We just told you there are all kinds of reports about friction in the Miami Heat locker room…
Unless you ask the Heat directly.
Ira Winderman at the Sun Sentinel did just that and both players coach Erik Spoelstra downplayed “the bump” and the rumors of locker room dissention.Of the bump with James, Spoelstra said after Monday’s shootaround at AmericanAirlines Arena that it was typical of the chaos that can ensue when he strides to the foul circle to plot strategy and his players return to the bench.
“I mean, I didn’t even notice until people mentioned it after that game,” Spoelstra said. “It’s a pinball game. I’m colliding into a lot of people.”
Teammate Chris Bosh downplayed the bump.
“I’m sure it’s just something else that blown out of proportion,” We bump into each other all the time.”
“It is so easy for everyone to push the panic button right now,” the third-year coach said. “Panic is probably at an all-time high on the outside. It cannot be on the inside with us.”
Part of this is losing — winning cures all locker room ills. Losing provides friction that creates heat and fires. But the Heat’s ills that have them loosing to good teams will not be simple to fix: the team’s lack of depth has been exposed, Spoelstra urges them to run more but the pace remains slow, and the offensive sets remain stagnant (whether that is the design or execution of them depends on who you ask).
Right now, the Heat can use this speculation as part of an “us against the world” mentality that fuels them and gets them playing better as a unit. Or, the infighting can tear them apart. It’s early in the season, tis can still go either way.
