The mood in the Miami Heat locker room is still somewhat positive despite Jimmy Butler’s departure from the team. Erik Spoelstra is a huge reason behind why many of the Heat faithful still trust the team to put on a show and make another surprising postseason run.
The Heat managed to win several games after Butler was sent to the Bay Area. While they still have a losing record, they’re still clinging to the ninth seed and are looking to make it through the play-in tournament.
The only thing stopping them from securing their ticket is their inability to win games they’re leading. Several of their most recent games saw them lead by a couple of games only to stumble before they get to the finish line.
Their knack of losing games they were controlling have become so prevalent that even Tyler Herro is frustrated with how the team is attacking the fourth quarter.
While this piece of Heat news might be sending fans into a worried frenzy, Spoellstra thinks that everyone should calm their nerves.
Erik Spoelstra believes Heat news narratives will change once team zeroes in on properly closing games
Spoelstra talked to the press after his team lost to the Charlotte Hornets despite leading by seven points coming into the fourth quarter.
He explained that there’s no reason to panic as his team is made up of competitors who want to win.
Per ClutchPoints’ Zachary Weinberger:
“We have a bunch of competitors in the locker room, so I want our group to just embrace the competition of these close fourth quarters,” Spoelstra said. “When you’re in the middle of July, and you’re starting up your training. This is what the guys want, you know, these games like this. But it’s tough to kind of transport your mind to that kind of mindset, you know, but that’s what it is.”
“Our group, like I said, is a connected group. It’s like a college atmosphere,” Spoelstra continued. “So, you know, in terms of our spirit, will be fine, you know, we just have to forge ahead. You have to forge, sometimes you get tested. Sometimes you get tested in a way that you don’t want to be tested in this league, and you can fold the tent, or you just keep on forging and forging and forging, and that’s what our group is going to do.”
There’s no reason why Heat fans would doubt Spo when he made such a comment. He’s been the team’s head coach for more than a decade, with the team’s 2017-18 season a testament to his ability to coach a group without a clear superstar into a postseason appearance.
The difference between the 2018 roster and his current roster is that there are two clear leaders in the team in Herro and Bam Adebayo. Miami would be able to squeeze into the playoffs if he manages to get the team to buy into playing like a cohesive unit again.
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