Cote: Heat season ends in 118-14 loss in Boston. And change had better be coming for Miami 

The Miami Heat as we know it expired Wednesday night in Boston, and did so without doubt, emphatically, yet quietly even amid the howling cacophony of Celtics fans. The Jimmy Butler era closed with him in street clothes -- fitting of a calamitous season that ended begging change.

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The clinching first-round game Wednesday was no contest. No playoff game should be so lopsided. Spoelstra’s roster was threadbare. It was embarrassing.

Miami made 3-of-29 3-points shots. 

[Holy shit. 3 of 29! Holy shit.]

Only blindfolded would those numbers be decent. And even then... The Heat not only did not rise to the occasion Wednesday, they cowered from it.

Boston’s Brad Stevens was named NBA executive of the year Wednesday and the timing was right. Stevens the past few years has plainly out-geniused Miami president Pat Riley in terms of roster improvement and title hunting.

[He has. I couldn’t believe they got Porzingis, Jrue Holiday. Are you kidding me?]

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Miami needs a major change, a major addition. Looked to have it this past offseason, when star Damian Lillard background-lobbied and publicly begged for a trade to Miami but the Heat failed to make it happen, a major blow.

[Greg Cote here literally emphasizes addition. That means a free agent signing, not a trade. That take on the Lillard trade fiasco is not the take that I remember!]

The Heat now is at risk of losing its grip in the South Florida sports market. 

[That’s true. This is not Cleveland.  We don’t revel in misery. We revile it. There is soo much else to do, even in sports, down here, that you can seamlessly stop following one local team for another. Fair weather fans? Damn straight, Jack! The weather's always fair down here. We're the pleasure capital of the fucking universe.]

This became a basketball town for a while with the Lrbin [Cote is so pissed he’s spitting typos] James/Big 3 era. But that’s 10 years past.

Now the Dolphins are getting really good. The Panthers might win the Stanley Cup. Lionel Messi is in town. 

The Heat are in a fight now.

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I said last week on the Dan Le Batard Show that Miami had to “blow up” this roster.

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Adebayo is the closest to untouchable Miami has on this roster moving forward.

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To me blow it up means this: Understand that if your best player continues to be a soon-to-be 35-year-old and now injury-prone Jimmy Butler, you will not compete now for an NBA championship.

 

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The point is, it’s time to acknowledge with actions that Butler can no longer be your best player if your aim remains a fourth franchise championship and first since 2013.

 

It’s time for Pat Riley to win an offseason again. To add a new star.

[God, when WAS the last time Riley won an offseason?]

Because how this season ended Wednesday, with the Heat unable to even compete, was bitter enough to demand action.

[Cote is bitter enough. So am I. I've said it all myself. I just can't hear this right now, though. I feel like the guy on the header.]