Postgame Interview: Erik Spoelstra

Postgame Interview: Erik Spoelstra

Uh first half was pretty back and forth what did they do defensively to make things tough on you guys there in the second half um yeah I think it was a little bit of uh of both you know I I don’t think we executed with intention so it was it was

Tough you know to say um we missed some open shots uh and then some of the decision making you we had was um you know not to our our best standards uh and then their defense you know was able to you know Force some deflection steals long rebounds blocks

Uh you know that kind of thing that kind of got them going the other direction uh and then you know we had it in a wheelhouse defensively there for a while but you know um then Curry and Thompson you know hit some some threes and and that just

Kind of created the separation that we were never able to get a closer you know than 10 you know after that point offensively obviously it’s a different package than you typically have was there enough there do you think to get to where you needed to go and how

Hard was it to get there yeah there’s definitely uh enough this would not have been you know 130 Point game by any means I mean we’re were playing through bam quite a bit in the post we were manufacturing you know different um opportunities as much as we possibly

Could uh you know you also have to you know make the right decisions you have to make shots things have to go your way um and then that your defense can kind of build some momentum um we weren’t able to do those things consistently enough just

To keep it closer you know if we could have kept it to four or six points you know throughout the late of the third late in the third and early in the fourth you know then I think that it had a chance to be one of those games that

Are really gratifying where you win where it’s in the mud ugly uh with some really inspiring defensive plays you know the last six minutes of the fourth I I I already had it mapped out in my mind and then we have such incredible play uh uh competitors that they’ll find

A way to make shots uh in the moments of truth but we can never get it to the Moment of Truth um and you have to credit Golden State you know they they knew what this game you know was about we knew what it was about uh know these are must- wins for

For both teams you know going down the stretch and they were able to to get the job done tonight yeah another good game for Haywood Off the Bench what have you kind of seen from him just showing a little bit more aggression offense along with everything else he does yeah I

Think he’s just playing to um his strengths and he’s inspiring right now you know his defensive activity uh in the press in the first half was so inspiring I mentioned it to the guys uh at halftime it’s like if that’s not inspiring you I don’t know what what

Can you know he was a basically a Onan press creating turnovers uh you know one of them against Hall of Fame point guard and then he was able to create that uh turn that into an opportunity um the other way and his energy defensively is is leading to the ball finding energy on

Offense U that’s typically how this game works uh it rewards uh the guys that are that’re really working hard hard um creating actions um making things happen defensively and you know these last two games have been um very good for him both ends of the Court coach obviously

With 10 games left in the season is there do you anticipate a higher intensity from the group or is there a general understanding that you know what you guys our guys understand our guys are not ignorant and our guys are extremely competitive you have a game

Like this uh it’s not because our guys don’t care that that is not it uh our guys laid it out there you know just couldn’t get enough momentum offensively decision- making shot making uh to keep it close um defensively I I thought it was it was

Good until you know at a certain point we didn’t make shots and then our resolve weakened a little bit uh and then Curry and Thompson you know pretty much shut the door door you know with with a few of those threes and their shot making uh that just kind of uh you

Know took the resolve and the Hope away from us those last four minutes Eric uh Bam um took a shot to the Head where it seemed like and then stayed in the game ended up finishing with a strong game but do you were there there any concern

At the time for that or going for no I mean I thought it should have been a flagrant foul or at least look at it or you know if somebody takes a shot I know was a smaller guard but three guys you know have to see that when somebody gets

Hit that hard uh but he’s fine he’s tough I he that happened in the first half and he was really good in in that second half all right thank you

Mar. 26, 2024 – Erik Spoelstra speaks to the media following Tuesday night’s game vs. the Golden State Warriors.

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