A Twitter battle between a star player and a media member is laying the groundwork for a playoff series that may or may not happen.
Only in the NBA.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons fired the first shot at Dwyane Wade on Wednesday, suggesting the Miami Heat star may not-so-accidentally injure a Boston Celtics player if the two teams meet in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
Houston drawing Utah in round one doesn’t seem fair.
I’m already getting emotionally prepared for a Miami/Boston series with no Kyrie and no Smart plus the unknown Celtic that Dwayne Wade is going to *accidentally* injure. https://t.co/MYPsM82RPI
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) March 21, 2018
Simmons was referencing a Celtics-Heat playoff game in 2011, in which Boston point guard Rajon Rondo dislocated his elbow after getting tangled up with Wade.
It was somewhat of a throwaway line, but Wade apparently noticed Simmons’ jab — and fired right back at the die-hard C’s fan.
It may be you🤷🏾♂️ https://t.co/Jm3U2UaZ0b
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) March 21, 2018
There’s a good chance Wade is joking here, but Simmons still is taking precautionary measures.
👋 I’m going to put on an elbow brace now just in case you aren’t kidding
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) March 21, 2018
If the season ended Wednesday, the No. 7 seed Heat would, in fact, play the No. 2 seed Celtics in Round 1, (kind of) pitting Wade against Simmons. But that’s just one of many possibilities: The Milwaukee Bucks only trail Miami by a half-game, while the No. 6 seed Philadelphia 76ers are just two games in front of the Heat with 10-plus games remaining in the regular season.
