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LW (Actualized on 23/05/2022 22:52) CDT

The Miami Heat made history Monday night and it was for all the wrong reasons. While Boston brought the intensity they needed to in Game 4, the Heat put up one of the worst performances in NBA playoff history.

The Heat couldn’t buy a basket in Game 4; Miami started the game going 0-14, going scoreless until three minutes left in the first quarter. The Heat only had 4 points at that point, the fewest scored in the first quarter of a playoff game since 2008, which in fact, was Boston led by Isiah Thomas.

It only got worse for Miami.

The Heat’s 102-82 blow out loss in Boston was in a record breaking fashion, and the numbers for Miami were simply just jaw dropping. Miami’s starting five, collectively, combined only for 18 points – the fewest ever since starters were first tacked in 1970-71.

It’s unbelievable to think how the starters for the Heat could play so bad, it is almost impossible to think about those staggering numbers.

The only player who showed up in Game 4 for the Heat was Victor Oladipo off the bench. Oladipo had 23 points, and clearly was the sole contributor for Miami.

Boston went up 17-1 right away after Miami had the worst start to a game in playoff history, and the Celtics never looked back with leading by over 20 points the entire game. The Celtics also dominated the Heat without one of their starting five players on the court, Marcus Smart, who has been a difference maker in the series.

Miami also played Game 4 without a crucial player, Tyler Herro, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. Herro, however, has been struggling to say the least in this Heat-Celtics series.

Herro has only averaged 25 minutes in the series, so to be fair, he doesn’t exactly have full reign to play his game. Former Celtics Champion, Kendrick Perkins, stated that Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra needs to “take the leash off Herro”.

If Herro really is the X factor for the Heat, Miami will have to hope he plays in Game 5 at home, and for him to come out firing like he has been all season long. Herro’s struggles are also partial due to him dealing with a groin injury, which has been lingering throughout the playoffs.

It’s no secret that the Heat can’t play any worse than they did in Game 4, but the question remains on how they can bounce back from such an unbearable performance. Yes the series is tied at 2-2, but Boston has all of the momentum heading into game 5 on Wednesday night, 8:30 ET.