Erik Spoelstra stresses Heat facing their 'demons' after loss to Bulls
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MIAMI – As the Miami Heat regressed Saturday night after a deflating loss to the Chicago Bulls, 114-109, there could be fans wondering what the next steps are from here. With the Heat having a string of painful losses, head coach Erik Spoelstra would speak after the game about what the team needs to do right now and what could be the result.
Spoelstra was the one who said after the loss that Miami had regressed, even though in other losses, he saw positive aspects to build on. When speaking about their lack of protecting the paint against the Bulls, Spoelstra would then speak to holding himself accountable and the team having to “face our demons,” and if they do, there is “something amazing on the other side.”
“We’re great at that, you know, I’m not taking anything away from their driving ability,” Spoelstra on Miami’s presence at the rim. “But when we’re dialed in, we’re great at defending that. I think, you know, the missed shots, guys being out of rhythm, a handful of poor decisions. You know, just turning the momentum where we didn’t have that necessary resolve.”
“But again, my ownership part of it will be if we had some fresher bodies and fresher minds,” Spoelstra continued. “You know, maybe we’d have the ability to withstand that. So we’re all in this together, that’s what I told the group right now, I’m fully with them. This is an opportunity for all of us to face our demons to get past this. This is not something that’s comfortable for any one of us. And I see something amazing on the other side if we can collectively overcome this.”
Erik Spoelstra later in the vid speaks about standing with the team.
"We're all in this together…this is an opportunity for all of us to face our demons…This is not something that's comfortable for any of us. But I see something amazing on the other side…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/drF4xS8dFZ
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 9, 2025
Tyler Herro with NSFW response on fixing Heat’s fatal flaw
The Heat’s fatal flaw was on display in the loss to Chicago where the team had a double-digit lead and ultimately suffered a defeat by the end of it. It marks their 16th game this season in that situation where their lead was up to 17 points and even had a 11-point advantage going into the fourth quarter.
Miami’s lone All-Star Tyler Herro would finish the game with 21 points on eight of 19 shooting from the field and two of seven from deep to go along with eight rebounds and six assists. Herro would agree with Spoelstra in saying how while other losses showed the team some positives, Saturday night was different.
“No one wants to lose,” Herro said. “Besides tonight though, I feel like the games we’ve lost, we obviously could have won, but they feel like we’re headed in the right direction as coach says. Tonight just wasn’t one of those losses, was a bad loss.”
Tyler Herro on how this loss compares to others where the others had them thinking they're in the right direction. This one wasn't one of those games. #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/55WlHk5tvK
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 9, 2025
The problem with the team is, while they have the recipe for success, it hasn’t been happening consistently on the court as even Herro bluntly said that they’re still looking to figure out how to not blow double-digits at a high rate.
“S***, if we knew we would do it,” Herro said. “Not really sure how to get over the hurdle right now, but just continuing to stick with it. So have to stick with it and keep fighting.”
Tyler Herro on what it will take to get over the hurdle of holding these double-digit leads.
"S***, if we knew we would do it, not really sure how to get over the hurdle right now…have to stick with it and keep fighting…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/PD5gW8buzW
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 9, 2025
The mindset Bam Adebayo wants to instill in Heat after loss to Bulls
As Bam Adebayo continues his offensive resurgence, finishing with a team-high 22 points on eight for 17 shooting from the field, he noticed how “an old habit crept back in” in the poor offense dictating the defense. He would go as far as to say that he is going to “start demanding” from himself and the team a distinct mindset.
“Like an old habit crept back in, where we don’t see the ball going in and we kind of get deflated,” Adebayo said. “And it’s got to a point where obviously I’m gonna start demanding more from not only myself but everybody else when shots start to miss, how can we get three straight, three straight stops?”
"Felt like an old habit crept back in where we don't see the ball go in and we kinda get deflated…Imma start demanding more from not only myself but everybody else when shots start to miss, how can we get three straight stops?" – Bam Adebayo #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/2yN3EWWJvo
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 9, 2025
Along with the Heat captain getting fined, it came after another frustrating loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but the outing is one of the many gutpunches the team has had to take in the hopes of turning their season around. Adebayo would say to ClutchPoints that their fortunes will change “at some point.”
"Keep getting up, [we’re gonna] keep fighting and at some point, we're gonna get some wins,” Adebayo said.
Asked Bam Adebayo about the mental aspect of overcoming gutpunch after gutpunch in the form of these games.
"Keep getting up, we gonna keep fighting and at some point, we're gonna get some wins." #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/ByWdYRskJO
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 9, 2025
At any rate, Miami is now 29-34 which puts them seventh in the Eastern Conference as the team looks to bounce back Monday night where they host the Charlotte Hornets.
The post Erik Spoelstra stresses Heat facing their ‘demons’ after loss to Bulls appeared first on ClutchPoints.
