INDIANAPOLIS — The relationship between Erik Spoelstra and Mike McDaniel ran deeper than the Miami Heat coach visiting Miami Dolphins camp to study McDaniel’s coaching approach.
So when McDaniel was dismissed on Thursday, hours before Spoelstra’s game against the Chicago Bulls was postponed due to unplayable court conditions, Spoelstra offered heartfelt thoughts.
“I feel for Mike and his family,” Spoelstra said. “I’m a fan of his. I really enjoyed our interactions together. Just a really sharp, bright, and creative mind. I learned a lot from those interactions.”
Spoelstra is in his 18th season with the Heat. McDaniel had just completed his fourth with the Dolphins, the Dolphins with eight (and soon to be nine) coaches during Spoelstra’s tenure leading.
“It’s a tough business,” said Spoelstra, who in 2023 dressed as McDaniel during Halloween with his family. “So, it’s a tough day for him. But he’s a talent, so he’ll find his way back, somewhere with some organization. And I wish him the best.”
McDaniel had been a regular presence at Heat games at Kaseya Center during his Dolphins tenure, often from a front-row seat imploring fans to cheer on Spoelstra’s team.
A telling moment
Typically, Spoelstra does not reveal his starting lineup until just prior to tipoff, which led to an unusual moment at Thursday night’s postponed game against the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
This time the lineup got out, even though the game never started, because of slick court conditions.
Prior to the delay, with the injury-limited Bulls lacking somewhat in size, the Heat submitted a smaller lineup that got Tyler Herro back in the starting mix, after he played off the bench in Tuesday night’s return in Minnesota for a monthlong absence due to a toe contusion.
That had Spoelstra submitting an opening lineup of Herro, Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell, a group that entered 2-2 as a starting unit.
The move would have had 7-footer Kel’el Ware back as a reserve for the first time in 13 games, since he played as a reserve in the Dec. 15 home loss to the Toronto Raptors.
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It left Spoelstra in the somewhat awkward position afterward of having to answer for a lineup that did not actually play.
“I’m not going to comment on that,” Spoelstra said with a laugh afterward, with the Heat moving on to Saturday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Spoelstra on Herro
Spoelstra did address Herro in his Thursday comments prior to the postponement, when asked about Herro’s seeming displeasure in being utilized as a reserve in the loss to the Timberwolves.
“Well, part of his competitive nature and spirit and that edge is what’s gotten him to this point, and I love that about him,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t want him to lose any bit of that edge. And then it’ll be up to him and I to funnel it and channel it in the right direction.
“But we need his talent. We need his edginess. We need his swag. We need all of it right now, and I’m just excited that we have him back in the mix.”
Herro had missed 13 games prior to Tuesday due to the toe contusion, having appeared in only six games this season, in the wake of September ankle surgery.
