Whiteside named conference player of the week
Center averaged 20 points per game during three games.
MIAMI — Teammates and coaches have praised Hassan Whiteside for his recent play as the Heat’s $98 million center has been consistent and making an impact on both ends of the court.
Now, Whiteside has been re warded f o r h i s re c e n t effort. He was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday for the period ending Sunday.
Whiteside averaged 20 points on 73 percent shooting and 13.7 rebounds as the Heat recorded a 2-1 record last week. He also averaged 2.7 blocks per game and limited opponents to 46.2 percent shooting within 6 feet of the basket — 13.5 percent worse than their normal field-goal percentage within that range.
It’s the first time Whiteside has earned the honor in his NBA career, and he’s the second Heat player to earn the honor this season. Guard Dion Waiters was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week in January.
Waiters and Whiteside are the first Heat players n o t n a me d C h r i s B o s h , LeBron James or Dwyane Wade to e arn the honor since Shaquille O’Neal was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 19, 2004.
Whiteside is averaging 16.7 points and a league-leading 14.2 rebounds this season. He ranks fourth in the NBA with 48 double-doubles.
Whiteside in foul mood after loss: Whiteside had gone more than 20 minutes without committing a foul during Sunday’s 115-104 loss to the Trail Blazers when it all changed. In a span of 4½ minutes in the third quarter, he was called for four fouls, the first on the offensive end and three while playing defense.
After the fourth, which came with 4:10 remaining i n t he t hi rd qu a r te r a nd the Heat trailing Portland by six, an obviously frustrated Whiteside held his hands in the air as if to say “I didn’t move” and then walked straight to the bench before even checking if he was being removed.
He was — as Willie Reed was summoned by coach Erik Spoelstra.
The fouls were the primary reason Whiteside became a nonfactor for the second half after starting strong. He had 10 points and four rebounds in the first 4:18, scoring his team’s first 10 points.
Whiteside finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
“We see it differently,” Spoelstra said about the calls. “Who cares? Those are the plays I want him to make. I told him when he came to the bench, I want him going vertical, I want him being a presence.
“I thought he did that. He’s getting so much more savvy in terms of being able to block shots and protect the rim. He had one where he went up vertical and forced a miss and another one where he didn’t jump and I thought he was there. Both of them, they called fouls. He’s building the right habits.”
Whiteside said he was playing defense the way he’s been playing all season.
“They thought it was a foul I guess,” he said. “I watch film on myself all day and I know the NBA rules. They got called for fouls today.”