Erik Spoelstra joined an exclusive club of NBA head coaching history following the Miami Heat's 106-103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night during the NBA Cup group stage.
Going into the matchup, Spoelstra won 799 games throughout his head coaching career. He has been the Heat's head coach since 2008, embracing the franchise through the highs and lows as he won two championships and reached six NBA Finals throughout his tenure.
He needed one more win to reach the milestone of 800 wins, a feat that only 16 other coaches have achieved. Those include Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley, and Larry Brown among several others. After Wednesday's matchup, he made history as reporter Tim Reynolds declared on social media.
“Erik Spoelstra: The 17th coach in NBA history with 800 wins,” Reynolds wrote.
How Erik Spoelstra, Heat performed against Bucks
It was an incredible feat for Erik Spoelstra to have as he continues the Heat's strong start to the season after beating the Bucks.
Both teams traded blows throughout the course of the game, even as Milwaukee missed the services of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Despite their efforts, the Heat made enough big plays down the stretch to secure the win and protect their strong record at home.
Free throws, blocks, and fast break points made the difference in this matchup. The Heat prevailed in all three categories by making 18 shots at the line, blocking seven shots and scoring 16 fast break points. It wasn't the same for the Bucks as they only made nine free throws, blocked one shot and produced 11 points on the fast break.
Six players scored in double-digits in the win for Miami. Tyler Herro led the way with 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds, a steal, and a block. He shot 9-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Bam Adebayo came next with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Norman Powell had 11 points and four rebounds, Andrew Wiggins put up 11 points and three assists, while Kel'el Ware provided 11 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhile, Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed with 10 points and four rebounds.
Miami improved to a 13-6 record on the season, holding the third spot of the Eastern Conference standings. They are one game above the New Yok Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers while trailing the Toronto Raptors by one game and Detroit Pistons by 2.5 games.
Rolling with a six-game win streak, the Heat will look forward to their next matchup. They remain at home when they host the Pistons on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. ET.
