MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra earned his 800th career win Wednesday night, guiding the Miami Heat to a 106-103 triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA Cup group matchup at Kaseya Center.
The milestone made Spoelstra the 17th coach in league history to reach 800 victories and only the third to collect each one with a single franchise, joining San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Utah’s Jerry Sloan. Miami players marked the occasion with a surprise locker-room shower, dousing their coach with water bottles immediately after the final horn.
“I was very confused,” Spoelstra said. “I was calculating that maybe we’d qualified for the Cup. Then I realized nobody else was getting water dumped on them.”
Tyler Herro paced Miami with 29 points, while Bam Adebayo added 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Heat improved to 13-6 overall, 9-1 at home and 3-1 in Cup play. They can clinch Group C if Milwaukee defeats New York on Friday; a Knicks victory would leave Miami needing additional help to reach the quarterfinals.
Ryan Rollins scored 26 points for the Bucks, who dropped their sixth straight game. Myles Turner finished with 24 points, and Gary Trent Jr. had 15. Milwaukee played without Giannis Antetokounmpo for a fourth consecutive contest because of a strained left adductor.
The achievement arrives weeks after Spoelstra’s home was destroyed in a fire; his children were unharmed, and the coach has not missed a day of work since the incident. “It’s fitting that it comes on the eve of Thanksgiving,” he said. “I feel incredible gratitude for this organization and everyone I’ve worked with over the years.”
Herro reflected on his coach’s journey. “I’m trying to think how old I was when Spo probably got his first one, and now he’s at 800. It’s great to be part of a franchise that’s historically been one of the top.”
Source: ESPN
