Story by
'Like the playground': Darius Garland, Tyler Herro jabs add intrigue to Cavs-Heat series
- Story by
- 'Like the playground': Darius Garland, Tyler Herro jabs add intrigue to Cavs-Heat series
MIAMI — Darius Garland and Tyler Herro added some intrigue to the first-round playoff matchup between the Cavaliers and Miami Heat , but neither has had much chance to personally back up the talk, either by situation or performance.
Both All-Star guards have traded words on and off the court in the series .
Advertisement
It began after the Cavs' Game 2 win in Cleveland when Garland was asked about their offensive strategy. The response was to "pick on Tyler Herro. … Don't play in tight spaces and pick on their weak defenders. Go at them."
Herro then responded before Game 3, telling ESPN , "To go to the media to talk about this and that says a lot about him. I'm not worried about Darius Garland . Somebody that doesn't play defense shouldn't be talking, either. He don't play defense, and we'll see that [in Game 3]."
Herro added to that while speaking to The New York Times : "We had said some words to each other on the court and then looked like he was in his feelings to go the media to say that after the game. I mean, that kind of says everything right there."
The morning of Game 3 on Saturday, April 26, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had a 22-second news conference in which he solely said: "I think it was addressed [Friday]. They won two games, so they're talking s***."
Advertisement
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson essentially left the trash talking to others.
"I don't control what they say at all," Atkinson said in Miami. "I know just from our perspective, we have great respect for the Heat, and I've said that from day one. … Tyler's a great player. He's an All-Star, great competitor on both ends, just like Darius. So it's like the playground, right? You go out there and you got someone you're going up against, sometimes there's verbal stuff."
Through the first two games with both Garland and Herro on the floor, it appeared both teams were attacking those guards. The Cavs made 21 of their 33 attempts in Games 1 and 2 with Herro as the primary defender, the highest number of made shots in the series to that point. The Heat, meanwhile, hit 12 of 18 attempts against Garland as the primary defender.
Neither All-Star guard added much to the verbal sniping in Game 3, or since then. Garland missed the game with a sprained big toe — and he's questionable for Game 4, too. Herro played, but his Heat were demolished 124-87 , the worst playoff loss in Miami franchise history.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) on April 20, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Cavaliers rout Heat in Game 3 of playoff series without Darius Garland, mostly without Donovan Mitchell
The Cavs' Game 3 win was likely a back-breaking one. Miami needed to avoid going down 3-0 and were at home, but the Cavs not only put up 124 points without one of their All-Star guards, they also held the Heat to under 90 points, which is a plateau not often missed in today's NBA. They also didn't have Donovan Mitchell playing his best, as he scored just 13 points on 4-for-14 shooting.
Advertisement
No Garland, barely any Mitchell production, on the road, and it didn't matter. These are the types of games the Cavs can point to as a reason for additional confidence knowing they've pulled off wins largely without their All-Star duo in the backcourt during this season, and now in a road playoff game.
Max Strus (18 points, nine rebounds, five assists) and De'Andre Hunter (21 points, four rebounds, three assists) were especially productive.
"I think it just shows how deep our team is," Hunter said. "I think we proved it all year, but to see it in the playoffs, especially with an All-Star down, we had everyone from the last guy to the end. They helped us tonight."
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: NBA playoffs: Darius Garland, Tyler Herro exchange words in playoffs
