Udonis Haslem responds to Jayson Tatum’s shooting in Miami originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jayson Tatum couldn’t turn down the opportunity to troll the Miami Heat before Boston Celtics Championship Parade on Friday. Unsurprisingly, his comment didn’t sit well with Heat veteran Udonis Haslem.
After defeat the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals On Monday, Tatum and the C celebrated his NBA title in Miami, where they have spent a lot of time over the last three years. Boston and Miami met in three consecutive postseason series and the Celtics won two of them, including this year’s first-round matchup.
NBC Sports Boston’s Brian Scalabrine asked Tatum about his trip to Miami and the team’s history there, and the C’s superstar simply couldn’t resist.
“You guys have been on a lot of trips to Miami,” Scalabrine said. “Lots of close trips to Miami. Was that trip a little sweeter?”
“They’re always easy,” Tatum responded.
Celtics Talk: A ‘Banner’ Day in Boston as Celtics Celebrate Title with Epic Parade | Listen and subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Haslem, who played for the Heat from 2003 to 2023 and currently serves as the team’s vice president of basketball development, responded to Tatum’s jab on the ESPN show. Sports Center.
“I think he’s still drunk from the party,” Haslem said. “He must still be drunk from the party, there’s no way he can believe it. He’s fine, that’s what he’s supposed to say. Congratulations to the Boston Celtics. I’m not going to be a hater, we understand that they are the champions. “We will make a full recovery and then see what happens.”
Tatum is 8-4 in Miami in his playoff career, including a win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022 and a 2-0 record in the first round in 2024. The Celtics are 7-1 in their last eight road playoff games against the Heat.
Still, Haslem believes Miami will be Boston’s biggest threat in the Eastern Conference next season. He made the argument later that same day on the ESPN show. First shot.
“I’m tired of this,” he said. “Duncan Robinson, Terry Rozier, Jimmy Butler, a young superstar in Bam Adebayo, a young superstar in Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., (Nikola) Jovic. Why doesn’t anyone ever say Miami Heat? The last four or five For years , it came down to the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics. Milwaukee got in there, but it all came down to the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics. And we have La Spoelstra Nostra (coach Erik Spoelstra).
“So I’m sitting here asking, why doesn’t anyone ever say Miami Heat? A healthy Miami Heat is the team that can challenge Boston, because we’ve done it the last four of five years. I’m sick. “This has to stop. “The Heat hate has to stop.”
Miami’s success next season could depend on Jimmy Butler, who has recently been the subject of trade rumors. Haslem seems convinced Butler isn’t going anywhere.
“No, we know we’re going to have our best player,” he added when Butler’s uncertain future was mentioned. “You haven’t heard us say he’s not going anywhere, we just hear everyone say he’s going somewhere. None of us say he’s going anywhere.”
Butler missed the entire first-round series against Boston due to an MCL injury. In 2023, he led the Heat to victory over the C’s in the Eastern Conference Finals.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see these historic rivals meet again in next year’s postseason. If they do, you can count on Tatum’s pre-show jibe to be used as bulletin board fodder.
