Before eight losses in 10 games dropped the Miami Heat from a middling Eastern Conference team to one of the worst in the league, Hassan Whiteside had seemed to finally take a significant step forward. The center was playing more than 28 minutes per game and hunting 20 rebounds on a regular basis. He went for 16 points and 24 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings last month, and unloaded on the San Antonio Spurs for 29 points and 20 rebounds Nov. 7. He was finally playing with the energy the Heat always hoped he could consistently. It was on him to maintain it.
As Heat’s struggles persist, Hassan Whiteside finds himself outside of late-game mix
