Spurs, Heat defined by stability at the top

SAN ANTONIO — While the NBA coaching world has never been more unstable, the two coaches left standing in the NBA Finals have never been on more solid ground.

Twelve coaches have been fired since the regular season ended. That includes six who led their teams to the playoffs.

But two of the three longest-tenured coaches in the league are showing that consistency and patience can pay off in a big way. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is in his 17th season. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is in his fifth, making him the third longest-tenured coach.

Both have decried the recent run of firings that included reigning Coach of the Year George Karl in Denver.

The Heat and Spurs enter Game 5 on Sunday night tied at two games apiece.