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The Miami Heat were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs and lost Games 3 and 4 at home in embarrassing fashion. The Heat lost Game 3 by 37 points and Game 4 by 55.
"I hope that players became better from it, but damn, it was humbling," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after Game 4. "This series was humbling."
All-Star big man Bam Adebayo told reporters after Game 4 that he expects Heat president Pat Riley to make "a lot of changes this summer." However, one NBA personality doesn't believe Riley should be back in Miami.
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN said on First Take Tuesday that Riley should retire and Spoelstra should be the Heat's new president of basketball operations.
The Heat haven't won a title since 2013. They reached the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 with Adebayo and Jimmy Butler leading the way, but lost both times.
Butler requested a trade from the Heat this season and was traded to the Golden State Warriors. Riley and Butler didn't have a good relationship near the end of Butler's tenure in South Beach.
Miami Heat exec Pat RileyJim Rassol-Imagn Images
Riley is a Hall of Famer. He's considered one of the smartest basketball minds of all time. However, he has managed to make Butler, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James angry and wasn't able to acquire Damian Lillard in 2023 when the All-Star requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers and wanted to get traded to the Heat.
Riley is 80 years old. It's unknown how much longer he wants to work, but if it were up to Smith, Riley wouldn't be with Miami next season.
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"I hope that players became better from it, but damn, it was humbling," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after Game 4. "This series was humbling."
All-Star big man Bam Adebayo told reporters after Game 4 that he expects Heat president Pat Riley to make "a lot of changes this summer." However, one NBA personality doesn't believe Riley should be back in Miami.
Stephen A. Smith of ESPN said on First Take Tuesday that Riley should retire and Spoelstra should be the Heat's new president of basketball operations.
The Heat haven't won a title since 2013. They reached the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023 with Adebayo and Jimmy Butler leading the way, but lost both times.
Butler requested a trade from the Heat this season and was traded to the Golden State Warriors. Riley and Butler didn't have a good relationship near the end of Butler's tenure in South Beach.
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Miami Heat exec Pat RileyJim Rassol-Imagn Images
Riley is a Hall of Famer. He's considered one of the smartest basketball minds of all time. However, he has managed to make Butler, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James angry and wasn't able to acquire Damian Lillard in 2023 when the All-Star requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers and wanted to get traded to the Heat.
Riley is 80 years old. It's unknown how much longer he wants to work, but if it were up to Smith, Riley wouldn't be with Miami next season.
Continue reading...
