Around NBA: Do the Miami Heat Need to Fire Erik Spoelstra and Hire a Real Coach?

The answer is a resounding YES.

The Miami Heat need a new coach. That is not debatable anymore.

Ever since the beginning of the season, coach Erik Spoelstra had been placed under the magnifying glass after the team signed unrestricted free agents LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh over the summer.

After fumbling toward a 9-8 record to start the season, many people had called for Spoelstra's sacking, and with less-than-glowing support he received from his three superstars including Dwyane Wade, who's had a relationship with him since entering the NBA, many felt that Spoelstra's job was doomed.

His job was saved however when the Heat made a nice turnaround and won 20 of its next 21 games, until a devastating loss to the Los Angeles Clippers also caused an injury to James, their unofficial "best player", and the Heat went through another rough patch when Wade and Bosh also faced injuries.

Since LeBron's return, and with the team back to being healthy, the Heat have continued their winning ways, and even captured the Eastern Conference lead for a second time this season. Like their first time, however, they were unable to hold onto it and the Celtics are again the leading team in the East.

But the most troubling concern for the Heat is that they have not been able to put away big games against good opponents, despite often building an early lead.

That was evident when the Heat faced the New York Knicks earlier this week. 

Having acquired former Denver Nuggets superstar Carmelo Anthony the previous week, the Knicks were still adjusting their new line-up, having lost in the trade Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton, and having added Chauncey Billups along with Melo.

Despite winning against the woeful Milwaukee Bucks in Madison Square Garden in Melo's Knicks debut, the team then went on to lose their next game to the Cleveland Cavaliers, o...

About the Author