Erik Spoelstra has been receiving plaudits for the way the Miami Heat beat the top seed Milwaukee Bucks in convincing fashion to reach the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
That has prompted some to think if the Fil-American coach has already established himself as one NBA’s elite tacticians, which should have been settled after steering the Heat to two championships.
“With Spoelstra as head coach, the Heat reached the NBA Finals every year from 2011 through 2014, but unless you're Phil Jackson, it's a challenge to be properly recognized for coaching excellence when the very best player in the game is on your side,” said Sporting News writer Mike Decourcy during the Heat-Bucks series.
“Unlike Jackson, who had a career as an NBA player to establish his brand and then worked diligently to polish his image during his time as a wildly successful head coach, Spoelstra has been a blank canvas for those writing and talking about the game,” Decourcy added.
Spoelstra was in charge when the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and Heat brought the NBA title to South Beach in 2012 and 2013. The coach, however, received little credit, given the talent he had.
But Spoelstra has made a mark in the ongoing playoffs. The Heat, a group of hardworking players, swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round before racing to a 3-0 lead over the Bucks on the way to claiming a 4-1 series win.
In that series, the Heat had the Bucks’ number with their stingy defense that frustrated, among others, reigning Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Miami also found success behind Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Jae Crawford and Goran Dragic, to name a few.
“He's turning out to be a masterpiece, though. The Heat have become the most remarkable story of the 2020 NBA playoffs,” said Decourcy.
Also convinced is former NBA player Charles Barkley, who is part of the entertaining Inside the NBA crew.
“I will tell you this: People ask me all the time about Erik Spoelstra, like, ‘Hey, he was great when Dwyane and LeBron and Chris were there,’ Barkley said, as quoted by the Miami Herald.“
“I said, ‘No. They’re one of the best-coached teams in the NBA.’ They remind me of the Spurs. They get guys off the scrap heap or guys who were undrafted and they make them good players. That is coaching,” added Barkley.
It will be Spoelstra’s fifth appearance in the Conference Finals where the Heat will take on the Boston Celtics in the series which starts Tuesday Manila time inside the bubble in Orlando.