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Miami Heat (51-16) forward Udonis Haslem is a true power forward and does the dirty work alongside Shaquille O'Neal. For the season, Haslem is averaging 11.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. His field goal percentage of 53.7% is 4th best in the entire league. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner met with Haslem for an exclusive interview in Madison Square Garden a few days ago. This just after the Heat won a close game against the New York Knicks.

InsideHoops.com: You've done a great job this season filling the true power forward role, and you exceeded the expectations of a lot of people.

Udonis Haslem: Every night I just go out and compete, and play my role. People are going to leave me open because the big man demands so much attention, and I've been knocking down shots. I've been shooting over 50 percent. Crashing the boards, defending, rebounding, just doing the little things. We got enough scoring and offense on this team. We need other little things, and that's what I try to provide.

InsideHoops.com: Coming into this season, did you feel like you had a lot to prove about what kind of player you are?

Udonis Haslem: I always knew, given the opportunity, what I could do as a player, but a lot of people on the outside were saying, are we going to struggle, because of the power forward situation, and this and that, and I just had to go out and prove those people wrong.

InsideHoops.com: Also, a lot of people just hadn't seen you, and weren't necessarily saying anything negative about you, they just didn't know what you coudl or could not do.

Udonis Haslem: Well, I beg to differ. People were saying negative things. They were talking bad about our whole team. That we're one injury away from lottery. Dwyane, Shaq and nobody else. That's their opinion. We've proved people wrong, and we're just going to continue to keep working hard and continue to try to get better.

InsideHoops.com: Regarding the negative talk, did you notice it disappear, or see it decrease, along the course of the season? Or do you still hear it, sometimes?

Udonis Haslem: Probably still... I don't pay attention to it. I've never paid attention to it, but I watch tv, and flip through channels, and every now and then you catch somebody on tv saying this or saying that. But it never really bothered me. I don't pay attention to it, because as long as these guys in this locker room and the coaching staff got the confidence in me to go out and play, I'm going to go out and play.

InsideHoops.com: And on a positive note, you've already proven those people wrong. There's no ammo anymore for them. The team's a success, and you're a key part of it.

Udonis Haslem: It's not hard for me to do what I do, because I know exactly what I have to do every night. I just go out and do it. It's not a question of what my job is.

InsideHoops.com: And, as for the team as a whole, what do you want to see improve more than anything?

Udonis Haslem: Going into the playoffs, we got to turn it up offensively. We can't come out and play the way we played tonight and expect to get a win. We were fortunate enough tonight to get out and have won, but coming down the stretch, we have to be able to play 48 minutes. A complete game. And that's the only thing we have to do.