"Damn, it was humbling" - Heat's Erik Spoelstra reflects on historic lopsided NBA playoff loss

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he felt humbled and embarrassed after his team suffered a historic loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. The Heat were dismantled in Game 4 of their first-round series, losing 138-83 and getting swept out of the 2025 NBA playoffs.

Spoelstra told reporters after the game that he hoped his players learned something from the experience of playing in the postseason against one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

"I think I became better from it," Spoelstra said. "I hope the players became better from it, but damn, it was humbling. You know, this series was humbling. These last two games were embarrassing, but Cleveland's also a very good team."

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The Miami Heat were the underdogs heading into the series. They were the No. 10 seed and had to battle their way in the play-in tournament to qualify for the playoffs.

The Heat lost all four games by double-digits and three by more than 20 points. The 55-point loss in Game 4 was the most lopsided defeat in a series-clinching game in NBA history and the third-largest in playoff history.

It's going to be a very interesting offseason in Miami, after the entire Jimmy Butler saga and a painful exit from the playoffs.

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Erik Spoelstra on lessons learned by Tyler Herro from this series

Erik Spoelstra on lessons learned by Tyler Herro from this series. (Photo: IMAGN)

Tyler Herro's response to Darius Garland has made headlines, but his performances in the last two games of the series were highlighted. He had 13 points in Game 3, but managed just four points on 1-for-10 shooting in Game 4.

Coach Erik Spoelstra believes his star guard will work on his game in the offseason and enter the 2025-26 season a better player.

"He's a competitor, so he loves that kind of challenge and he'll figure it out," Spoelstra said. "He'll have a great offseason. I don't want to think about that right now, but I know Tyler. I know what he's about. He's going to work and he'll come back better from this."

The Heat have a good core with Herro and Bam Adebayo, as well as young prospects like Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware.