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Miami Heat: Erik Spoelstra Doesn’t Touch Glaring Excuse in Series Loss to Boston Celtics

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Rex Villas | Last updated 5/2/24

The Miami Heat fought valiantly in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the powerful Boston Celtics, but they ultimately succumbed in just five games. They were simply no match versus the Celtics, and their already seemingly impossible mission to upset Boston got even harder with Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier failing to see action in any game in the series.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, however, did not use the injuries to his key players as an excuse for how things went for his squad in the playoffs.

Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra Gives Celtics Props

After the Heat’s brutal 118-84 loss to the Celtics in Game 5 on the road Wednesday night, Spoelstra made sure not to take anything away from the incredible display of basketball by Boston in the series.

“We’re not going to put this on the fact that we’ve had some injuries. Let’s not take anything away from Boston. They’ve been the best team in basketball all season long and in this series, in four of the games, they played as such, “Spoelstra said (via Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press).

But Spoelstra doesn’t really have to say it. Even though Miami would have still been the underdog in the series if Butler and Rozier played, the Heat would have been a tougher foe for Jayson Tatum and company.

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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