Other than LeBron James’ self-blame and Erik Spoelstra’s claim that unnamed members of the Miami squad were weeping after Sunday’s loss to Chicago, Dwyane Wade’s sarcastic quip that “the world is better now since the Heat is losing” might’ve been Sunday’s most remarkable sound bite. To which Orlando’s Stan Van Gundy (above) replies to the Sun-Sentinel’s Zach McCann, “my suggestion would be if you don’t want the scrutiny, you don’t hold a championship celebration before you’ve even practiced together.”
“I do chuckle a little bit when they sort of complain about the scrutiny when they get,” Van Gundy said. “It’s hard to go out yourself and invite that kind of crowd and celebration and attention, and then when things aren’t going well, sort of bemoan the fact that you’re getting that attention. To me, that doesn’t follow.”
“Despite everything they’ve said to the contrary, I do think – I’m not saying Erik and the coaches or their front office – but I think the players thought it was going to be easy and they were going to roll over everybody,” Van Gundy said. “It hasn’t materialized that way up to this point.”