Hassan Whiteside Suspended 1 Game: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction
The Miami Heat will be without center Hassan Whiteside for one game after the NBA suspended him for shoving Kelly Olynyk during the third quarter of Monday's loss to the Boston Celtics.
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, Whiteside will sit out Wednesday's game against Brooklyn as the result of his actions:
Whiteside has been a source of controversy this season for the Heat. Per Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel, the 25-year-old had already been fined $40,000 for various infractions before knocking Olynyk to the floor.
Dwyane Wade told reporters after Monday's game, via Chris Wittyngham of 104.3 The Ticket, that Whiteside won't be a reliable teammate if he continues playing this way:
"Dwyane Wade with strong words about Hassan Whiteside. Transcribed from his postgame interview. pic.twitter.com/5Cv0888CFt
— Chris Wittyngham (@1043Chris) March 10, 2015"
The Heat have struggled this season, a stark change following their success with LeBron James over the last four years. They are only a half-game out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but with a record of 28-35 and without Chris Bosh for the duration of the season, the franchise isn't realistically in title contention.
Whiteside leads the Heat in rebounds per game at 9.8 and has been a valuable presence in the paint. His absence for the Nets game won't wreck Miami's playoff hopes, but he'll need to stop making these kinds of mistakes to be a dependable teammate moving forward.
