Erik Spoelstra Says Heat Have 'No Regrets' After NBA Finals Loss to Nuggets
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has "no regrets" after his team, which became the second No. 8 seed to reach the NBA Finals in league history, fell to the Denver Nuggets in five games in the championship series.
"There's no regrets on our end," Spoelstra told reporters, per Al Butler of UPI. "Sometimes you get beat. Denver was the better basketball team in this series."
The Heat made a great run to the Finals after advancing to the playoffs from the play-in tournament, defeating two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks, the No. 5 New York Knicks and the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics to reach the championship.
However, Miami ran into a buzzsaw in the Finals.
Denver entered the playoffs having won 12 of 15 games thanks largely to two-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
The big man kept rolling in the NBA Finals, averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists in the series, including a pair of triple-doubles.
Ultimately, the Nuggets won a well-deserved championship, and the Heat impressed with a great run to the title.
Furthermore, Spoelstra was clearly happy with his team.
"I told each one of the guys I love them," Spoelstra told reporters. "I love this team. I am just super grateful that we were able to go through all of the experiences...This is one for the journal books."
Spoelstra, who has coached the Heat since 2008, has led Miami to six NBA Finals series, winning two. Miami has won the Eastern Conference two of the last four years.
