“I didn’t speak to Bron till we played in the finals” – 3x NBA champion reveals he lived uncomfortably in the 2020 bubble, says it was about being mentally tough in that unfamiliar environment
A huge part of what made the NBA bubble interesting was the proximity players had to each other. But for Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem, he was there just to compete with his team.
The bubble was a huge event for the league to combat the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gathered in Orlando, Florida, teams and players had a chance to compete against each other in a different way.
The Miami Heat had a historic run, returning to the finals.
They matched up against the lakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">LA Lakers but lost in six games. In an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, Haslem shared how he dealt with the struggles of being locked in one place:
"I just knew we had to beat the bubble first. I think most teams weren't gonna beat the bubble mentally. I saw guys fry chicken, having BBQs, playing Pitty Pat. I'm saying to myself, 'I ain't gon' try to make this like home. This ain't home.'
"I slept on the couch — which was crazy — I was eating Campbell’s soup. I had a little shot of Hennessy, but outside of that I was living uncomfortably. I didn't go let my guys see me talking to anybody. I didn't speak to Bron (LeBron James) until we played in the finals. I literally was passing by people in the hallway and really wasn't speaking to anybody."
UD on NBA Today: “Most teams weren’t going to beat the Bubble mentally. I saw guys fry chicken, having BBQs, playing Pitty Pat…I slept on the couch — which was crazy — I was eating Campbell’s soup. I had a little shot of Hennessy, but outside of that I was living uncomfortably.” https://t.co/o2KM9c7LHh
Haslem tried to have a competitive edge against his former teammate LeBron James but it didn't work out well for him. Still, Jimmy Butler was able to carry the entire Heat team against the Lakers.
The Miami Heat might not be able to make it back to the NBA Finals with their current group
The current roster that the Miami Heat have is pretty deep in comparison to the other teams in the East. But it doesn't look like it's enough to get them back to the NBA Finals. Last season, they were able to make it as far as the Eastern Conference finals. However, due to the heroics of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics overcame the Heat to make the Finals.
This season, the Heat haven't done anything major to improve their squad. They were unable to secure P.J. Tucker's return to the team. Their only reasonable move over the summer was bringing back Victor Oladipo on a one-year $11 million deal. Other than that, the Heat haven't done anything.
Victor Oladipo and the Heat have agreed on a one-year, $11M deal, per @ShamsCharania https://t.co/Xkv58hzy4o
There's a ton of questions as to where the Miami Heat will finish by the time the season ends. Jimmy Butler isn't getting any younger, and Bam Adebayo hasn't improved his offense since his lone All-Star appearance in 2019. The Heat's chances of getting back to the finals are getting slimmer.