Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke before the big matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers and spent his pre-game availability talking about current players on the opposing team. The Heat is trying to build off their home win to the Washington Wizards last Friday night as they finally broke their four-game losing streak.
Big praise for LeBron James from Spoelstra
Everybody knows about Lakers star LeBron James and his time with the Heat as it resulted in four NBA Finals appearances and two championships. While he would go back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers after, his legacy is still vast in relation to Miami.
Spoelstra was the head coach on all of those winning teams as he talks about James' physique and how it has gave way to a long career for the 38-year-old. He would also emphasize about how his “behind the scenes” preparation that doesn't get talked about often.
“He was probably ahead of most certainly for a young player. You know, always staying in shape, even in the off-seasons, he was never like working to get back in shape, during training camp, he was already in shape, that ages well,” Spoelstra said. “And then all the work that he puts in behind the scenes, I don't think that gets talked about enough that most people don't see and they assume that he doesn't need. He's been able to maintain this level because of all that other stuff and now there won't be a day where he doesn't dominate. Even without the physical tools, they can't deal with his size and his brain.”
Spoelstra talks Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis
A huge storyline coming from this game has to be the center matchup between the Heat's Bam Adebayo and Lakers' Anthony Davis, who both are widely considered to be the two best defensive big-man in the NBA. Spoelstra acknowledged this to ClutchPoints by saying that they're different, but do share some qualities.
“They're different. Davis is just extremely long, has great instincts at the rim, and he's a shot blocker. I think he's probably pretty close to leading the league in shot blocking almost four a game. A big rebounder, he changes shots at the rim,” Spoelstra said. “Bam [Adebayo] does it in so many different ways, he does a multitude of pick and roll coverages for us. He guards the perimeter, guards inside, he's technically as sound as anybody in this league.”
“Really disciplined, really smart. And his versatility just allows us to be a little bit year in year out different defensively. So they both have a great impact on that and then I think it always comes down to your care level if it's important to you and it is for the both of them.”
Big seasons so far for Adebayo and Davis
It's going to be a slugfest between these two as each can fill up the stat-sheet in a multitude of ways. So far this season, Adebayo is averaging 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and has been disruptive defensively in every game this season.
Davis on the other hand is enjoying a great start to the 2023-24 campaign averaging 26.3 points, 13 rebounds, and also a staggering 3.7 blocks per game. Even in the Lakers last game against the Orlando Magic, despite the loss, Davis had an eye-opening seven blocks.
There's no doubt that Spoelstra and the Heat have game-planned for James, Davis, and the other impact players on the Lakers, but fans are in for a show Monday night. The game will be at the Kaseya Center at 7:30 p.m. (EST) as the Heat look for their second straight win.
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