Inside The Heat

Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra Moves Past Questionable Late Decision In Game 2

Shandel Richardson|
Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts on the bench during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts on the bench during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins was in an unfamiliar position late in Wednesday's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2.

Wiggins was on the bench the whole fourth quarter despite the Heat making it close after trailing by 19. Coach Erik Spoelstra insists he went with the hot lineup but wants Wiggins in those situations moving forward.

"I actually put him at the scorer’s table at six to go and the group wanted to keep on pushing through," Spoelstra said. "We stayed with it. But, obviously, he’ll [Wiggins] be very important the rest of the series.”

The decision didn't sit well with many fans. They felt Wiggins, who was acquired in the Jimmy Butler trade, should have been on the court. Spoelstra instead went with third-year forward Nikola Jovic, who was receiving his first extended playing time since sustaining a broken hand in late February.

The move backfired because Jovic had a couple costly mental lapses in the clutch. Even Jovic owned up to the mistakes.

“Yeah, I mean, I got what I wanted, and that’s to close the game in the playoffs,” Jovic said. “The stuff I did at the end is really unacceptable. I really did cost us the game, and I just got to be better. This is my third year, and I’m not a rookie anymore. I’ve seen what’s the deal and how to get to the playoffs. The stuff I did today is just not good. I’m really grateful the coach got me the opportunity.”

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here