NBA Legend Goes In on Miami Heat After Round-One Sweep

Charles Barkley accused the Miami Heat of quitting in the NBA Playoffs.

Jun 4, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; TNT sports analyst Charles Barkley speaks before game two between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat were the talk of the NBA to start this week for all of the wrong reasons. The basketball world watched a blowout take place in the Eastern Conference bracket on Monday, and the Heat were on the wrong side of it. Philadelphia 76ers legend Charles Barkley shared a similar sentiment as the masses.

Miami might’ve folded without putting up a real fight.

“I try not to ever use the word quit or choked,” Barkley said Monday night on ‘NBA on TNT.’

“This is quitting at its finest right here. I bet if we went to their house, all their stuff is already packed. If you lose by 37 and then come back and lose by 40, you can’t stay in town. You know better.”

"I try to never use the words 'quit' or 'choke'... this is quitting at it's finest"

Chuck on the Heat at halftime 🫣 pic.twitter.com/vsrD4DeUwy

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 29, 2025

None of the Miami-Cleveland matchups were particularly close. Game 1 resulted in a 121-100 Cleveland Cavaliers win. While Miami put up a slightly better fight in Game 2, losing 121-112, Game 3 was a flat-out blowout.

The Heat were put away with a 124-87 loss. Miami star Tyler Herro assured the public that the Heat would do all they could to avoid a sweep. He was confident that a Game 5 was going to happen in Ohio. Instead, the Cavaliers swept the Heat in dominant fashion with a 138-83 win.

After benefitting from the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Heat snuck into the NBA Playoffs as the 8th seed. They were certainly underdogs against a 64-18 Cleveland team that stayed at the top of the Eastern Conference for most of the year, but the Heat are under fire for the way they went out after a tough season that involved plenty of drama surrounding the star forward Jimmy Butler.

Before Butler forced his way out with a dramatic standoff during the 2024-2025 NBA season, the Heat found plenty of playoff success when they were led by the one-time Sixer. On two occasions since 2020, the Heat made it to the NBA Finals.

Last year, a Butler-less Heat team lost 4-1 against the Boston Celtics, who went on to win the NBA Championship. This year, they go out in sweeping fashion, leaving many to question what’s next for the Heat franchise as they enter a critical phase.