Last season, Spoelstra was constantly working with Daequan Cook on his shooting before games and after practices. Cook now is one of the Heat's best bench scorers, but earlier this season Spoelstra told the guard he wouldn't play if he wouldn't commit to defense.

Spoelstra's role has changed from Heat assistant for 13 seasons to head coach. And so necessarily did his relationship with players, particularly those whom he worked closely with as the assistant in charge of individual player development.

Some of that is because he just doesn't have as much time, Spoelstra said, but it's also because now he's the boss.

"I am still trying to make as much of an effort to communicate with guys, [but] it may not be as much of a friend type of relationship as coach-to-player," Spoelstra said.

"It's different when you are an assistant coach and being the one who is always patting on the back, to a head coach," Wade said. "You are not patting on the back anymore. You are telling guys what they have to do. You tell them the bold-faced truth."

No longer is Spoelstra's focus narrowed on developing individual skills. He now is in charge of the program, and that inevitably means making decisions unpopular with players he once trained.

"I understand," Cook said. "He is the type of coach I have a lot of confidence in, and who I know very well. There is a reason for [his decisions]."

For players not among the team's stars or established veterans, disagreements with the coach frequently are related to playing time. Spoelstra said they are almost always about playing time since minutes can mean money in the NBA.

He said he knew from the start he'd have to clearly communicate his plans for playing time because so much of the rotation was unsettled.

"We had this talk early on," Spoelstra said. "Everybody is getting paid to work for the Miami Heat . In this regard, I am the boss, and I am dictating what their roles will be.

"We are paying you to come to work, and these are the roles. ... As long as those checks keep on coming, the Miami Heat expects you to fall into line."

Spoelstra's sideline demeanor reflects that direct style. He has been fiery at times, upbraiding some of the same players he once tutored. After the Heat's loss Sunday at Memphis, Spoelstra said he's emotional during games, angry after losses and more objective the next day.

Heat guard Chris Quinn, another player who spent hours working individually with Spoelstra, said the coach always has been demanding.

"It's not like he's completely done a total makeover who he is as a coach," Quinn said. "He is stressing the same things.

"But as players we definitely have to understand he's the head coach now and he's the one calling the shots."

Spoelstra said there have been no real problems with players, who "have been great about making it about the team." But then things so far have been relatively tranquil for the Heat, with the three-game losing streak as the first potential crisis.

Like all teams, the Heat will experience coach-player friction at some point. Spoelstra said he's ready for it after observing Heat President Pat Riley handle internal problems as coach.

"There is always going to be confrontations and disagreements," Spoelstra said. "I thought Pat was one of the very best at knowing how to deal with confrontation and keeping guys into the team even if guys might not be in total agreement what their role should be."

That's Spoelstra's job now, and it's much different than his previous post. If that change has required a transition period, Wade said players could benefit from having a guy they know in charge.

"One thing that is good with Spo is we have a player relationship with him," Wade said. "That means his door is open to go talk to him about different things. It just makes it a comfortable situation."

Michael Cunningham can be reached at mcunningham@ SunSentinel.com INFORMATIONAL BOX:

50

Games Pat Riley won in his first regular season as head coach with the Lakers in 1981-82 after being promoted from assistant.

INFORMATIONAL BOX:

Moving from buddy to boss

Erik Spoelstra is going through the transition from assistant to head coach. Here are tips from Michael Watkins' The Leading Edge in the Harvard Business Review that apply to Spoelstra and others after a promotion:

Establish your authority deftly.

Focus on what's good for the business.

Rethink what you delegate.

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Rethink your advice and counsel network.

Recognize that relationships have to change.