There could be an interesting subplot to the upcoming Miami Heat-Phoenix Suns matchup on March 9.
Heat star Jimmy Butler got ejected from Wednesday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers for screaming in the face of an official after an and-one.
Jimmy Butler was just ejected from the game. He got a tech for going right after official and then immediately got a second tech. pic.twitter.com/3Up87QZzXp
— Will Manso (@WillManso) January 20, 2022
Phoenix Suns announcer Eddie Johnson, who is the team’s television play-by-play analyst, tweeted a random shot at the Heat and their famed “Heat culture” in response to Butler’s ejection.
Is part of Heat Culture getting kicked out of game after you get an and 1? #Heatculture
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) January 20, 2022
The Heat’s radio play-by-play guy, Jason Jackson, responded to Johnson’s post with a barb about all of the technical and flagrant fouls that the Suns have racked up themselves this season.
I can help you here Eddie. #HEATCulture isn’t one thing & it isn’t everything. The ejection was frustration. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. You’re not proud OF ALL of your 14 techs and 2 flagrant fouls, and they don’t define you either. #HEATCulture is a way not a moment. https://t.co/0vwrnMy5rN
— Jason Jackson (@TheJaxShow) January 20, 2022
Johnson fired back by asking how Miami’s culture was any better than that of the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, or San Antonio Spurs.
Now please tell me the way and why it’s better than GS, Lakers or Spurs? Curious.
— Eddie A Johnson (@Jumpshot8) January 20, 2022
It seems pretty odd that the Suns announcer Johnson would diss the Heat when the two teams were not even playing each other on Wednesday. But he might still be salty from the the last Heat-Suns game on Jan. 8. Miami won that game, which was played in Phoenix, by a 123-100 final, despite not having Butler and Bam Adebayo against a full-strength Phoenix team.
After that game, Johnson went after a Miami fan who was bragging about the win on Twitter and talking about “Heat culture.”
“I would call it LBJ, Shaq, D Wade, Riley and Spoelstra Culture,” Johnson wrote at the time. “Too bad the late arriving fans to game who stay in [the] bar at halftime and then rip teams when they win about Heat culture on Twitter are not on board yet about the meaning of a culture!”
There is not much history otherwise between the Suns and the Heat. That makes this the biggest beef between the two sides not involving a mascot.
H/T NBA Reddit
Photo: Steve Mitchell-USA Today Sports
