Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem isn’t paying any mind to ESPN’s “assalytics” department.
During an appearance Tuesday on “The Dan Le Batard Show,” the 42-year-old forward was asked about a recent stat from ESPN Analytics, which gave the Heat a mere three percent chance of winning this year’s Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, who boasted a 97 percent chance of reaching the NBA Finals.
“I’m sure the assalytics, assaholycs, or whatever they call themselves had us not beating Milwaukee in this first round,” Haslem said.
“I’m sure the assalytics probably didn’t have me sitting here with three rings and [as] the leading rebounder in Heat history. I don’t listen to assalytics.”
The Heat backed up Haslem’s confidence by opening the Eastern Conference Finals with a 123-116 win Wednesday in Boston.
Haslem has only appeared in 65 games over the past seven seasons, but remains a key leadership voice on the bench.
An undrafted free agent out of Florida, Haslem initially joined Chalon-Sur-Saône of France after the 2002 NBA Draft.
A year later, he signed with the Heat and won three championships with the team in 2006, 2012, and 2013.
Haslem has confirmed the 2022-23 season will be his last.
“I’m done no matter what happens. I gave my contribution. I think at this stage, there needs to be another voice for these guys. It’s time for somebody to step up and be the voice,” he told the Miami Herald in March.
The Heat, who opened the playoffs as the eighth seed, bested the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games.
Haslem made his only playoff appearance in that series, playing two garbage-time minutes in a Game 3 win.
Miami then ousted the No. 5 seed New York Knicks in six games during the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Much like their first two series, the Heat ripped away homecourt advantage in Game 1 against Boston thanks to a dominant Jimmy Butler performance.
The Heat are a perfect 5-0 in Miami this postseason.
Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals gets underway Friday before traveling to Miami on Sunday.