Inside The Heat

Erik Spoelstra Absorbs Responsibility For Heat's Overtime Mistake In Heartfelt Remark

Anthony Pasciolla

Nov 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is one of the best the NBA has to offer, but everyone falls short at times.

Tuesday's overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons was one of those uncommon moments for the Heat coach. Spoelstra called a timeout he did not have with roughly one second left to play in overtime in a tied game. This led to Malik Beasley sealing the game with a technical free throw.

Heat fans were understandably upset at the meltdown, but Spoelstra was quick to absorb all of the blame in his postgame interview.

“I just made a serious mental error there at the end," Spoelstra said. "That’s on me. I feel horrible about it. There’s no excuse for that, I’m 17 years in.”

“We had talked about it in the huddle. I knew we didn’t have anything. I just got emotional and reactive," Spoelstra concluded.

Heat guard Tyler Herro had arguably the team's best performance of the season against the Pistons, recording 40 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals on 51.9 percent shooting and 10 of 17 shooting from three-point range. He swiftly came to the defense of his coach when asked about the matter postgame.

“Great players make bad plays. Great coaches sometimes make a tough decision. It was an intense moment," Herro said. "He won us the game last game…We ride with Spo no matter what.”

The Heat return to action on Friday against the Indiana Pacers.

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Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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Anthony Pasciolla
ANTHONY PASCIOLLA

Anthony Pasciolla is a sports journalist who began covering the NBA in June 2023. A Philadelphia native, Anthony has experience covering the Philadelphia 76ers as a credentialed reporter. He has written for Miami Heat, Back In The Day Hoops, Kansas State Wildcats, and Illinois Fighting Illini on Sports Illustrated. His work also includes 76ers coverage for The Sporting News and previous stories for Athlon Sports and BasketballNews. When he’s not covering the NBA, you can find him spending time with friends and family or diving into the world of fantasy football. Follow him on X @AnthonyPasci or reach him via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com