While the Spoelstra-coached Team Durant couldn’t pull in the win in the All-Star Game, Coach Spo and the Heat still have a lot to look forward to. Despite a season riddled with injuries to the team’s best players, Miami remains tied with Chicago for the top seed in the East. The Heat have used 15 different variations of starting lineups this season. Inserting Caleb Martin and Omer Yurtseven as starters definitely wasn’t what Spoelstra expected heading into this season. The fact that Miami has continued to win with all of these unpredictable factors proves that Spoelstra deserves to be in the Coach of the Year conservation.
The Heat’s top trio of Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, and Kyle Lowry have combined for an average of only 42 games played out of 62 total. Markieff Morris hasn’t played a game since early November, and former all-star Victor Oladipo hasn’t appeared in a game yet this season. Some adversity that would derail another team’s playoff chances has not phased Coach Spo. He’s found success in experimenting with different lineups, such as going small and starting Max Strus at power forward or having Caleb Martin play both shooting guard and power forward on different nights.
Miami is 17-8 this season without Bam Adebayo and 12-7 without Jimmy Butler. Posting winning records without two of your best players is an impressive feat and one that should not go unnoticed when NBA Award season rolls around. Despite five Finals appearances and two championships, Spoelstra has never won a Coach of the Year Award. Whether it be criticism about having too much talent on the team or not being a high enough seed, voters have never given Coach Spo the respect he deserves. As long as the Heat remain a top 3 seed, I believe Spoelstra has a good chance to bring it home.
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