NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 26, 2020

Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat

Practice Day

Q. The three-point percentage has come down a bunch in the last three games. Is that a matter of the quality of shots you're getting, how you're getting them? It's been so different than your numbers all season.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: They're very good at defending the three-point line. They've taken us off of some of our normal rhythm threes. I think we've also missed some open ones. We just have to work more persistently to get the type of shots we want in our wheelhouse, which we're very capable of, even against a very good defense like Boston.

Our guys are extremely ignitable. It can happen just like that. But we have to do a lot more things defensively where we're not just hoping that we make a bunch of threes and a bunch of shots.

Q. You always tell us you want your shooters to keep shooting. Jae Crowder was so hot at the start of the Playoffs. He's tailed off a little bit. Have you spoken to him about it? When you see his looks and what he's doing, do you still want him to sort of keep firing away?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Our guys are like a powder keg, our shooters. They can explode at any time. We just have to make sure that we're not building our whole game on whether we're making threes or not. It's more sophisticated than that. But our guys can go off at any time.

Q. Along those lines, like last night it seemed like a really concerted effort, Jimmy even pointing at Duncan at one point in the first quarter, go stand over there and we're going to give you the ball. Is it a similar approach with Jae kind of necessary at this point? Do you need to call a couple things early to try to force it --

ERIK SPOELSTRA: No, it's not necessarily about calling plays for him to shoot threes. But I love it when he shoots 10, 12 of them. It means our offense is functioning properly.

But look, playoff series are tough. This is a good, quality team. Our game is deeper than us just making threes or not. I know that's probably what everybody is looking to right now, and that's fair. They've done a good job of defending the three-point line, as they've done all year long. They have really good habits there.

Q. Bam last night insisted, almost demanded, that he put the whole thing on him. Point every finger at me, I cost us this game. One, as a coach you have to like that level of accountability, but how do you tell him, no, it wasn't all --

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I love Bam Adebayo and everything he stands for as a competitor. That's why I think he's developing into one of the great winners in this league. That's much different than saying you're just one of the best players in this league. He is one of the best players, but he's going to become one of the best winners in this league, because it matters to him. He's willing to take responsibility.

Of course it is not on him. It's on all of us, including myself. We did not play well. It wasn't only about us not playing well. Boston, they were very good. They got us out of some of our normal offensive actions and rhythm. They put a tremendous amount of pressure, obviously, if you're getting almost 60 points in the paint against our defense regardless of the scheme. They were in attack mode.

Q. We saw on television last night Udonis Haslem delivering a message on the bench late the game. How much does it help to have guys like UD and Andre, I guess the only two guys on the roster that have been in the Finals, in these moments, in these close-out games where you know it's going to be tough?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: It's tough both ways. Look, I can't even imagine being in a locker room or in a game without UD. It's hard enough adjusting this year not having Dwyane in here. I'm so used to UD and his leadership and his voice. It does matter. He does move the needle from where he is. It didn't last night, but it just brings this head coach great comfort when he's leading the huddle.

Q. The 41 points for the Celtics in that third quarter, you mentioned they got out in transition and attacked the basket. But when your defense had a chance to set up, where did you see the breakdown when they were hitting shots in that situation?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, they were able to basically get whatever they wanted. They're a dangerous team when they can see the ball go in the basket. They had some easy ones. Those are good for either team. They played great in that third quarter. We're capable of big quarters, too. It's a matter of doing it more consistently.

This is great competition. This is what everybody wants, and we're looking forward to tomorrow night.

Q. In your mind, is it harder to close out on a team when it's 3-2 versus 3-1 just in the sense that with that win last night it kind of gives them some life?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: No, we just kind of embrace the competition. We never expected it to be easy. We have great respect for who we're playing against and how well we have to play against them. But we have incredible competitors in our locker room. This is a challenge to be able to try to figure out how to overcome and get a win. I've seen our guys do that time and time again.

I know all the storylines about whatever the series is. It's just about tomorrow night for us, just like last night was just about last night. You have to credit Boston for the game they played.

Q. Jimmy Butler has gained a reputation of always saying what's on his mind, for better or worse. Why is that approach helping in this situation when it might not have helped in others?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I have no idea. I never was around him in other places. He doesn't have to apologize for who he is around us. If he screams and yells and snaps at us, we don't take it personal. That's our language. I kind of like it like that.