It is not often you see a coach of Erik Spoelstra’s caliber make terrible mistakes. Especially at a crucial point in the game. But it happened. And against a team no one wants to lose to, particularly after fighting back from an 18-point deficit! I am talking about none other than the Miami Heat’s first NBA Cup matchup against the 10th-seeded Detroit Pistons.
A matchup Spo and his boys lost in spectacular fashion after carrying it overtime. Despite Jimmy Butler‘s absence, the Heat remained confident against the Pistons, even as Detroit’s strong start pushed them to respond. With just over a second left and the game tied, Erik Spoelstra called a crucial timeout—only to realize Miami had none left. The misstep resulted in a technical foul following Jalen Duren’s alley-oop, giving the Pistons the edge.
Malik Beasley calmly sank the free throw, tying the game and forcing what seemed like an inevitable second OT. Spoelstra’s quick decision backfired at the worst moment, but he owned the costly error.
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