Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra On Game 3 Loss To Boston Celtics: "They Bullied Us"

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Apr 27, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra looks against the Boston Celtics in Game 3 - Jim Rassol/USA TODAY Sports / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

For the second time in the series, the Miami Heat's fate was determined early.

They only scored 12 points in the first quarter on the way to a 104-84 loss Saturday to the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was blunt about the reason for the outcome.

The Heat weren't physical enough.

"Once they went up double digits, their pressure started to pick up," Spoelstra said. "They were the more physical team. They bodied us, they bullied us." 

The Celtics played like a team still stinging from Wednesday's loss in Game 2 while the Heat showed complacency. They lacked the intensity they normally show in these moments.

"They played with a lot more force than we did," Spoelstra said. "This is who can get to who .. They definitely got to us." 

The Heat were unable to accomplish anything they did in Game 2. Guard Tyler Herro wasn't a scorer or facilitator. The record 3-point shooting was non-existent. There was no offensive flow. An there were way too many turnovers.

It equated to the Heat's second 20-point defeat in the series.

"Once they started bullying us, bodying us and getting us out of any kind of triggers or action, it was easy to flatten us out at that point," Spoelstra said. "Nobody was open. We were left at the end of possessions just going one on one." 

The good news is the Heat have one more game at home to correct the issues. If not, returning to Boston down 3-1 all but ends the series.

Game 4 is 7:30 p.m., Monday at Kaseya Center.