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Udonis Haslem is the elder statesman of the Miami Heat, an 18-year veteran who has spent his entire career with the organization and is the physical embodiment of their beloved Heat Culture.
Haslem doesn’t play much anymore, having played just four games in 2019-20 and entering Thursday night’s action against the Sixers had yet to step foot on the court this season, but no one around the Heat will stand for anything but giving the utmost respect to Haslem for what he brings them in the locker room at 40 years old. However, on Thursday, Haslem finally got his first minutes of the season and made the absolute most of them.
The Heat legend checked in for the final minute of the first quarter, getting a fastbreak bucket to close out a sensational first period for Miami.
THE LEGEND GETTING BUCKETS pic.twitter.com/NpErUaEu1T
— x – Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 14, 2021
From there, he added another bucket to start the second and then got into it with Dwight Howard, earning a quick two technicals for pointing and poking a finger in Howard’s face and getting himself tossed.
UD got ejected after getting into it with Dwight pic.twitter.com/DwLaSi1Dk6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 14, 2021
For those counting at home, that was two minutes, four points, one rebound two technicals, and an ejection for the Heat lifer. No one enjoyed the Haslem experience more than Pat Riley who was beaming from his perch in the arena as the entire situation unfolded.
The Haslem ejection made Pat Riley sooooo happy pic.twitter.com/7FovKTTuU4
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) May 14, 2021
Haslem hasn’t decided if he’ll come back next year or not, but if this is the end it is a perfect way to finish off his career.
