Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Dueling emotions in NFL playoff contest
Haslem rooting for Dolphins, despite Steeler friendships
LOS ANGELES — The last time Udonis Haslem had an emotional tie to a football team, he stepped away from the Miami Heat. This time, even with his beloved hometown Miami Dolphins about to return to the NFL playoffs, the connection does not run as deep for the veteran power forward and team captain.
So, no, Haslem has given no thought of being on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ turf Sunday at the same time the Heat play the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, unlike when he skipped the Heat’s December road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers to see his son Kedonis win a state champion with St. Thomas Aquinas in Orlando.
“I would love to be able to see the game, but I’ve got a job to go out there and do,” he said in advance of Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. “So I’ll be focused on our game, and then, afterwards, I’ll check the score and see how much the Dolphins won by.”
There actually will be dueling emotions beyond the scheduling conflict between the Heat and Dolphins. Haslem is a close friend of Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, the Norland High product, and an offseason workout partner of Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.
“In a perfect world, I hope Antonio Brown has a great game — I’ve developed a friendship with him — but the Dolphins still win,” he said “And Le’Veon Bell, because I work out with him. But if both of those guys have a big game, it’s probably not a good thing for the Dolphins. I’m just hoping the Dolphins pull it out some kind of way.”
Or else he may find himself having to provide answers going forward. Not only has Haslem been ribbing Heat teammate Rodney McGruder, who is a staunch Steelers supporter, but there also are family issues at play.
“I’ve got a close cousin that’s a real huge Steelers fan,” Haslem said. “So I actually was preferring that they’re playing the Steelers, because we beat ’em earlier in the season and he felt like that was a fluke. So I feel like we need to beat ’em again. It’s kind of personal.”
Haslem said it won’t be a case of divided attention Sunday, or of time shifting.
“After that I’ll check the score,” he said. “I could DVR it and I’ve got this app on my laptop where I could DVR it and watch it afterwards, but by that time I think I’ll have checked the score.”
Secret scouts
Guards Josh Richardson and Goran Dragic went undercover amid this extended Heat stay in Los Angeles, scouting Thursday night’s UCLA-Cal game at Pauley Pavilion.
The featured attraction going into the Bruins’ 81-71 victory was UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, a player expected to fall into the Heat’s anticipated lottery range in June’s NBA draft.
“He looked good. He was running the team. He was playing well,” Richardson said, with Ball closing with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds, albeit 1 of 7 on 3-pointers.
The game also featured another potential lottery pick, Cal forward Ivan Rabb, who closed with 17 points and 20 rebounds.
“He looked really good,” Richardson said, “and he was getting double-teamed every time he touched the rock.”
The irony is that a move for Ball in the draft could undermine Dragic’s future with the Heat. But attending the game along with his agent, Dragic said he enjoyed the experience, saying his highlight was seeing Snoop Dogg in person for the first time.
Asked if he was scouting, Dragic smiled: “A little bit. Maybe I know a team back in Europe. If those guys don’t come to the NBA, maybe I’ll call them.”
For Richardson, the four-day stay in Los Angeles meant the opportunity to spend time with Cal coach Cuonzo Martin, who coached him at Tennessee.
“I talked to him after the game a little bit,” he said. “We’ll both be in town this weekend, so I’ll probably go to lunch with him. They play USC on Sunday.”