Eastern Conference Finals coaching matchup as intriguing as on-court action

BOSTON (AP) —The latest Eastern Conference finals pairing between the Heat andCeltics will be a matchup that ultimately turns on the play ofstars like Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum.

ButMiami’s123-116Game 1 victoryalso showed how the tactical battle betweenrookie coach Joe Mazzulla and veteran counterpart Erik Spoelstrawill also play a big factor.

The Celticsdominated the first two quarters on Wednesday night before beingoutscored 46-25 in the third period – the most points they’veallowed in any playoff quarter over the past 25 years. It putBoston into a 103-91 hole it never overcame.

Thegame-changing onslaught also included a 13-1 run by the Heat tohelp tie the game in which Mazzulla made the decision not to call atimeout, something that has become a recurring theme for him thisseason because of his preference to let the Celtics play throughrough patches.

“I don’tthink it’s a challenge in the postseason, I think it’s humannature,” Mazzulla said Thursday when asked about his team’stendencies to surrender leads this season. “So how are you able toget out of that and win that and just understanding yourenvironment, understanding your opponent? It’s hard to do, but whatwe’re trying to do is really hard.”

Afterback-to-back series in which Boston has fallen into 0-1 holes, it’scast the spotlight back on the 34-year-old, who was thrust into hisdream job in the preseason and is now trying to find new ways tomotivate a team with championship expectations.

Miami’sSpoelstra knows well what it’s like to be in that position.

The52-year-old Spoelstra grew up in the Heat organization, rising fromvideo coordinator to assistant to head coach at 38, and thensuccessfully balanced the pressure of turning a team led byAll-Stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh intoback-to-back NBA champions.

Spoelstraacknowledged that he doubted himself initially, recalling how hewas heckled in his first game in New York by Knicks fans who asked,“if I was up past my bedtime.”

“I wasbeating myself up quite a bit,” Spoelstra said of his firstseason.

Likewise,Mazzulla has made no secret that he has learned something withevery game he has coached.

That includesthe playoffs. During the last series, Mazzulla listened to pleasfrom the Celtics’ veteran leaders to reinsert Robert Williams IIIinto the starting lineup. He also apologized to the team for notcalling a timeout prior to its final possession in Game 4 overtimeloss to Philadelphia.

“He trustsus. At the end of the day, Joe trusts us,” Celtics guard MalcolmBrogdon said.

That humilityis why Spoelstra respects what Mazzulla has done to this point,going through the challenges of an NBA season.

“I think justgoing through the fire, going through the experiences,” Spoelstrasaid. “Every situation is different. So, I don’t know what it’slike in this locker room, this building. But I have a lot ofrespect for Joe. We have a lot of mutual friends. We saw each othera lot in the (Florida) bubble. … We always seemed to be bumpinginto each other all the time.”

And nowthey’ve bumped into each other three of the past fourpostseasons.

While histeam is an underdog this time around, as one of the league’slongest tenured head coaches, Spoelstra is proving yet again howgood he is at getting the best out of his players.

Despite aslow start in Game 1, Spoelstra let Butler set the tone throughout,including trusting his star to guard Tatum, despite Butler dealingwith an ankle issue that slowed him the previous round against NewYork.

It increasedthe amount of energy Tatum had to exert and contributed to him nottaking a shot in the fourth quarter, despite a 30-point scoringnight.

It’s part ofwhat has become the Heat’s culture under Spoelstra, teams led bystars but depending on the collective for ultimate success.

He saidButler epitomizes that.

“On the ball,off the ball, all that stuff,” Spoelstra said. “Settled usoffensively. That’s a big part of us not turning the ball over, isjust having a place where you can throw the ball and get a bit moresettled.”

That said,Spoelstra expects Boston to respond in Game 2 on Friday. Not justbecause of the players they have on the court, but because of theguy patrolling the sideline.

Spoelstrasaid he can tell Mazzulla has already grown as a coach.

“You gothrough it, the experience,” Spoelstra said. “That’s the bestthing. The most valuable thing. What he’s done this year is noteasy. You definitely have to respect that.”