Hassan Whiteside was prepared for some increased physicality during his first career playoff series, but after four games, he finds himself questioning postseason officiating.
"I thought this was the playoffs, isn't this supposed to be physical basketball? I thought the playoffs were more physical," the Miami Heat center told reporters Monday. "This is the flop-offs, man. … I don't even want to get on the calls. I got nothing to say. That's crazy."
Miami dropped Game 4 to Charlotte 89-85 on Monday, allowing the Hornets to even the series at 2-2.
Whiteside picked up four of his team's 26 fouls in the game, and the Hornets shot 25-for-30 from the free-throw line.
"We've had some key guys in foul trouble," Heat guard Joe Johnson said. "For the most part, we were just trying to hold the fort until we can get those guys (Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, and Whiteside) back out there. But it's tough. We just kept fouling and kept putting them on the line. We have to make the game easier. The game has been so tough for us, especially in Charlotte."
The Hornets have lived at the charity stripe during the series: Charlotte has gone 101-of-122 from the charity stripe, compared to 67-of-94 for Miami. The Heat have also been called four 95 fouls, while the Hornets have been whistled for 77.
"We've probably fouled more in these four games than we have in the last four weeks, but you have to give them credit," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "They're aggressive."
