Charles Barkley Takes Issue With Darius Garland's Miami Heat Comments

Despite an improved season in most categories, there is still room for improvement in Tyler Herro’s defensive struggles.

After the Cleveland Cavaliers' Game 2 victory, Darius Garland spoke on the keys to finishing out the series against the Miami Heat. However, he made a point of emphasizing his criticism of Tyler Herro, specifically regarding his defense. On NBA on TNT, Charles Barkley took issue with Garland’s comment because he was ruled out due to a toe injury.

Charles Barkley calls out Darius Garland

"You gotta be kidding me right? You don't say that. You gotta play"

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )

pic.twitter.com/alBjxgObXp
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 26, 2025

“Are you kidding me?” Barkley said. “You got to be kidding me, right? Well, first of all, you don’t say that. No, you don’t. You've got to play. You ain’t got to guard Tyler Herro. And listen, Tyler Herro may not be a great defender, but he had 34 points. So don’t act like he’s a bum.”

Through two games, Herro is averaging 27 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 50 percent shooting and 41.2 percent from three-point range. Alongside Bam Adebayo, Herro's playing at an elite level is one of the main factors contributing to the Heat’s success. As they’re in a 0-2 hole, the Heat will need more from their best players to pull off an upset.

Miami Heat's Nikola Jovic Makes No Excuses After Lapses In Return

MIAMI HEAT’S NIKOLA JOVIC MAKES NO EXCUSES AFTER LAPSES IN RETURN

Despite facing a 19-point deficit during several stretches, it is hard to ignore the Miami Heat had an opportunity to steal Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Unfortunately, Nikola Jovic, during his first return to real playing time since his broken hand, had several rough stretches during clutch moments. He shared his thoughts about how his mistakes cost the Heat.

Nikola Jovic super hard on himself after some missed opportunities late tonight:

“The stuff I did at the end was really unacceptable. I really did cost us the game.”

“I just gotta be better. This is my third year, I’m not a rookie anymore.” pic.twitter.com/YPi92geXyq
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) April 24, 2025

“Yeah, I mean, I got what I wanted, and that’s to close the game in the playoffs,” Jovic explained. “The stuff I did at the end is really unacceptable. I really did cost us the game, and I just got to be better. This is my third year, and I’m not a rookie anymore. I’ve seen what’s the deal and how to get to the playoffs. The stuff I did today is just not good. I’m really grateful the coach got me the opportunity.”

Jovic finished with 11 points, eight rebounds, and two assists on 33.3 percent shooting and 12.5 percent from three-point range. It was evident the Heat missed their sixth man off the bench due to his size at 6-foot-10 and versatility as another ball handler on the perimeter. However, shooting 1 of 8 from the perimeter and a significant late turnover were damaging.

WHERE TYLER HERRO, BAM, ADEBAYO RANK AMONG MOST IMPACTFUL PLAYOFF PLAYERS

Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo may have missed out on most of the end-of-season awards, but their elite play earned them rankings as some of the best players in the playoffs.

ESPN place Herro and Adebayo among the top 50 most impactful players. Herro was ranked No. 43, as Tim Bontemps explains how his regular-season success needs to transfer to the playoffs for the Heat to have a chance against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Through 47 playoff games, Herro averages 14.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 41.3 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three-point range.

“This was a breakthrough season for Herro, who made his first All-Star team and powered Miami through the play-in with back-to-back big games against Chicago and Atlanta,” Bontemps said. “For the Heat to have another surprise push from the play-in through the East playoffs, they'll need Herro to continue to produce to keep up with the Cavaliers' high-octane offense.”

Adebayo was ranked higher at No. 34, as Bontemps explained his strong finish to the regular season, both on offense and defense, will be crucial in helping the Heat pull off another upset against the Cavaliers. Through 75 playoff games, Adebayo averages 16.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists on 52.1 percent shooting and 14.3 percent from three-point range.

“Adebayo had a down season, particularly offensively, but a strong closing stretch again helped Miami reach the playoffs,” Bontemps said. “He also had a solid defensive effort in the play-in tournament as opponents went 8-25 (32%) on shots contested by the three-time All-Star. His hands will be full in the first round against Cleveland, as Miami will need its versatile center to be at his best if the Heat want to give the top-seeded Cavaliers a challenge.”

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook