none of that is an excuse to hurt the team in the middle of a playoff race.
So, Whiteside, chill. It’s not worth it.
BONUS FIRE QUOTE:
What's it like to play with an out of control, super talented young guy? Beasley: "Ask D-Wade about playing w/ me in 08."
— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) March 10, 2015