beating on Celtics In Game 7 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night, heat Coach Erik Spoelstra added to his already impressive resume. Although Boston was allowed back into the series, the Heat were unfazed by a winner-takes-all game on the road to a chance to play in the NBA Finals.
This win marked the first time Spoelstra had won Game 7 on the road. After the game, Spoelstra’s post-game speech took into account all the highs and lows the team had gone through, and wanted his team to remember what it took them to get to this point.
“These are lessons we’ll pass on to our kids about perseverance,” Spoelstra said. “Things don’t go your way, we just keep moving forward and suffering and suffering and suffering until you get what you want.”
Life lessons learned in court. Keep suffering until you get what you want. bigger than basketball. #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/HvXYSIsUow
– Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 30, 2023
Spoelstra is the second-longest-serving coach in the NBA, behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich, and his NBA title ranks third behind Popovich and Steve Kerr among active coaches. Although he hasn’t won a title since LeBron James left Miami, Spoelstra’s legacy has been cemented by two NBA Finals appearances in the past four seasons.