The Miami Heat are just 1-7 in their last eight games, appear to be on a collision course with their fourth straight Play-In Tournament appearance, and just lost to the worst team in the league (and in embarrassing fashion), but Erik Spoelstra isn't ready to wave the white flag.
After the loss to the Indiana Pacers, Spo is looking to see his team respond in an upcoming homestand.
"We’ve shown toughness throughout the season. We just haven’t been able to do it. But I know our guys want this, Erik Spoelstra said. We’re going to take this L…take the L against Cleveland on Friday. Two very disappointing losses, and we’re going to go to Miami and figure out how to get this next one tomorrow.”
The Heat are in Play-In Tournament position once again
After the loss to the Pacers, the Heat are now three games back of the sixth seed and four games back of the fifth seed. With just seven games left, it appears that, short of an epic collapse from nearly every team above them, their hopes of finishing outside of the Play-In Tournament are going to fall short.
Still, it's not necessarily in the Heat's mantra to give up.
Even if their play may suggest otherwise, the Heat are not waving the white flag. At least, that's not what Spo is going to preach. He's going to push his team to keep moving forward and to keep fighting.
One that is likely going to lead them right into the Play-In Tournament for a fourth straight season.
The Heat's mediocrity has been difficult to digest
And for a team that generally prides itself on competing for championships, being a consistent resident of the Play-In Tournament has been a difficult to get used to for the fan base.
But, nevertheless, this has slowly become the new reality for this team.
And unless something drastically changes during the offseason, it doesn't appear as if they're going to break out of this mediocrity.
The Heat can preach a winning culture all they want, but unless they start winning at a consistent basis again, it's going to be difficult to take it seriously again.
That's where the battle lies for the Heat - not just over the course of the final few weeks of this season, but also heading into the offseason.
But the Heat aren't giving up yet. They'll continue to fight and battle every night. However, it's difficult to envision the outcome changing right now. The Heat are what they are, and there's not much they can do to change that right now.
Miami will fight. To what end is the big question.