Erik Spoelstra on Dallas Mavericks: “There’s been great stability here with Mark Cuban”

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra knows the Dallas Mavericks all too well. In his first Finals appearance as a head coach, the Heat, led by Spoelstra and LeBron James, lost to the Mavericks 4-2 back in 2011.

Eight years later, Spoelstra and Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle are still in their respective positions after being hired one month apart from each other back in 2008. Spoelstra speaks on the Mavericks’ stability in recent years, even after the departure of future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki.

“All I know is that there’s been great stability here with Mark Cuban. And the front office with Donnie (Walsh) and Rick has been able to be a part of some teams and some rebuilds to be able to now be the perfect coach for this team. Obviously, a lot of other franchises would’ve panicked and rolled through a few other coaches and not have had the benefit of having a Hall of Fame coach be able to handle a team like this.”

Spoelstra also chimed on James and his growing respect for young Mavericks star Luka Doncic and referenced the late Stuart Scott in doing so.

“Well, Stuart Scott said it best. Game respects game. And particularly, vision respects vision. Players that see the game at a deeper level. I think those kinds of players really respect each other.”