Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra Back In The Lineup After Absence

After being away from the team for two games, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra returned to the sideline for Friday's matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.

Spoelstra had been out because of the NBA's health and safety protocols.

“I mean, obviously, it was a strange week,” Spoelstra said during pregame interviews. “It was a little bit of a surprise. Look, a lot of people have been pretty hard by COVID. Thankfully I was not one of them.

“I really would never have had any idea if we didn’t have to test for it while we were in Toronto. But I’m thankful at least I found out, so when I came back, I can make the appropriate arrangements with my family and everything.”

Spoelstra praised Quinn's work while he was sidelined. The Heat were 2-0, with wins against the Toronto Raptors and Charlotte Hornets.

"I thought Quinny and the staff just did an outstanding job,” Spoelstra said. “It just shows you how many responsibilities he’s taken on over the last couple of years. He was really able to step into that seamlessly. For us, that wasn’t a surprise. I think everything was seamless.”

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