"Our guys love to compete"- Erik Spoelstra raves about the Miami Heat's resilience after they take Game 2 of the NBA Finals
The Miami Heat continue to prove that they’re the most resilient team in the NBA playoffs. They rallied in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to eke out a 111-108 win over the Denver Nuggets and tie the championship series.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had this to say about his players, who have overcome huge obstacles to reach the NBA Finals:
“Regardless of how the head coach feels during the fourth quarter, our guys love to compete. They love to put themselves out there in those moments of truth.
“Fortunately, we were able to make a lot of big defensive plays down the stretch and we got a lot of contributions, which you’re going to need against a team like this.”
"Our guys love to compete. They love to put themselves out there in those moments of truth."
Coach Spoelstra on his Heat team's resilience as they win Game 2, evening the series at 1-1.
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The Miami Heat, after a shellacking right out of the gates in Game 1, returned the favor to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2. However, buoyed by the home crowd, the Nuggets re-grouped and turned a 21-10 deficit into a second-quarter lead behind an onslaught of 3-pointers.
Denver headed into the fourth quarter holding an 83-75 lead. Miami’s resilience, however, wouldn’t be denied. It started with Duncan Robinson, who was scoreless in six minutes before the final frame.
Robinson led the comeback with 10 points. With Robinson’s hot hand going, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo also had better opportunities. They combined to score 15 points to keep Denver at bay. Kyle Lowry, who only had nine points, also contributed crucial plays down the stretch.
Spoelstra noted a few who had game-changing contributions starting the final period:
“Duncan’s minutes were really good. Kyle [Lowry] just has this veteran, championship experience that kind of just settles everybody. He just makes big plays at the appropriate times.”
The Miami Heat have now won 13 games, the most by an eighth-seeded team in the NBA Finals. The 1999 New York Knicks who lost 4-1 to the San Antonio Spurs had 12.
The Heat will feel good about this win. They have stolen home-court advantage yet again, the fourth time they’ve done so in the playoffs. Miami will go to Florida bringing a tied series when nearly everybody expected a sweep by the Nuggets.
The Miami Heat will return home hoping Caleb Martin regains his Eastern Conference finals form. He was questionable heading into Game 2 due to an illness. If the same Martin who torched the Boston Celtics shows up, the Heat will be in an even better position to win the NBA Finals.
Erik Spoelstra went big and stuck to the Miami Heat's zone defense
Erik Spoelstra admitted that he didn’t have the foresight to use Kevin Love before Game 2. The former All-Star hasn’t played since Game 5 of the East finals. Spoelstra re-inserted the power forward due to Caleb Martin’s illness.
The move paid dividends right off the bat. Keeping Love on Aaron Gordon gave the Miami Heat much better matchups across five positions. Spoelstra put Jimmy Butler on Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets’ free-flowing offense couldn’t get off to a good start due to the cramped space and bigger bodies.
Spoelstra on the Heat going back to Kevin Love. Admits he didn't have the foresight to make the change ahead of Game 1. https://t.co/Qv1ircmmu1
The Miami Heat zone defense flummoxed the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics. Nikola Jokic, at the elbow, dissected it in Game 1.
Spoelstra went to it, nonetheless, more consistently, particularly in the fourth quarter. Miami outscored Denver 13-2 behind Robinson’s hot shooting and their bread-and-butter on defense.
Suddenly, the Nuggets grasped for an answer. It wasn’t until late in the game that Jokic and crew were able to solve it again.
Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beater, which fell just half-an-inch short, gave the Miami Heat the win and home-court advantage in the NBA Finals.
Also read: "That’s why you can never count ‘em out"- Miami Heat fans are jubilant after they even up the series as the NBA Finals head to Florida