MIAMI — Water bottles were getting dumped on Miami coach Erik Spoelstra from all angles in a joyous locker room after the Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA Cup game, and the scene caught him off-guard.
The water-pourers wanted to celebrate his 800th career win.
And Spoelstra had no idea what was happening.
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“I was very confused,” Spoelstra said Wednesday night. “I was calculating that maybe we’ve qualified for the Cup. Then I’m looking around and nobody else is getting water dumped on them, and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute — what’s going on here?'”
That was when Spoelstra learned of the milestone. He’s the 17th coach in NBA history to win that many games and only the third to do it with one team, joining San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Utah’s Jerry Sloan.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet because I wasn’t aware of it. It’s fitting that it comes on the eve of Thanksgiving,” Spoelstra said. “I just feel incredible gratitude for this organization and all of these years. I’m having a hell of a time. I love what I do, I love coaching, I love this profession, I love working for this organization, I love working for, and with, amazing players and staff — too many to count over the years.”
The milestone comes a few weeks after Spoelstra lost his home to a massive fire. His children were not there at the time — they were with their mother that night — and Spoelstra was returning home from a road trip when the fire started. He hasn’t missed a day of work and the Heat haven’t missed a beat; they’re 13-6 this season, third-best in the Eastern Conference.
Erik Spoelstra was all smiles while leading the Heat past the Bucks on Wednesday night in what was his 800th career win. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
“It’s huge. I’m trying to think of how old I was when Spo probably got his first one and then to be where he is now — he’s got 800 of them — is insane,” Heat guard Tyler Herro said. “It’s great to be a part of a great organization who’s historically been one of the top.”
Herro scored 29 points in the 106-103 win, and Bam Adebayo finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Miami improved to 3-1 in Cup games and 9-1 at home this season. It would win Group C if Milwaukee beats New York on Friday; if the Knicks win that game the Heat would need some help to reach the quarterfinals.
Ryan Rollins scored 26 points for Milwaukee, which got 24 from Myles Turner and 15 from Gary Trent Jr. The Bucks have dropped six straight, the last four of those without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed a fourth consecutive game with a strained left adductor.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
