Hassan Whiteside is under scrutiny for his decision to leave the bench with 40 seconds left in the Miami Heat’s Tuesday night loss to the Orlando Magic. Many speculated that Whiteside was angry at head coach Erik Spoelstra for benching him for most of the fourth quarter.
But Whiteside had a much different explanation for his early exit: He just needed to use the bathroom.
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“I didn’t know it was going to be as big of a deal as it was. I couldn’t hold it. My stomach was bothering me,” Hassan Whiteside said. “I had to go to the bathroom. I’m sorry if that makes me a bad guy.”
I’ll have more later. https://t.co/xeXSGMmiTQ
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) December 5, 2018
Whiteside’s explanation makes sense and Dwyane Wade backed up his story. But it’s no surprise that the move turned heads when one considers Whiteside’s history. The Marshall University product has had his fair share of issues during his tenure in Miami, mainly stemming from his relationship with Spoelstra.
As a result, Whiteside spent part of his summer mending fences with his teammates and the coaching staff. Whatever progress was made during the offseason could be in jeopardy if Miami continues to lose games with Whiteside parked on the bench in those losses.
Although there is clearly some tension in the locker room, the Heat have a couple days to regroup before embarking on a six-game Western Conference road trip. That road trip could be a seminal moment in Miami’s season. Perhaps Whiteside and his teammates can use the trip to come together and right the ship. On the other hand, an unsuccessful road trip could compound any internal issues.
Whiteside’s explanation for his early departure should put this story to rest. Wade, playing the role of elder statesman, backed up his center’s story. But there is still growing concern that all is not well with the Heat.
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