The HEAT captured their eight straight victory versus the Brooklyn Nets tonight, and their win streak has been buoyed by a balanced offense featuring Dion Waiters. During the streak, Whiteside has been playing well defensively but his offensive numbers have been modest, for a player that strives for 20/20 games (20 points/20 rebounds).
Erik Spoelstra called this period of play for Whiteside some of the best basket ball he’s played this season, citing his defense awareness and hustle. The team is playing well with Whiteside in a diminished offensive role, so I asked Hassan if he is concerned about his numbers and his NBA 2K17 rating.
Naturally Whiteside is happy about winning and is fine with his role, as it contributes to overall team success. His comments reveal a Hassan Whiteside that is maturing as he grows up in the NBA, and that will be a positive for the HEAT going forward. Whiteside’s NBA 2K17 rating is 85 this year, so let’s see where this number goes if the HEAT continue to win without huge offensive numbers from Hassan.