Coming in with all the momentum, the Cleveland Cavaliers had an exceptional regular season, finishing with a dominant 64-18 record and securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat’s journey to the playoffs was far less straightforward.
After the shock of losing Jimmy Butler III to the Golden State Warriors earlier this season, the Heat had to scratch and claw their way through the Play-In Tournament, defeating both the Chicago Bulls 109-90 and the Atlanta Hawks in overtime 123-114 to barely punch their playoff ticket.
But while their hustle got them in, it seems their energy has started to run out.
The Cavaliers entered the playoffs in full form and defeated Miami in the series’ first two games. A major reason for Cleveland’s dominance has been the performance of Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging a scorching 30.0 points per game in this year’s playoffs setting the tone for the Cavaliers on both ends of the floor.
Tyler Herro serves as the positive outlook for the Heat franchise. The current Miami team centers around Herro as he leads their offense with an average of 23.9 points per game throughout this postseason. The team maintains a competitive position thanks to his three-point shooting despite the poor overall outcomes.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat Player Stats and Box Score
Cleveland Cavaliers
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG % | +/- |
| Max Strus | 18 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.8 | 18 |
| Evan Mobley | 19 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 61.5 | 8 |
| Jarrett Allen | 22 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 88.9 | 20 |
| Sam Merrill | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28.6 | 9 |
| Ty Jerome | 13 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 45.5 | 33 |
| De’Andre Hunter | 21 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 34 |
| Dean Wade | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Isaac Okoro | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66.7 | 9 |
| Javonte Green | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 | 8 |
| Craig Porter Jr. | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Tristan Thompson | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 8 |
Miami Heat
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG % | +/- |
| Andrew Wiggins | 10 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 30 | -22 |
| Bam Adebayo | 22 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 45 | -28 |
| Kel’el Ware | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 60 | -10 |
| Tyler Herro | 13 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 38.5 | -26 |
| Davion Mitchell | 16 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 63.6 | -20 |
| Pelle Larsson | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 40 | -22 |
| Haywood Highsmith | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | -15 |
| Nikola Jović | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 14.3 | -20 |
| Duncan Robinson | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 | -14 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -8 |
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat Game Summary
The crowd erupted in wild cheers when Bam Adebayo opened the scoring with a confident three-pointer, giving the Heat faithful a moment of early hope. For a few minutes, the energy inside the Kaseya Center was electric. However, that excitement quickly faded as the Cavaliers seized control of the game.
Jarrett Allen set the tone for Cleveland early, dominating the paint and pouring in 10 points in the first quarter alone, giving the Cavs a 13-point lead before the 2nd quarter.
In the second quarter, Bam Adebayo once again ignited hope for the Miami fans, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers that brought the crowd to life. For a moment, it felt like the Heat might turn the tide. Bam posted 8 points in the quarter, doing everything he could to keep Miami within striking distance.
But that was as far as the momentum carried as the Cavaliers returned stronger. Jarrett Allen stayed dominant in the paint, and De’Andre Hunter stepped up with key buckets and tough defense helping Cleveland maintain their grip on the game. By halftime, the Cavaliers had crossed the 60-point mark and still held a strong 20-point lead, leaving the Heat searching for answers.
The atmosphere in the second half didn’t change one bit, with the Cavaliers continuing to dictate the pace of the game. In the third quarter, there was a tense moment when Bam Adebayo collided mid-air with teammate Haywood Highsmith while both were attempting to block Ty Jerome’s scoring attempt. The collision caused an injury scare, but thankfully both players were able to stay in the game.
Meanwhile, Allen took over for the Cavaliers in the second half, putting on a masterclass. Allen scored six points after the halftime, dominating both ends of the floor and making sure the Heat never found a way back. His stellar performance sealed the deal, helping Cleveland cruise to a convincing win over Miami.
The Final score of the game was Cavaliers (124) vs. Heat (87). The Cavs are now 3-0 in the playoff series and they will be meeting the Heat next on April 28.