The Miami Heat beat the New York Knicks handedly over the weekend in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, and ESPN’s Jalen Rose made a comment talking about how the outdoor elements in South Florida impacted the bodies of Knicks players in the blowout loss.
“When you’re the road team, you gotta pay attention to that weather and that heat,” Rose said on the ESPN broadcast. “It effects the endurance of your muscles and causes tiredness. If you notice the Knicks, in particular, are making shots in the paint, but they’re missing shots outside of the paint, in particular, from three.”
On The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz on Monday, executive producer Mike Ryan and Jonathan Zaslow had some fun with Rose’s comments.
“How about them cranking up the excuse machine?” Zaslow said. “Get the hell outta here.”
“Jalen Rose what are you doing? This cannot stand!” Ryan responded.
“I have never, in all my life following the Miami Heat, have ever heard that bit of analysis,” he added. “So congratulations ESPN. You finally did something insightful that I’ve never heard of with your broadcast. What was that? It’s hot outside?!”
Le Batard himself was quick to point out that it isn’t ESPN that deserves the blame. It isn’t even the Knicks making excuses. Credit for the absurd comment goes exclusively to Jalen Rose.
Zaslow said he only heard about what Rose said second hand, but he still couldn’t wrap his mind around blaming the weather impacting a game played indoors.
“What the hell is that?” he asked.
“Beijing seeped into that brain, man,” Ryan responded. “I’m telling you.”
