Heat’s Erik Spoelstra: ‘Loser’s Mentality’ To Think East Wide Open After Injuries, Changes

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isn’t entertaining the idea that the Eastern Conference is suddenly wide open.

“You can’t think that just because there have been some changes in rosters or some injuries that, ‘Oh, now we have a chance,’” Spoelstra told Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “That’s kind of a loser’s mentality. We want to compete at the highest level regardless of who’s out there. That’s been our mindset. We’re not ducking any kind of competition. If you want to accomplish something great, you’re going to have to beat great teams anyway.”

Instead, Miami’s staff is focused on how last season unraveled. The Heat went 8-17 in close games, the third-worst mark in the league. They also blew 22 double-digit leads, along with 21 fourth-quarter leads.

“Those close games are something that we’ve really analyzed,” Spoelstra said. “That can change the trajectory of your season if you handle those moments of truth better, if you have a few more wins out of those groupings of games that were very winnable with fourth-quarter leads and that kind of stuff. You change that dynamic, and then everything looks different.”

Still, Spoelstra feels there’s a new energy around the Heat this summer.

“You can feel the energy, you can feel the excitement building,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be all there right now. But look, it’s happening organically. I feel it myself, the staff feels it, the players feel it.”

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