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Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra admitted responsibility for a costly mistake during Tuesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons. With just 1.1 seconds left in overtime, Spoelstra called a timeout that the Heat didn't have, leading to a technical foul and a game-winning free throw for the Pistons. Malik Beasley capitalized on the opportunity, securing a 123-121 victory for Detroit on the opening night of NBA Cup play.

"I made a serious mental error there at the end," Spoelstra confessed after the game. "That's on me. I feel horrible about it."

The Heat had a 121-119 lead following Tyler Herro’s basket with 1.8 seconds remaining. However, after a subsequent timeout, the Pistons executed a flawless inbounds play, with Cade Cunningham delivering a lob pass that Jalen Duren dunked to tie the game. In the heat of the moment, Spoelstra stormed onto the court angrily and signaled for the ill-fated timeout.

"There’s really no excuse for that," Spoelstra reflected. "I'm 17 years in. We had talked about it in the huddle, I knew we didn’t have anything. I just got emotional and reactive and made a horrendous mistake at the end. It’s a shame."

Despite his decorated career, which includes two NBA championships and an assistant coaching role on the gold medal-winning US team this summer, Spoelstra’s error overshadowed a stellar performance by Herro, who scored 40 points and made 10 three-pointers.

"You don't want it to come down to a mental error like that," Spoelstra said, pausing thoughtfully. "This felt like a game deserving of double overtime, and not to be decided by such a mistake. Unfortunately, even as a veteran coach, I got in the way of that."

This uncharacteristic lapse from one of the league’s most respected coaches left an indelible mark on an otherwise thrilling night of basketball.