Take a glance at an NBA sideline. On most nights, there’s plenty of shot creators, playmakers and specialists at a coach’s disposal. Playoff contenders like Brad Stevens’s Celtics, Mike D’Antoni’s Rockets or Dwane Casey’s Raptors are flush with talent granting unparalleled flexibility to execute sorcery-level moderations of the pick-and-roll or dribble-handoffs.
Then there’s Erik Spoelstra. For the second straight year, the Miami Heat coach is refining the sketches of his basketball coaching oeuvre. Where the cavalcade of superstars and offense is the norm, Miami is an anomaly. The Heat are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to producing points.