Miami Heat Silenced by Cleveland Cavs Despite Star Guard's '4-0' Defiance

Words matter. You've clicked on a link to read some.

Actions matter more, and what the Miami Heat have put on display through three losses against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of these NBA playoffs means they shouldn't talk anymore. At this point, they're just making themselves sound silly since every defiant sentence uttered sounds hollow.

Bam Adebayo called Game 3's effort in a 124-87 home loss "embarrassing."

Full stop.

Nothing more needed to be said.

Too late.

Tyler Herro's comments that "we're not going out 4-0" came at the podium as he divulged telling teammates that "it's not time to let go of the rope," in the locker room following Saturday's loss. All anyone will focus on is that 4-0 line. 

Unfortunately for the Heat, that includes the Cavs.

Cleveland now has a mission after thrashing the Heat to move within one win of advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight season after not winning a playoff series since LeBron James left again in 2018.

With or without point guard Darius Garland, who poked the Heat by saying his team only needed to continue picking on Herro defensively in order to continue having success, the Cavs will look for their first playoff series sweep since an Eastern Conference semifinal sweep of the Toronto Raptors back during James' last run. Garland, nursing a toe injury, can afford not to rush back for Game 4 if not 100 percent. Cleveland has proven it doesn't need him for this light work.

"We all knew we're capable of this," Cavs forward Evan Mobley said after the blowout win. "It's just next man up mentality."

Donovan Mitchell shot just 4-for-14 and finished with 13 points, so he'll be looking for a much better effort to try and close out the Heat without anyone needing to rattle his cage. 

Every other Eastern Conference series has featured beefing off the floor. Jaylen Brown hinted at a fight coming since the Orlando Magic has been so physical against his Boston Celtics. Damian Lillard went at Tyrese Haliburton at the end of Game 1 of Pacers-Bucks, and then returned to action after weeks of inactivity due to deep vein thrombosis in order to help his team get back in the series. Knicks-Pistons has been as juicy as you would expect a matchup between teams from New York and Detroit would be.

Cavs-Heat doesn't need any chatter. Cleveland has come out and acted like a top seed, administering a whoopin'.

Max Strus, who Adebayo dismissed before the start of the series, made the difference in Game 3 in his playoff return to South Florida. Besides helping clamp down on Herro, Strus finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Mitchell credited him with ramping up the Cavs' desperation factor.

Where was Miami's spirit? The Heat went through the motions for most of Game 3, lacking any fire. Who is counting on this team to play with reckless abandon as it attempts to avoid the broom treatment? What they say is inconsequential.

Watching Herro get swallowed up by a box-and-one didn't inspire much hope that there will be any games for this season's Heat to play after Monday. They've been defiant in overcoming Jimmy Butler's exit, a 10-game March losing streak and the No. 10 seed, but it looks like they're tapped out.

Adebayo put up Miami's best Game 3 numbers, finishing with Heat-highs in points (22), 3-pointers made (4) rebounds (9) and minutes played (40:12), but his team was outscored by 28 when he was out there. Hollow.

Miami shot 16-for-34 from 3-point range or it would've lost by 50. Given that Game 3 was the Heat's shot to get back in the series, the no-show was inexcusable. 

Davion Mitchell can stop yapping at the Cavs in defense of Herro, even though it's good to see he's a great teammate. 

Spoelstra has to answer questions after every game since it's an obligation, but a 37-point loss at home did all the talking for him. His team got bullied. Changes must be made.

Tony Mejia is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at tnyce1414@gmail.com