The Miami Heat shocked the world by making a run to the NBA Finals this year, but they were unable to complete the job and come out with an NBA championship. Instead, like what happened in 2020, the Heat lost in the very final round to a team that many believe was just better in every way.
Despite the disappointment, Miami still has a lot to look back on and be proud of. Speaking to the media after Game 5, head coach Erik Spoelstra dedicated some of his final words on the season to talk about adversity and perseverance amid uncertain times.
“I think this is a team that a lot of people can relate to. If you’ve ever felt that you were dismissed or that you were made to feel less than… We have a lot of people in our locker room that probably have had that and there’s probably a lot of people out there who have felt that at some time or another. But also the way this team handled setbacks or adversity, to develop collective grit and perseverance. I said it before and hopefully, these are lessons that will transcend this beautiful game.”
"If you've ever felt that you were dismissed or that you were made to feel less than… We have a lot of people in our locker room that probably have had that."
Erik Spoelstra gave a powerful message on the Heat's journey to the Finals 🙌
(via @ESPNNBA)pic.twitter.com/mm58PJbTxi
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 13, 2023
The Heat entered the playoffs as the 8th seed, thanks largely to an offense that was inconsistent and wildly unreliable. But the Heat never gave up and kept playing through the struggles to finally hit their stride at the best possible time.
In the end, it wasn’t good enough to win, but the heat proved that star power isn’t everything in the NBA. Sometimes, all you need is a determined, well-disciplined team and a little luck for things to fall your way.
What’s Next For The Heat After Finals Loss?
After watching his team come within four wins of a championship, it’s safe to say that Pat Riley will spare no expense to get Jimmy Butler the help he needs. Already, names like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have been mentioned as targets for Miami and it will be interesting to see what moves they can make before the start of training camp this fall.
Even if not, the Heat will fight the same regardless and you can bet they’ll be in the mix when it’s time to compete for the championship again next year.
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