"We’ve found a beauty in that struggle“ - Erik Spoelstra opens up on how Jimmy Butler and Heat are able to turn it up in the playoffs
Erik Spoelstra insinuated that Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have embraced the regular season grind following their playoff run thus far. The Heat are one win away from a second straight conference finals appearance. They were the top seed in the East last year but were the eighth seed entering the 2023 NBA playoffs.
The Heat beat the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks in five games, thanks to an all-time effort by Butler, and have taken a 3-1 lead in their conference semis series against the fifth-seeded New York Knicks.
Spoelstra reflected on the team's mediocre regular season run amid this stellar effort in the playoffs after the Heat's Game 4 win over the Knicks, saying:
“We found the value in the grind of a regular season and the grind in the struggle. I’ve said repeatedly we’ve found a beauty in that struggle.“
The Heat couldn't have made the most out of learning from their mistakes during the regular season. Despite playing without their third-best scorer in Tyler Herro and backup guard Victor Oladipo for most of these playoffs, they haven't just stayed afloat but won at a high clip.
Erik Spoelstra is just as responsible as his players for the remarkable turnaround. He has been spot-on with his adjustments and rotations, getting the better of his counterparts, Mike Budenholzer and Tom Thibodeau.
The Heat have become a legitimate threat with Spoelstra and Jimmy Bulter in their bags come playoff time.
Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat out-hustle New York Knicks in Game 5 win
Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat earned another hard-fought win against the New York Knicks in Game 5. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo stepped up for the home team. Butler tallied 27 points, six rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and two blocks, while Adebayo had 23 points and 13 rebounds.
Jimmy Butler tonight:
27 PTS
6 REB
10 AST
2 STL
2 BLK
Passes LeBron for the most 25/5/10 playoff games by a Heat player. https://t.co/w9kFC7f3VA
The Heat looked shaky, especially in the second half. They missed 12 of their first 15 shots in the final frame. However, they relied on their hustle and grittiness to hold off New York's runs and script a win to go up 3-1.
Julius Randle on the Miami Heat out hustling the Knicks
“Maybe they want it more. I don’t know”
https://t.co/j4U7h7Eq3N
Miami Heat outrebounded New York Knicks 44-35, including 13-8 on offensive boards. Miami also had 17 second-chance points compared to New York's seven. That's been the Heat's go-to throughout this playoff run. Their ability to bounce back out of crucial situations, erase deficits down the stretch, and prevent their opponent to make a comeback into a contest has been massive.