Mavericks Beat Heat at Kaseya Center

Dusty May's Mavericks defeated Erik Spoelstra's Heat on Monday night at Kaseya Center in Miami.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Basketball

Live Poll

Do you think coaches who stay with one team long-term are more trustworthy than those who move around?

The Mavericks defeated the Heat on Monday night at Kaseya Center. The game pits Mavericks coach Dusty May against Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, two coaches with a longstanding connection.

Why it matters

The result adds a notable chapter to the relationship between May and Spoelstra, whose ties date back to a Heat training camp. For Miami fans, the loss is a rare home defeat to a coach once connected to the franchise.

Dusty May has coached at Eastern Michigan, Murray State, UAB, Louisiana Tech, Florida, FAU from 2018 to 2024, and Michigan from 2024 to 2026. Erik Spoelstra has coached the Heat for 19 years, and the two first crossed paths at a Heat training camp at FAU three years ago.

The players

Dusty May

Dusty May is the Mavericks head coach, who previously led FAU and Michigan and built his reputation as a rising college coaching figure.

Erik Spoelstra

Erik Spoelstra is the Miami Heat head coach, who has led the franchise for 19 years and is widely regarded as one of the NBA's longest-tenured coaches.

The details

Dusty May, now coaching the Mavericks, previously led Michigan to a championship in April 2026. His connection to the Heat runs through Spoelstra, who hired May's son Jack as a video intern, and through Heat signee Vlad Goldin, who came out of Michigan. Former Heat shooting coach Rob Fodor has since joined the Mavericks staff.

2023: Spoelstra and May meet at a Heat training camp at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
April 2026: May's Michigan team wins a national championship.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Mavericks defeat the Heat at Kaseya Center.

Season Trajectory

The Mavericks' win over a franchise they have deep personal ties to highlights how staff movement between NBA teams can shape early-season matchups. It adds a narrative thread to the Heat's organizational history as its former people build programs elsewhere.

The result shifts the early-season record for both teams and gives Heat fans a clear measure of how the Mavericks' staff connections are playing out on the court. Fantasy managers tracking Heat rotation players should watch how Spoelstra adjusts after the loss.

The takeaway

Coaching relationships and staff movement often shape how teams match up, and this game shows how those connections carry into competition. Following staff changes across the league can help explain future results.