Erik Spoelstra is already climbing the playoff win leaderboard

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has climbed the playoff win ladder considerably this postseason, with a chance to be alone in eighth place with one more win.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has a chance to capture his third NBA title this season, with Miami up two games to none on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, and a successful postseason has helped the veteran head coach rise the ranks on the all-time playoff wins leaderboard.

Following Thursday night’s comeback win, Spoelstra moved into a tie with K.C. Jones for eighth place on the all-time leaderboard, with a chance to occupy the position alone with just one more victory.

While the two-time champion should be proud of his accomplishment, he likely cares far more about his team’s pursuit of a title. The addition of Jimmy Butler has done wonders for a Miami team that lacked a star, and the team has completely reinvented itself as a 3-point shooting juggernaut.

Who was Erik Spoelstra passed on the playoff win leaderboard this year?

With the Heat just two games away from the NBA Finals, Spoelstra should have a chance to keep adding wins, but still trails some of the other legendary coaches on the list by a wide margin. Passing Doc Rivers, Jerry Sloan, Red Auerbach, and Larry Brown will be no easy task, but with Miami’s future looking bright, Spoelstra should have a chance to do so the next few years.

Miami has surpassed expectations throughout the playoffs, going 10-1 in its first 11 games and knocking out the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. The Heat have made a habit of winning close games, overcoming a slew of double-digit deficits throughout their dominant postseason run.

Bam Adebayo, in particular, has been fantastic, giving fans one of the most memorable moments of the playoffs when he blocked a Jayson Tatum dunk attempt late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 to seal a Miami victory.

With Spoelstra keeping opponents guessing and the roster playing with a great deal of chemistry, the Heat look like a true title contender, and a date with the Lakers or Nuggets in the NBA Finals could help remind fans why he is one of the league’s truly elite coaches.