The Cleveland Cavaliers marched into South Florida and embarrassed the Miami Heat on their home floor Saturday afternoon, securing a 124-87 win to take an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Miami came out aggressive on both ends of the floor, leading 15-6 after the first five minutes. Then the Cavaliers proceeded to outscore the Heat 34-5 over the next eight minutes in change. Miami looked completely disjointed on both ends of the floor, committing five turnovers (compared to eight shot attempts) over that span while allowing Cleveland to convert on 13 of its 17 shots (6-8 3PT).
The Heat couldn’t reconfigure, heading into the halftime break down 20, a deficit that nearly doubled throughout the second half.
The worst part was that Cleveland was doing it without an offensive explosion from Donovan Mitchell, who had just 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting in 30 minutes. Evan Mobley, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year Thursday, was outstanding, scoring 19 points in 32 minutes.
Former Heat guard Max Strus, who defended Tyler Herro exceptionally well on Saturday, had 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes on 7-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-9 from deep. De’Andre Hunter tallied 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting; Ty Jerome feasted with 13 points and 11 assists, his first double-double of the season.
Conversely, Bam Adebayo, who led the Heat in made 3-pointers (4) and 3-point attempts (7) on Saturday, tallied a team-high 22 points with nine rebounds on 9-of-20 shooting. Davion Mitchell had 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting while Tyler Herro totaled just 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Herro only attempted three 3-pointers in 37 minutes, his fewest in 35 or more minutes since March 21, 2023, against the Indiana Pacers. He’s only attempted three or fewer 3-pointers in 35-plus minutes only four other times in his career.
Cleveland dominated Miami in every conceivable way. It doubled Miami in the paint (60-30), outscored Miami in the second-chance points department (22-10), finished a plus-16 on the glass, made 10 more free throws and committed seven fewer turnovers.
Saturday’s loss was the worst point differential for a loss in a playoff game in franchise history–marking their seventh-straight postseason loss at home. The Heat look to avoid their 8th Monday.
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Tough game for the home team. Can’t believe this was the worst loss in Heat playoff history.
When I think of the worst playoff performance in Heat history, I think of the round-1 series against the Hornets when Zo tried to come back from his kidney illness to lead the team. That was a real 90s-era Riley team. I think Antony Mason and Eddie Jones were the two best players.
This team is, and has always been, a rebuild. They were a play-in team with a first round exit last year with Jimmy Butler, they’re a play-in team with a first round exit this year without Jimmy Butler. I wish they didn’t have the Wiggins contract on the books. I like the addition of Ware and Mitchell. In the end, they need a veteran scorer to take them over the top. Sounds like KD might be available…
Here’s a great article about the fallout from that series. It was a 4-0 Hornets sweep. That article starts with Pat Riley saying he’s glad he’s the GM, otherwise he’d be worried about getting fired as the coach
https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2001/2001/0430/1189394.html
And for those of you who are curious, the Heat were back in the playoffs two years later, when they won their first round series against…the Charlotte Hornets
One glorious day we shall once again rule the NBA
I love that…next season pls 😀
aint happening for a while become a panthers fan
panthers are the heat now
Hate to say it…but we don’t have any business whatsoever being in the playoffs.
Why getting swept in first round is exactly what the Miami Heat need
…”Team president Pat Riley has overseen a significant talent drain in Miami over the past two years. That regression was a big part of Butler’s frustrations with the franchise. Perhaps being swept in the postseason is the shock to the system the Heat’s front office needs. Hopefully, that will spur Riley to push the reset button and begin rebuilding”…
https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/why_getting_swept_in_first_round_is_exactly_what_the_miami_heat_need/s1_13132_42112227
I fear even this travesty will not bring change. The thing that we have going for us is that Bam, Davion, Wiggins, and I still believe in Ware, although I don’t know if he will be good or very good. And Ty can be on the team somewhere too, but maybe as a sixth man as we upgrade. And HH will be worth keeping in the rotation, not starting.
The problems we have are that it will be hard to get rid of the rest to make room for better players. We probably need three upgrades, a two way guard, a back up center, and our superstar, a high scoring forward, two way player, which will be hard to obtain. I hope Riley can fix things but I have some doubts.
I will say there are two things to learn, who you draft comes with risk as some players are harder to discard. And players who you extend or bring in on contracts which are too generous become players that are harder to discard too.
We need to have an exit strategy with every move we make.
I was at the game and they had a shameful, pathetic, lethargic performance. Embarrassing is an understatement for that lackluster performance. It was franchise record beatdown of epic proportions at home against cavs without garland. Even Bam got posterized badly with balls all in his face. This was why I didn’t want us to make the playoffs smh. Could of had two draft picks, instead we might get swept. Also this is definitely spo’s worst season coaching ever, straight up trash performance, and very disappointed. Riley has to make some trades as soon as he can and I’m willing to trade anyone on the roster except bam and ware.
The ability to rebuild is actually much easier with this years pick going to OKC. Free’s up future picks to make moves
True, but this year is supposed to be a loaded class.
Desperate times require desperate measures. Here’s a few trade proposals I’ve seen lately. A few sound interesting. Don’t kill the messenger.
Heat receives: F DeMar DeRozan, G Terence Davis
Kings receive: G Terry Rozier, F Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2029 first-round pick
Heat receives: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, AJ Green
Bucks receive: Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic, conditional 2029 and 2031 first round picks, 2028 and 2030 first round pick swaps
Heat receives: Trae Young
Hawks receive: Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and a future draft pick
Heat Receives: Trae Young
Hawks Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson (Sign-and-Trade), Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2025 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat receives: Trae Young
Hawks receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jović, Pelle Larsson, 2025 No. 20 (Golden State Warriors), Miami 2030 protected first-rounder, $19.4 million trade exception
Heat Receives: Kevin Durant
Suns Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Haywood Highsmith, Jamie Jaquez, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat Receives: Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, John Konchar
Grizzlies Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Kel’el Ware, Pelle Larsson, 2025 First-Round Pick (GSW), 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat Receives: Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan
Kings Receive: Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Nikola Jovic, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat Receives: Lauri Markkanen
Jazz Receives: Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, Nikola Jovic, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat Receives: Julius Randle (Sign-and-Trade)
Timberwolves Receive: Duncan Robinson (Sign-and-Trade), Nikola Jovic, Kel’el Ware, 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2030 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Heat Receives: Desmond Bane, GG Jackson, 2027 First-Round Pick (MEM), 2029 First-Round Pick (MEM), 2028 Second-Round Pick (MEM)
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Bam Adebayo
I would do that giannis and morant trade, but switch out ware, and put Jaquez in those packages. Also would do the Lauri trade as well. Also maybe would do the kd trade if that’s all it takes.
On those first round draft picks, I believe the rule is you can’t trade consecutive year’s first round picks. Probably have to be 2029 and 2031.
edey 7 blocks
Please just mercy kill this season next game. We really didn’t belong in the playoffs as many here stated. Those who know me here, know that I can be positive at times and critical at other times. I must say that if this was any other team, the coach would be fired for the performance in these playoffs. I can appreciate that they were heavy underdogs going into the playoffs, but there is no excuse for how the team has played and the rotations that have been used.
no burks no slo mo should get filmboy fired.does he remember who played and didnt play when they had that 6 game winning streak.just stick with those 8 guys dumbot.edey playing much better than ware now .ware regressed as did jjj.bam and ty have certified themselves as complimentary players,
H, my sports loving, music loving compadre, you make that 6 game streak sound like the ‘72 Dolphins. Maybe that was the outlier and the rest of the season, centered around the quitter debacle, was the indicator.
dunc came back losing followed defense wins in nba.this guys playing ty n dunc together smh
If not for that, we could have been 72-10.
It feels like Spo’s schtick and the whole Heat culture thing has worn thin. At least that’s my take.
They should Brad Steven’s / Danny Ainge him and Pat. It’s time for a shake up.
That said, I fully expect to run it back with similar bad results for the next year or two.
I’ve been questioning Spo’s coaching decisions for some time. Maybe it’s time for Riley to retire and for Spo to take his place. Miami can then bring in a younger, more progressive coach who is more in tune with the times.
It is very apparent that Miami is light years away from being able to compete with the NBA’s middling teams, much less the elite ones. Did you notice that the West’s #8 team (Grizzlies) gave the NBA’s #1 team (OKC) all they could handle (after getting blown out by 51 points in Game 1). They did not “let go of the rope” like Miami did today.
After watching today’s debacle, I no longer believe a re-tooling will do the trick. It is time for a full rebuild. Other than Bam, Ware and Mitchell, I think everyone should be available for trade. For the right price, they could be too.
thats becuase bam never ups his game to another level when needed.what do we have in keshod or josh i kinda know what we have in pele jovic jjj but these bros never given a shot not 1 second this org doesnt like athletes they like heady players i guesstheres a reason why we never get second shots or deflections .pat is behind the times look at his drafts.he gets a pass though becuase he drafted wade and thats good enoughfor years,but thats kinda worn off been a while so lets get us another dwade type player