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Posted by Kevin Arnovitz

The Eric Spoelstra story is one of my favorites -- meritocracy as its best.  Thirteen years ago, Spoelstra was the video coordinator for the Heat.  He gradually worked his way up in the organization.  "Assistant Coach" was added to his title in 1997. Then, in 1999, "video coordinator" was exchanged for "advance scout."  Two years later, he graduated from advance scout to Director of Scouting.  Today, he's presiding over one of the league's most improved teams.  Triumph of the Basketball Dork! [intended as a compliment].

But whatever their pedigrees, rookie coaches -- no different than rookie players -- are subject to growing pains.  Basketball.org noticed one such mistake during last Friday's Heat/Bulls game: 

The game was nothing of significance, just a regular season game between the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls, but what happened at the end of the game is worth noting.

With 30 seconds remaining and up over 10 points, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout to let his subs in the game. When it occurred, we all looked at each other saying "what the #$#@?

Apparently, the Chicago Bulls were irate as well at the Heat,

Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro sarcastically wondered if Spoelstra called the timeout "to set up a play or something, then added that "we'll play them again.

Spoelstra said he was made aware of the Bulls' unhappiness with the timeout when he saw some Chicago coaches pointing angrily at the Heat bench and assistant coach Ron Rothstein.

IMO, I do not believe Coach Spoelstra was trying to stick it to the Bulls, however, he did make a rookie mistake for a rookie coach.

Calling a timeout at that point in the game and up by that much is a flat-out no no -- you just do not do it. There is no reason for a time-out to be called at that juncture in the game even to be bringing in subs. In fact, with 30 seconds left and with your subs at the scorer's table the sportsman move for a coach is to bring those players back to the bench.

Most of the time if a coach pulls a move like Spoelstra did, he does it to show up the opposing team and coach, which is why we reacted the way we did when watching the game and why the Bulls have reacted the way that they have.  Maybe in the future if a coach does this type of a move we can call it a "Spoelstra." Just a thought.

Unwritten codes in sport preserve certain traditions and a quaint brand of civility, and I appreciate that.  Baseball has tons of these rules.  "You just don't do x when you're up five runs."  All well and good, but often we mistake symbolism for sportsmanship.  Or, to put it another way, we sweat the small stuff.

Perhaps the other rookie coach in this episode, Vinny Del Negro, should focus on learning how to utilize his players' strengths -- something he's failed to do to any effect this season -- rather than petty protocol.