Heat’s Erik Spoelstra earns spot as Eastern Conference head coach for 2013 NBA All-Star Game

NEW YORK – Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 17 (8 p.m. ET), at the Toyota Center in Houston.

The Heat (30-14, .682) clinched the best record in the conference through games played Feb. 3, by virtue of its 100-85 road win against the Toronto Raptors.

Spoelstra, in his fifth season as Miami’s head coach, led the Heat to  its second NBA title last season. Spoelstra owns a career winning percentage of .631 (224-132). Since becoming Heat head coach, Spoesltra has guided the Heat to two division titles, two conference championships, and the 2012 NBA championship. He is tied for the franchise postseason record in victories (34), playoff series wins (seven) and winning percentage (.607), and he ranks second to Pat Riley in franchise history with 56 postseason games coached.

The West All-Stars will be coached by the San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich. The Chicago Bulls’ Tom Thibodeau and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Scott Brooks coached in last year’s All-Star Game and were therefore ineligible for the honor this year.

The 62nd NBA All-Star Game will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013 (8 p.m. ET), televised exclusively on TNT and broadcast exclusively on ESPN Radio in the U.S. The All-Star Game will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages.