In the aftermath of Cleveland’s four-game sweep over Miami in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs, Heat reserve Kyle Anderson was asked what changed in the final two games — back-to-back Cavaliers blowouts by a combined 92 points, making it the most lopsided playoff series in history. “You want my honest answer? I don’t mean to throw shots at anybody. … But they look like a better team without Garland on the floor,” Anderson told reporters. “Now I don’t know the numbers or anything but I think it played more into their favor once Garland wasn’t on the floor. They were able to dictate the tempo and get more stops on defense, it’s harder for us to score.”