The discussion of how coaches perform during the season is always an interesting one, and it’s a topic that is re-visited every year in the NBA. Today, its known that coaches are either ridiculed or accredited for their team’s success more than ever before.
For the Miami Heat, a depleted team on the heels of several free agent departures and unlucky injuries, head coach Erik Spoelstra has served as the Achilles’ heel. To his credit, the one constant from the championship days in South Beach four years ago and today is Spoelstra running ship.
Spoelstra has faced his fair share of criticism in years past, like all coaches tend to face when their team is struggling. With Miami currently rolling on a 13-game win streak, the longest win streak of the season, Spoelstra is beginning to draw praise.
“There’s not a better coach in the league than Erik,” Van Gundy said Friday (via Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press). “People discounted him because he had (LeBron James), (Dwyane) Wade and (Chris) Bosh. Gregg Popovich is one of the best ever. Phil Jackson best ever. Nobody goes to four straight Finals. Nobody. He did. OK?”
Erik Spoelstra is in his eighth season as Heat head coach. His resume is undoubtedly impressive, having coached the team to two NBA titles and four conference titles.
Spoelstra served as an assistant coach under Stan Van Gundy a decade ago on the Heat. Much of what he’s learned should be credited to Stan Van Gundy.
The Heat currently sit just one game behind the Pistons for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, despite losing star players Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson for much of the season.
