Getty Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat look on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at FTX Arena on February 28, 2022.
The Miami Heat‘s head coach Erik Spoelstra is one of the most respected coaches in the NBA, and per The Athletic, one of the top two candidates to win Coach of the Year.
Spoelstra, 51, who’s been the head coach of the Heat since 2008, is the first to admit that his journey in the NBA has been far from perfect, and as he teaches his players, it’s how you bounce back and learn from mistakes that can make you great.
So, when it came to dealing with forward Duncan Robinson’s shooting slump, Spoelstra knew how to handle the situation because he fumbled it pretty hard nearly a decade prior.
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“We just had to stay the course with it and understand that misses are a part of it,” Spoelstra said of Robinson’s three-point percentage dipping to .370, his lowest since becoming a rotational player, per Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman.
Some of the Cavs on the other side of the court were watching Duncan Robinson’s shooting routine.
“A lot of people get confused by that, whether the ball goes in or not. All the best shooters in this league, you go through spells during the season, where no matter how much you work on it or if you’re getting clean looks or you’re in a rhythm, sometimes the ball just doesn’t go in. But you have to stay with it.”
As Spoelstra predicted, Robinson’s three-pointers are coming back, and not by changing how the 27-year-old plays or by placing immense pressure on him to get the ball back in the basket, the latter of which he regrettably did when coaching the former fifth-overall pick from the 2000 NBA Draft, Mike Miller.
Miller, who was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year as a member of the Orlando Magic in 2001, and voted as the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2006 with the Memphis Grizzlies, signed a five-year, $25 million to play with the Heat in 2010. He was part of Miami’s Big 3 era, winning two championships with the franchise in 2012 and 2013.
GettyMike Miller #13 of the Miami Heat reacts after making a three-pointer in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the 2013 NBA Finals at AmericanAirlines Arena on June 9, 2013.
Spoelstra winced remembering the “worst” advice he gave Miller. “How many mistakes did I make early on in my career? I remember telling Mike Miller once, after he missed a few shots, the next time in, ‘Make the next one!'”
“It’s just the worst thing you can tell a shooter. I know that. And just like the young coach, all you do is make mistakes and you try to learn from ‘em.”
Heat Enter the Final Stretch of the Season in First Place in the Eastern Conference
Following the Heat’s tilt against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 23, the Heat have just nine games left in the regular season. The Heat currently sit in first place atop the Eastern Conference with a 47-25 record.
While the Heat took a frustrating 113-106 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night, the team has already clinched the Southeast Division title. So while Miami hasn’t officially clinched a playoff spot, they will be a primary seed.
Spoelstra Is Still Experimenting with the Heat’s Rotation
All on the line for that logo. #HEATCulture
The Heat seem to have one of the best problems possible, too much depth. With so many rotational players proving they can step up as a starter, All-Stars returning to full health, and the return of Markieff Morris and Victor Oladipo, not everyone is going to get minutes.
Spoelstra has a few short weeks to figure out their rotation plan for the playoffs, but the Heat’s head coach also doesn’t see this depth issue as a problem.
“That’s for amateurs. People talking about you have too much talent or you got too many decisions to make,” Spoelstra said, per Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. “Yeah, good. I’ve been on the other side of it where you don’t have a realistic chance to try to do something special. That’s a whole lot more frustrating.”
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