Erik Spoelstra went outside his comfort zone to craft perfect Heat approach

"And yet, head coach Erik Spoelstra essentially tossed it out the window-and gave his group a fighting chance for the 2025-26 NBA season in the process. The Heat almost never run-they'd never previously had a top-10 pace in the play-by-play era (which started in 1996-97)-but they're suddenly the fastest team in the league, per NBA.com. They've also largely ditched pick-and-roll plays (a staple in modern NBA offenses) and instead leaned into a motion-based offense meant to prioritize movement and empower everyone involved."

""We have a style that we're trying to get to that we think maximizes our personnel," Spoelstra told The Athletic's Law Murray. "That's it. We're not trying to trick people or whatever people may think." The Heat are evolving in front of our eyes, but they're managing to do without losing their core identity. It's a fascinating process to witness and a serious flex from the best coach in basketball."

""We wanted to switch the philosophy of how we played basketball," Bam Adebayo told Murray. The Heat are playing fast, but not reckless ( 14th in turnover percentage), and they're not giving up their defensive integrity in the process. This isn't quite a dominant defense ( seventh in efficiency), but it's good enough to do the heaviest lifting on a team that's at least above-average on both ends."

The Miami Heat shifted from a slow, pick-and-roll-focused approach to the NBA's fastest pace while emphasizing motion and player movement. Coach Erik Spoelstra reworked the system to better fit available personnel rather than forcing previous schemes. The team reduced reliance on traditional pick-and-roll plays and prioritized a motion-based offense that empowers multiple contributors. The Heat sustain solid defensive performance, ranking seventh in defensive efficiency, while maintaining disciplined ball control (14th in turnover percentage). The combination of above-average offense and defense gives the Heat a viable path for the 2025-26 season without sacrificing core identity.

Read at All U Can Heat