On Monday, Nov. 17, the Miami Heat downed the New York Knicks 113-115. The win was Miami’s eighth of the season, as its new look offense and defense continue to improve.
During his postgame news conference, Knicks wing Josh Hart shared his praise for Spoelstra and the changes he has made to the Heat’s approach this season.
“You gotta give a lot of credit to Spoe; I’m not sure how long he’s coaching this league, 15 or 20 years, and he really, this year, I feel like he kind of reinvented himself and their offense,” Hart said. “So you gotta give him a lot of credit for that. Those guys are balling in and are definitely a little bit different; not guarding ball screens and those kinds of things, but they do a great job of driving the gaps and playing off reads and misses.”
Interestingly, despite Miami’s impressive start to the season, the team currently ranks 14th in offense and 16th in defense in the league. The changes Spoelstra has made have focused on pace, being aggressive and winning possession battles. And while those adjustments won’t always lead to an analytically preferred system, they’re clearly having the desired effect on the court.
As for New York, they’ve now lost all four of their road games to begin the season.
Erik Spoelstra Shares Thoughts on Jalen Brunson
A key note from the Heat’s win over the Knicks is that Jalen Brunson wasn’t on the court. The All-Star guard is currently dealing with an ankle injury that he suffered when facing the Orlando Magic on Nov. 12.
Despite Brunson’s absence on the floor, Spoelstra still took some time to praise him during his postgame news conference.
“What I can say about Jalen is I really enjoyed my time, you know, working with him during the World Cup, the World Championships, and I’ve mentioned it to him and I’ve mentioned it to other people, like myself,” Spoelstra said. “I can’t look at myself in the mirror for how much I grew to like him. He texted me the other day. He’s got such a great heart. Just to check in on me and the family. And I told them, you know, that my two sons are Jalen Brunson fans, but I told them it’s not allowed in my house.”
Heat’s Tyler Herro Nearing A Return
While Tyler Herro wasn’t cleared for Miami’s win over the Knicks, he is reportedly closing in on a return to the court. The Heat confirmed the former Sixth Man of the Year has been cleared to practice now. Herro has been absent to begin the season following ankle surgery during the summer.
“Tyler Herro returned to the practice floor today,” The Heat announced via X. “Watch as he speaks to the media afterwards and provides an update on his injury status.”
Given how well Miami is playing to begin the season, adding Herro back will be a welcome boost. Spoelstra’s new-look system is clearly working, and Herro’s playmaking and scoring will help take it to new heights.
Of course, the question now becomes whether the Heat can sustain their current production for the entire season. Judging on recent performances, the answer appears to be a resounding yes.
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