Postgame Interview: Erik Spoelstra

Postgame Interview: Erik Spoelstra

Eric I guess just general thoughts and taking care of a businesslike approach tonight getting this one and getting ready for a real challenging time yeah I mean we’ll take them literally however you can get them at uh at this point and um you know in the second half when we

Were able to get some consecutive defensive stops and and push it to a double digit lead um that was the first time where we were able to really create some separation and keep it there and um you know that was encouraging to see Terry’s play it seemed there might have

Been a little lethargy otherwise and Terry was a real spark especially in the first half to keep you guys going one your thoughts on that and two can you give us an update when he had to lead briefly with a knee issue yeah I wouldn’t say necessarily there’s

Lethargy it’s just these are dangerous teams okay you know teams that are out of the playoff running uh you can play fast and free and um you don’t really have the pressure and context you know that all the uh teams that are jocking for positions you know

Feel um so they can be super ignitable um but Terry you know is getting a lot more comfortable uh you know he really is pure he wants to help he wants to contribute he wants to to make things better you know and easier you know with the group he’s really been competing

Defensively on the ball that’s really helped us in both our man and our Zone and then offensively it’s just taking a little bit of time when you’re um you know thinking of others you know so much and then you’re hearing it yeah you also have to be you that’s

Easier said than done you know when you’re you’re coming into a team uh after midseason um but it you know it’s it’s really been good to see him comfortable and that’s allowed him to be aggressive within the context of uh you know how we want to do things the knee

An issue going forward he left in the third quarter no he just um wanted to make sure you know that he was warmed up and uh everything was good and he was he was cleared and um he said he’s he’s he’ll be ready for Tuesday thoughts on Duncan coming back and especially see

Those two go through at the start of the second half yeah it was good for him uh to get his feet wet um and get those game minutes you know this is the thing that also uh you know for people on the outside you just don’t understand if

You’ve been out for some time even if it’s just a little bit at a time you can do all the practicing the the the workouts with coaches it’s not the same as an NBA game and Rhythm um and I think he caught a little bit more rhythm in

The second half and not just you know with the shooting it was just a little bit more on where to go what the actions are and all of those uh things and you can see what he adds I mean um you know the two back toback threes just kind of

Immediately put it to double digits and and that’s what he’s fully capable of what’s the approach with Kevin we know he’s been available the last two games you stayed with Thomas where does that stand yeah he’ll he’ll be activated um I have every intention of getting them

Back into the mix these um you know are fluid decisions when guys are in out and then we’re trying to keep some level of continuity uh that’s relatively impossible to do um and it just takes a little bit of of Grace from everybody um but I’m fully

Aware of how important K Love is to us and he’s been great about it and um I think with another day of work he’ll he’ll be ready on uh on Tuesday I know it’s one at a time I know the Knicks are nexts but it’s a tough stretch ahead do

You feel your team is well positioned and in a good space and a good place now going into the challenges ahead yeah I mean all I’m thinking about is um is getting ready for Tuesday um we love competition we have a bunch of competitors in our locker room uh

They love the feeling of how important all these games are uh and that’s the Elation of when you get wins but there’s also the other side of it you know the the consequences when you lose and when you really care about something you you have both both realities and so we

Understand we have to play well we understand all the cliches that you have to take it one game at a time you can’t start getting ahead of yourself there’s only eight games left so I think it’s a little bit easier just to stay in the moment and just focus on literally one

Game uh and that’s what we’ll do we’ll rest up and get on to Miami and prepare you know for a big game against New York on Tuesday right you had some success from the seven eight spots recently but how big is the difference between six

And seventh as you talk about the yeah I wouldn’t say we’ve had a bunch of success lately we had it last year and and we’re not thinking about you know last year uh each season is its own deal I mean we’re going for it you know

That’s that’s who we are you know and um if we see opportunity in front of us that’s what we’re going for uh and you know these playoff races and positioning um they’re competitive for all the teams both conferences um I think there was a lot to be sorted out

You know before we get to the end of the season and it’s only eight games but when you’re when you’re looking at the standings and everybody’s like kind of one game apart like there’s there’s a lot to be sorted out last question uh Thomas Bryan has been playing good as of

Late uh what are the chances of him staying in the rotation I don’t know we’ll see you know here’s what the rotation is whatever it takes that’s where we are we made this bed you know where we are right now and because of all the moving Parts

Everybody right now it’s easy you just be ready for your minutes contribute in a positive way and help impact winning that’s that’s all it’s about right now and everybody’s signed up for that everybody’s bought into that uh it’s really kind of simplified things and you can kind of get to that point sometimes

When you you get toward the end all right thank you

Mar. 31, 2024 – Erik Spoelstra speaks to the media following Sunday night’s game vs. the Washington Wizards.

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