Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
‘Crazy’ series ahead
Whiteside’s challenge begins with Embiid
A challenge for Whiteside.
“It’s going to be a crazy series, I guarantee you that. Crazy.” Hassan Whiteside
Joel Embiid in a mask? This was almost too much for Hassan Whiteside. He sat back in his locker. He purposely folded his arms. He pursed his lips until they broke in a smile, his eyes dancing, his thoughts seemingly twitching at this talking point. For the past few minutes, the Heat center sat after the final regular-season game Wednesday night and spoke in measured, if suggestive, terms about playing Philadelphia and Embiid, the 76ers star center and Whiteside’s open rival who may miss the playoff series’ start with a broken facial bone.
“I’m excited,’’ Whiteside initially said, smiling and raising of a whimsical eyebrow.
He then drifted into playerspeak about the 76ers being, “really well-coached,” and how, “they play hard,” before saying, “It’s going to be a crazy series, I guarantee you that. Crazy.”
This led to the idea of Embiid playing in a mask, if he can play at all this series. This was almost too much for Whiteside, who sat there, smiling and apparently catching his thoughts enough to say only, “Yeah, in a mask.”
The Heat have spent as much time trying to get Whiteside fully engaged as a player as it has deciding if they can at all. That shouldn’t be the issue this series. At least it better not be.
The question is if Whiteside is talented enough when Embiid returns. If he’s tough enough against a player who repeatedly calls
Whiteside, “soft.” That’s part of what’s in play here after several heated moments between Whiteside and Embiid this season.
It started in preseason. Whiteside committed three fouls guarding Embiid in the first three minutes. Embiid gestured to the Heat bench to remove Whiteside because he couldn’t guard him. But Embiid shot one-of-seven that night.
Whiteside tweeted in response to a fan’s Twitter posting of Embiid’s gesture: “Funny how y’all don’t show me telling him the same and 1-7 shooting or the first 2 flops I mean blocks.’’
Embiid tweeted back: “Dude, they had to take your (butt) out or you would’ve fouled out in 5 min … And we’re talking about Preseason, not regular season … #Softy.”
Embiid continued: “And keep caring about stats and not your team success … your +/- was (butt) @youngwhiteside #Softy.”
Whiteside tweeted back about Embiid’s injury history: “31 games in 3 yrs. Hopefully I get to see you in the regular season. #SolarEclipse #EmbiidEclipse.”
The regular season took their rivalry beyond 140 characters. They were called for double-technicals after a March incident where they tussled running down court.
“He tried to hit me in the back, which is kind of dirty because of that fact that I’ve had back problems,’’ Embiid said. “We’re going to see about that. I won’t forget that.”
In some manner, these players represent these franchises. Philadelphia was in its second year of tanking when it had the league’s second-worst record and drafted Embiid third overall in 2014.
He nicknamed himself, “The Process,’’ in a reference to tanking slogan adopted to then-general manager Sam Hinkie of, “Trust the Process.” He is proof positive that serial losing has its benefits.
Whiteside was grabbed off the rubbish pile by the Heat, polished into a player and then signed to a maximum contract that has been a subject of concern this season. Is he worth that? Can he be a serious player?
This series is another referendum on Whiteside. He not only will be needed, assuming Embiid returns at some point. He’ll be needed to neutralize one of Philadelphia’s main weapons.
Whiteside said Embiid, “will get his shots” on offense and is a “big man on defense.” The question remains when Embiid gets on the court. He’s missed the past eight games with the broken orbital bone in his face.
“I don’t know if he’s playing or not,’’ Whiteside said. “I don’t know what they’re saying, or if he’s not playing one game, two games, three games ...”
Here’s what you know: Whiteside will be needed this series. He has a built-in rival. The question is just who he is as a player. We’re about to reach a conclusion.