Kendrick Perkins, Michael Wilbon Slam Miami Heat Fans: ‘They’re Front-Runners'

By halftime on Friday night, the Miami Heat led the Chicago Bulls 47-37 in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. But judging by all the empty seats at Kaseya Center, Heat fans didn't care too much.

During ESPN’s halftime show, hosts Kendrick Perkins and Michael Wilbon called out Miami supporters for not showing up.

"I’m just a little disappointed in the fanbase of the Miami Heat," Perkins said. "There’s too many open seats."

And Wilbon took things a step further: "That’s not a great fanbase at all. It hasn’t been. They’re front-runners. They’re front-runners."

Perkins and Wilbon weren't the only ones to take notice of the poor attendance for the winner-take-all game. ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Ruocco referenced the late-arriving crowd in the second quarter, acknowledging that the seats had finally filled up.

Of course, the Heat had no issues with attendance just a decade ago when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were carrying them to the NBA Finals every year. That said, they also went to the Finals in 2023, so you'd think there would be a little enthusiasm.

(Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)

But it's unfair to single out Miami for apathy toward its NBA team. The league's ratings, overall, have plummeted in recent years, and it just posted the lowest-rated regular season in network TV history.

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Fortunately for the Heat, they didn't need butts in seats to get the job done. Miami handily defeated Chicago, winning 112-91.

With Friday's win, the Heat claimed the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They'll tip-off against the No. 1 Boston Celtics on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET in a best-of-seven series.