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Erik Spolestra was named the best coach in the NBA in a survey of league GM's. He was named top NBA coach with 55% of the vote. Monty Williams was second with 17% and was third at 14%. The vote makes sense given the Miami Heat's recent ascendence and season optimism - given the Miami Heat's offseason transactions. Erick Spolestra has flown low in an NBA coaching sense because of the superstar talent he's coached. Not many coaches have won multiple NBA championships, and Erik Spolestra has won two as Miami Heat head coach and three total. Why is Erik Spolestra the NBA's best at his position?
Pat Riley's trust in Erik Spolestra
The 50 year old coach out of the University of Portland has been with the Miami Heat since 1997. Erik Spolestra is known for starting as a video coordinator in the dungeon - as the Miami Heat film room is called - and developing a Miami Heat sense of doing things under Pat Riley. Erik Spolestra was promoted to assistant coach after two years and not a short time later he was promoted to advanced scout.
Hard work
Erik Spolestra was in charge of workouts and practice drills for the team and this is where his approach to hard work and dedication originated. He was known to drill the players hard and is credited with developing Dwyane Wade's jump shot after the Miami Heat legend was drafted to the team in 2003 with the 5th pick.
Promotion
Pat Riley stepped into a purely front office role in 2008, and in stepped Erik Spolestra. After the Miami Heat lost in the NBA Finals to Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks following the 2011 season, Pat Riley could have taken the reigns and returned as Miami Heat head coach. The Miami Heat made the playoffs in each of the seasons before LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined the team, so there was no reason to relieve a young and talented Erik Spolestra from his head coaching duties.
Winner
In 14 seasons as Miami Heat head coach, Erik Spolestra is 607-424 and the two aforementioned NBA championships. He's won 59% of Miami Heat regular season games and also in the playoffs (85-58). That is a true measure of consistency. To be consistent, one must have a focused identity. What is the makeup of Erik Spolestra's identity? What makes him the best?
#3 Defense
In a league that becomes more offensive by the minute, Erik Spolestra's commitment to defense is one of the reasons the Miami Heat have always been relevant. Think about it: when a team is struggling to score and ultimately win, what challenges that struggle is committing to stopping the other team from scoring. There is accomplishment in that goal, and that defensive attitude then incentivizes the offense to confidently execute on that end. Whenever the Miami Heat are down, the defense turns up, and the winning begins again. Under Erik Spolestra, the Miami Heat have finished in the top 10 in defensive rating nine of his 13 seasons and at number 11 in three other years.
#2 Preparation
That last season was seen as an anamoly because of perceived failure after playing in the NBA Finals the year before shows and proves how much trust is given to Erik Spolestra. WIth many other coaches, a Miami Heat meltdown could have led to a firing, yet the Miami Heat know that Coach Spo will make sure his team is prepared for the season. The offseason couldn't end fast enough, and even with questions the Miami Heat are too old to contend for an NBA title, Erik Spolestra will gainfully have his team ready.
#1 Adjustments
Remember all the questions if a young Erik Spolestra was ready for the limelight? That he wasn't the coach to lead LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to promised NBA titles? Well, eyes were opened when Spolestra went small vs. the Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden led the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Miami then completed a gentleman's sweep of OKC. He is intricate at making defensive adjustments, and even when employing maligned defenders, it's the scheme that wins over. The Miami Heat will be in most games, and in every playoff series moving forward, because with a great scheme, there must also be talent around to execute that scheme. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo will be constants on defense, and with the addition of Victor Oladipo at the two (only played four games last year) and Kyle Lowry at point, Erik Spolestra has his coaches on the floor to keep his defense churning. Watch the adjustments. Identify them and you'll see that Erik Spolestra is currently the best at what he does.
Guess the Lakers players!
