In case you may have missed it, the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers were involved in a 140-138 overtime thriller on Monday, capped by Andrew Wiggins’ game-winning lob as time expired after Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell tied it with a tough contested 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left.
Roughly 48 hours after one of the most thrilling endings of the season, the Heat will square off with the Cavaliers once again on Wednesday inside Kaseya Center, the second of a home-home back-to-back.
However, the latter is choosing to rest plenty of stars, including Mitchell and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.
Cleveland will also be without Darius Garland, Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson and Larry Nance Jr.
It will be the first leg of a back-to-back for Cleveland, who returns home on Thursday to host the Toronto Raptors.
Thus, the Cavaliers’ rotation will consist of a lot of Jarrett Allen, Craig Porter Jr., Sam Merrill — who nailed four 4Q triples on Monday — Lonzo Ball and Dean Wade, among others. It’s worth noting that Cleveland is just 3-6 in games without Garland and Mitchell since the start of the 2023-24 season, including 0-1 this year.
The Heat will be without Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo once again. Still, everyone else who was healthy on Monday is expected to be available on Wednesday, at the time of publication. It will be important for Miami to get up for this game, as we’ve seen them play down to competition — especially teams with a lengthy injury report — in year’s past.
Miami is 7-4 on the season — including 5-0 at home — marking their third 7-4 start since the 2019-20 season.
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
They’re trying to copy us without our allstars we still winning. Let’s go! 8-4!!
I’m just now realizing that both games are in Miami. I thought it was a home-and-home series with the second game being in Cleveland. TWO games in a row in Miami means the Cavs have been in town all week. No wonder so many people are sitting out. South Beach Factor strikes again!
Funny!
It looks like the Cavs know they will see us in the playoffs and didn’t want to show us their adjustments. I see you, Kenny! lol 😛
Let’s stay undefeated at home. Play hard and take the W.
They will also need to adjust to Heat with Bam and Herro.
Not happy. Those games are always dangerous.
Every team has a hungry bunch at the end of the bench.