WATCH: Hassan Whiteside records 19-17-11 triple-double with blocks
Heat center Hassan Whiteside is blocking everything.
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1 min read
There are questions about Hassan Whiteside's game and his future with the Miami Heat. There is no doubt, however, that he is the best shot blocker in basketball. The Heat center recorded a ridiculous triple-double on Friday, finishing with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 11 blocks in a 98-95 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Here's how he did it:
Whiteside showed a little bit of everything there, didn't he? I particularly liked the midrange jumper and the face-up bank shot over Nikola Jokic. His emphatic blocks overshadow the fact he has pretty nice touch.
The triple-double was Whiteside's third since joining the Heat last year. No one else in the NBA has recorded a triple-double with blocks in the last three seasons, per ESPN Stats and Information.
In the second half alone, Whiteside had 10 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks in 20 minutes. He was by far the biggest reason Miami came back from its 16-point halftime deficit and held Denver to 33 points in the second half. From the Palm Beach Post's Jason Lieser:
“I said just run them off the 3-point line and make them come to the rim,” Whiteside said. “Let’s see how that goes.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra liked hearing that.
“It’s very clear to see that when Hassan is absolutely locked in, not only from a focus standpoint but from a multiple-effort standpoint, it absolutely changes the complexion of our defense,” he said. “That’s what has to be expected. We’re reliant on those efforts. He was sensational.”
After the buzzer sounded, Whiteside did a walk-off interview with Heat sideline reporter Jason Jackson, where the big man declared, "I'm different," while asking the camera operator to zoom in on his veins. He also reminded viewers that, two years ago, he was out of the league and playing at the YMCA. Considering his talent level, that last fact remains bewildering.
