In the wild world of NBA playoffs , the Basketball Gods always seem ready to humble anyone who gets too bold too soon. Just days after calling out Tyler Herro ’s defense following a Game 2 win, Cleveland Cavaliers star Darius Garland now finds himself on the sidelines. Garland has officially been ruled out for Game 3 against the Miami Heat , sidelined by a sprained toe , a cruel twist after his fiery comments earlier this week.
TNT crew rips Darius Garland as trash talk backfires and injury sidelines him
Darius Garland didn't hold back when he spoke to the media after helping lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2-0 series advantage. He said the Cavaliers planned to “pick on Tyler Herro,” labeling the Heat guard as a weak defender. But as fate would have it, Garland won’t even get a chance to back up his words on the court.
The reaction from the NBA on TNT crew was instant and brutal. Charles Barkley couldn’t hide his disbelief. “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.” Barkley stressed that even if Herro isn’t known for defense, the Heat star still dropped 34 points in Game 2, adding, “So don’t act like he’s a bum.”
Shaquille O’Neal also weighed in, offering his take during the same TNT segment. “You can say it, but you shouldn’t say it,” Shaq said, emphasizing the risk of revealing a team’s game plan. He added, “Miami is a defensive-minded team. Now they’re coming for you.”
Shaq even joked about Garland’s injury, suggesting he tough it out. “Sprained toe? Go to Walgreens and get some Icy Hot toe socks,” Shaq said, teasing how players from his era would have handled it.
The Cavaliers, led by head coach Kenny Atkinson, quickly tried to steer the conversation back to basketball. Garland, who averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists during the regular season, had been key to Cleveland’s success and was putting up strong numbers this postseason. Still, the team decided sitting him was the best move.
As for the Miami Heat, they’ll need big performances from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole. Through two games, Herro has been excellent, averaging 27 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 50% from the field.
Also Read: “What are you doing?” – Charles Barkley sends one blunt message for Nico Harrison following his end-of-season press conference
With Garland’s absence, the Cavaliers' path to a sweep just got a little tougher, and the Basketball Gods might be having the last laugh.
TNT crew rips Darius Garland as trash talk backfires and injury sidelines him
Darius Garland didn't hold back when he spoke to the media after helping lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 2-0 series advantage. He said the Cavaliers planned to “pick on Tyler Herro,” labeling the Heat guard as a weak defender. But as fate would have it, Garland won’t even get a chance to back up his words on the court.
The reaction from the NBA on TNT crew was instant and brutal. Charles Barkley couldn’t hide his disbelief. “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.” Barkley stressed that even if Herro isn’t known for defense, the Heat star still dropped 34 points in Game 2, adding, “So don’t act like he’s a bum.”
Charles Barkley calls out Darius Garland
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 26, 2025
"You gotta be kidding me right? You don't say that. You gotta play"
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 )
pic.twitter.com/alBjxgObXp
Shaquille O’Neal also weighed in, offering his take during the same TNT segment. “You can say it, but you shouldn’t say it,” Shaq said, emphasizing the risk of revealing a team’s game plan. He added, “Miami is a defensive-minded team. Now they’re coming for you.”
Shaq even joked about Garland’s injury, suggesting he tough it out. “Sprained toe? Go to Walgreens and get some Icy Hot toe socks,” Shaq said, teasing how players from his era would have handled it.
"You can say it, but you gotta play" 👀
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 26, 2025
The Guys react to Darius Garland being ruled out for Game 3 after his comments on Tyler Herro pic.twitter.com/gOFwocqJHW
The Cavaliers, led by head coach Kenny Atkinson, quickly tried to steer the conversation back to basketball. Garland, who averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists during the regular season, had been key to Cleveland’s success and was putting up strong numbers this postseason. Still, the team decided sitting him was the best move.
As for the Miami Heat, they’ll need big performances from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole. Through two games, Herro has been excellent, averaging 27 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 50% from the field.
Also Read: “What are you doing?” – Charles Barkley sends one blunt message for Nico Harrison following his end-of-season press conference
With Garland’s absence, the Cavaliers' path to a sweep just got a little tougher, and the Basketball Gods might be having the last laugh.
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