Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced (Twitter link). Assistant Chris Quinn will lead the club in his place.
This is Spoelstra’s first time entering the league’s protocols, though Quinn and fellow assistant Malik Allen did so earlier this season. Spoelstra spoke against the protocols back in December in the hopes that the league would re-examine them — the required quarantine period has since been reduced.
“Has everybody gotten their shots and their boosters? Why would they be held out extensively longer than if they have the flu?” he asked, as relayed by Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
Spoelstra has guided Miami to the best record in the Eastern Conference this season (50-28), leading the No. 2 seed Bucks by 1.5 games. The Heat will also be without Jimmy Butler (toe), PJ Tucker (knee), Dewayne Dedmon (ankle) and Gabe Vincent (toe) for Sunday’s game against the Raptors.
Miami most recently took a 127-109 road victory over the Bulls on Saturday. The club only has four games left on its regular-season schedule, with the playoffs set to begin in 13 days.
Butler set him up.
All of this Lebaron as GM talk makes you forget about the other calculating guys in the league.
Is it Spo’s team or Jimmy’s? This is not a good look for them going into the playoffs…if I’m a Heat fan I’m concerned