Spoelstra technical came on live ball
Coach laments ‘stupid’ play that will cost him
MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra has received his share of warnings from referees when it comes to his habit of walking on the court while calling a timeout.
But Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons, the Miami Heat coach crossed the line and was called for a technical foul for touching the ball while it was in play.
The result was his sixth technical foul of the season, tops among NBA coaches, one ahead of Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton.
“It’s such a mindless play,” Spoelstra lamented Thursday, as he turned his attention to tonight’s game against the New York Knicks at AmericanAirlines Arena. “I’m embarrassed about it.”
While Spoelstra’s action did not impact the course of play, with the Heat about to be called for a 24-second violation, it left him more than a bit shamed.
With the Heat unable to find a shot after the Pistons trimmed their deficit to 78-74 with 2:20 to play in the third quarter, the Heat allowed the ball to bound into the backcourt with a shot-clock violation imminent.
But before the shot-block buzzer sounded, Spoelstra picked up the ball, frustrated by his team’s lack of execution at such a significant stage.
He explained Thursday how it went down.
“I saw the clock,” he said. “I was calculating in my mind, 2 1⁄2 ... 2 ... 1 1⁄2 ... and I was waiting for the horn as I’m going down and it just didn’t go off.”
That had him turning to referee Tony Brown with a what-happens-now stare.
“And as soon as I picked it up,” Spoelstra said, “I looked at the official and he just did a double take like, ‘Did you actually do that?’ I was hoping that for them to have a brain freeze as well and move on, but they didn’t.”
Even after emerging with the victory, one that put his team three games above .500 for the first time this season, he couldn’t believe what he had done.
“That was just stupid,” he said. “I was looking at the clock. I was looking at the clock and I just had one of those brain, you know what.
“I was waiting for the horn and then I got frustrated and then just picked it up. I thought it was going to be after the horn, and it wasn’t.”
Pistons guard Avery Bradley missed the resulting free throw, with a Reggie Bullock 3-pointer on that possession trimming the Heat’s lead to one.
“So that should be a double payment for me,” Spoelstra said, much of his 10-season coaching career spent warning against mindless mistakes and turnovers. “Obviously, I’m going to have to pay for that. And I probably owe the team something for being stupid.”
Unlike the Pistons, the Heat were able to take advantage of a technical foul on Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy, who was called for complaining about the officiating with 10:02 to play, with Wayne Ellington converting the ensuing free throw.
The fine for each of the first five technical fouls of the season is $2,000 each, rising to $3,000 per call for the sixth through 10th of the season.
“Yeah, that’s great,” Spoelstra said. “After the holidays. After the Christmas gifts, all that, it’s awesome.”
Spoelstra’s technical fouls this season:
Nov. 6 vs. Warriors (for arguing a no-call on a Hassan Whiteside shot being blocked).
Nov. 29 vs. Knicks (for contesting a foul called on
Bam Adebayo).
Dec. 1 vs. Hornets (for arguing the lack of a foul call when Adebayo was hit).
Dec. 22 vs. Pelicans (for arguing Josh Richardson not getting a foul call).
Dec. 29 vs. Nets (for general officiating displeasure amid the blowout loss).
Jan. 3 vs. Pistons (for interfering with play).
As a matter of perspective, only six players have more than Spoelstra’s six technical fouls: Draymond Green (10), Kevin Durant (8), DeMarcus Cousins (7), Dwight Howard (7), Russell Westbrook (7) and Markieff Morris (7). No Heat player has more than two, with point guard Goran Dragic at that total.
“And as soon as I picked it up I looked at the official and he just did a double take like, ‘Did you actually do that?’ ” Erik Spoelstra, Heat head coach