As Hassan Whiteside goes, so go the Heat.
After strong efforts in Miami's first two playoff games against the Hornets, Whiteside’s production took a dip when the series moved north for Games 3 and 4. He averaged 19 points as the Heat won both home games, but scored a total of 21 points in the team’s losses in Charlotte.
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Whiteside's Game 4 showing (eight points, seven rebounds) was more reminiscent of his regular-season performances against his hometown team. The Gastonia, N.C., native averaged less than 10 points per game against the Hornets this season, compared to 14.8 against the rest of the league.
After Game 4, Whiteside, who has been called for 14 fouls in the past three games, complained that officials allowed little physical play.
“This (is the) flop-offs,” Whiteside said, via the Miami Herald. “I thought the playoffs were physical. This ain’t physical.”
Officiating aside, Whiteside has to figure out how to be productive again as the series returns to Miami for Game 5, the way he was the first go-round there when he shot 17 for 21. If he can't, the Heat could leave South Beach in a must-win situation.