Miami Heat Win Game 3, But Suffer Blow To Social Justice Agenda

MIAMI, FL — Miami Heat players knelt courtside along the words "Black Lives Matter" during Friday night's "National Anthem" ahead of Game Three of the NBA Playoffs, but despite the team's impressive third straight win over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Heat also suffered a jarring loss to its social justice agenda.

The Miami-Dade County Department of Elections rejected the team's offer to use AmericanAirlines Arena as an early voter site for the November election in favor of the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, a nearby children's museum.

The museum venue offered certain advantages other than the cachet of voting in the home of the National Basketball Association's three-time champs, according to county officials.

"To say we are disappointed is a huge understatement," the Heat lamented on social media. "The arena is clearly a better site, with more visibility, more space and more parking."

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez saw the decision as an easy layup in a statement released late Friday.

"The museum has a free Metromover stop at its location for easy accessibility, and transfers from free bus services already being provided by the county," Gimenez, who is term limited, said. "It also served as an early voting site when the museum was at its old Coconut Grove location, which bodes well for safe and secure voting."

The mayor, who is running for Congress in Florida's 26th Congressional District, said the county would normally use the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, but that site is undergoing renovations.

"I appreciate the Miami Heat’s offer to have the arena, which is walking distance from the museum, serve as an early voting site," Gimenez said. "Also, the arena would not be able to serve as an election site in future years based on the NBA’s schedule."

The Heat said the team will not be quieted in its commitment to promote voting.

"The Miami Heat stands with the NBA and NBPA (NBA Players Association) in their efforts surrounding voting," the team countered. "We will continue to make our voices heard and encourage HEAT fans everywhere to vote."

Gimenez said he encourages the Heat players to exercise their First Amendment right.

"Our decision was based on the best location to serve all county voters," the mayor insisted.