"Pat Riley should be ashamed of himself": NBA fans blame Heat head honcho for 19-pt loss to rival Celtics 

The Miami Heat's disappointing start to the 2024-25 NBA season continued on Monday night. The Heat fell to 9-10 on the season with a 108-89 loss versus the Boston Celtics, dropping their second straight game.

The Heat shot just 35.6% from the field, connecting on just eight of 35 attempts from beyond the arc. Miami's embarrassing loss caused outrage among fans on X/Twitter. Some fans blamed Heat owner and team president Pat Riley for Miami's fourth consecutive loss versus the Celtics.

"What a brutal end to a rivalry that used to be great. Pat Riley should be ashamed of himself. Watched your biggest rival add talent every year and win a championship while you keep the same roster for six years. Anyone that still defends that man in 2024 is a f***ing loser," one fan posted.

"Everything is on Pat Riley I don't care at this point. Without (Jimmy Butler) this team is so shit. Even with Jimmy this team is shit. Stop neglecting the issues this roster has and blaming health as a reason to why we didn't go on another magical run last year," another fan added.

"I don't understand how you make it to the Finals and make bad roster decisions since then... Pat Riley got cocky and complacent and it cost them another run," one fan commented.

Some fans began calling for Pat Riley to call it a career following the loss to the Celtics:

"Pat Riley is a legend, but the game has passed him by. It's time for him to retire and enjoy his twilight years," one fan said.

"That 2023 run gave Pat an unrealistic view of where the team was, and he just refused to add to it. Instead of seeing they were a perennial play-in team that needed help, he thought they had enough. He reminds me of Ainge at the end of his time in Boston. It's time to step down," another fan added.

"Pat Riley gotta go I'm sorry. Ran it back the last five years. Tears in my eyes," a fan wrote.

Celtics blowout Heat ahead of 4-game home stretch

The Miami Heat entered Monday's matchup looking to bounce back following a 119-116 loss versus the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. The Heat couldn't buy a basket versus the Celtics, scoring a season-low 89 points.

Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard led the Celtics to Boston's eighth win over the Heat in their last ten head-to-head matchups. Brown scored a game-high 29 points on 8-of-21 shooting, along with grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out four assists. Prichard recorded his fourth consecutive game scoring 20 or more points, posting 25 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

In the absence of Jimmy Butler, Miami lost fell to 2-3 over their last five games and will look to rebound during a four-game home stretch. The Heat will host the LA Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder next in a grueling series of matchups. Butler missed Monday night's matchup with right knee soreness and is questionable to return on Wednesday versus the Lakers.