Erik Spoelstra just coached his Miami Heat to a 126-108 victory against the Charlotte Hornets to open their 2025 NBA Cup campaign on a high note, despite experiencing a difficult time with his family. In the postgame press conference, the Miami Heat coach explained his mental state and emotions after fire destroyed his home on Thursday.
“There are a lot of emotions,” Spoelstra said via ClutchPoints’ Zachary Weinberger. “Look, I’m human, like anybody. I’ve been so busy, managing everything with my kids and then also preparing for the game. It just hit me, you know, right now, after the game, I just wanted to go home. My kids were, obviously, taken care of. I will see them, you know, tonight. But in a perfect world, I’d rather go home.”
The Miami Heat’s offense was virtually unstoppable against the Charlotte Hornets. The team scored a franchise-record 53 points in the first quarter – the second-highest-scoring first quarter in NBA history – and led by as much as 26 points early in the second quarter.
Norman Powell led the team in scoring with 25 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 10-for-20 shooting. Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Simone Fontecchio, and Nikola Jovic added 22, 19, 18, 10, and 11 points.
Miami Heat News: Erik Spoelstra labeled as the team’s inspiration in win vs. Charlotte Hornets
Miami Heat swingman Jaime Jaquez Jr. said that the team dedicated their latest win to Erik Spoelstra, whose house was destroyed by fire a day before the NBA Cup match against the Charlotte Hornets.
“I just want to say how inspiring it was to just see him be out here,” Jaquez said. “You would have never known anything tragic happened today. He took it like a regular day. First thing he said to us was, ‘Appreciate all the wishes.’ Most important thing is that, you know, his kids and his family were all okay, and the fact that he came here with a smile on his face and excited to coach us as if nothing happened.”
“I mean, that just goes to show what kind of person he is,” he continued. “You know, material things don’t really matter. It’s the people you surround yourself with. And I mean, it was just so, so inspiring to see him here, and we thank him for being that leader for us in this locker room. And you know, we really want to get that win for him.”
