Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra addressed his team’s 136-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night at Spectrum Center.
“It was a 96 to 90… I think we missed a layup, maybe a couple layups and scored, and then from there it just went floodgates,” Spoelstra said, describing the decisive fourth quarter swing.
He added, “We definitely didn’t shoot the ball well. But, you know, if you’re not shooting the ball well like that, then that doesn’t mean that we have to just let the floodgates go on the other end.”
Spoelstra criticized the team’s interior defense: “I think we gave up 62 points in the paint. That’s not like us. We’re top five in protecting the paint and the rim, and we just weren’t offering enough resistance.”
He noted the competitiveness of the first three quarters: “Through three quarters, I thought it was a very competitive game. Was it going perfect for us? No. Was it going perfect for them? No. It was going back and forth, just two teams competing and both teams knowing what was at stake.”
Spoelstra emphasized the importance of learning from the loss: “It’s a disappointing end to that game. Now we just have to focus on getting ready for Thursday. We’ll learn what we can, but we know we have to move on and get on to the next fight.”
LaMelo Ball’s performance drew praise from the coach: “He has great creativity, vision, size, and he can deliver the ball in every way possible. He made the big plays at key moments, and that’s pretty much what you saw in the fourth quarter.”
Spoelstra also reflected on opportunities for young players: “KJ didn’t get his opportunity really frequently yet because of all the other young guys that were playing. But we felt all season long that he had been getting a lot better… when he finally got his opportunity tonight, he was ready for it and contributed in a big way in the first half.”
Discussing the mental aspect of competition, Spoelstra added, “There’s a lot of disappointment and anger and frustration when you lose a game like this. But then there’s a flip side. When you get a great win, a collective win, you feel a deeper sense of gratification… this is what you want as competitors.”
The Heat, missing Bam Adebayo due to right calf tightness, dropped their second straight game and now prepare to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
