The Miami Heat cavalry has come for Philadelphia 76ers big Ersan Ilyasova.
Addressing reporters this weekend before the Sixers’ second-round playoff series against the Celtics, Ilyasova said that he expected a raucous crowd in Boston, unlike Miami in the first round where “the gym was half-empty.”
The Sixers know what they're in for in Boston. pic.twitter.com/h4z5GDcjRA
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 30, 2018
On Monday however, it was Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s turn to respond to Ilyasova’s criticism. Wade tweeted that Ilyasova did not know any better and that most of Heat Nation did not even know who he was in the first place.
#HeatNation Let me apologize for this man that most of you don’t even know. He doesn’t know any betterhttps://t.co/s9noahPtaZ
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) April 30, 2018
Heat president Pat Riley also replied to Ilyasova’s dig during his exit interview on Monday and had this to say, per Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post.
Riley: 'I dont care what Ilyasova said' we have the greatest fans in the world, 'they sip a little more wine before the game'
— Tom D'Angelo (@tomdangelo44) April 30, 2018
In fairness, Heat fans have not exactly earned themselves the best reputation in recent years. But it’s not like the Miami Mafia was just going to let Ilyasova get away with slandering them either.
