6 glaring statistics from Game 1 loss to Cavaliers that Heat must fix

Heat Cavaliers — The Cleveland Cavaliers secured a 121-100 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday. (Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images)

The No. 8-seeded Miami Heat dropped their inaugural game of the 2024-25 NBA Playoffs to the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, 121-100. It was far from a perfect performance from the Heat, who made history last week by being the first team in NBA History to win two play-in games on the road.

It’s just one game, but here are six glaring statistics the Heat will need to correct if they want any chance at winning this series.

178.3 — It did not take long for the Cleveland Cavaliers to expose Tyler Herro’s biggest shortcoming (defense) in Game 1. On the 36 possessions that Herro was the primary defender on Cleveland’s top-3 guards (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Ty Jerome), the Cavaliers posted a 178.3 offensive rating, according to NBA.com’s tracking data. The aforementioned trio exploded for 85 of the Cavaliers’ 121 points. They became the fifth trio since the turn of the decade to score at least 27 points each in a playoff game, including the first guard trio in NBA History to do so.

7 — Throughout the season, I was critical of the team’s lack of deflections–an area they’ve been so prideful of in previous seasons. Miami had the 8th-fewest deflections per 48 minutes while being a middle-of-the-pack team in opposing turnover rate. However, it did generate more deflections (19 to 14) than the Cavaliers. But they only forced seven turnovers (8.2 oTOV%) Sunday; Cleveland’s defense doubled that (14 Heat TOs). To be competitive against a No. 1 seed as a No. 8, you have to win on the margins. That’s not going to cut it.

-12.6 — Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra experimented with the double-big frontcourt this season with Bam Adebayo and rookie Kel’el Ware. The offense was shaky, but the duo posted a plus-6.1 in 541 minutes together this season. Well, against Cleveland’s stout double-big lineup (Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen) that’s one of the best in the sport, they sported a minus-12.6 NET, albeit on 21 possessions. In 57 against the Cavaliers, they have an even more damning minus-24.8 NET Rating together. The Heat don’t have the bodies to match size otherwise, so that must be corrected.

5 — I have good news and bad news. The Heat shot 100 percent at the rim! Who would’ve thought?!? Bad news: They only attempted five of their 80 shots in the restricted area; Cleveland shot 14. Miami’s 8.4 rim frequency (in non-garbage-time) is its second-lowest of the season. It shot a respectable 17-of-30 (56.7) on non-paint-2s and is up against an exceptional defense led by Mobley, so getting to the rim won’t be easy. But it must find ways to generate more frequent rim attempts–both in the halfcourt and in transition–which is far easier said than done.

12 — Miami attempted just 12 free throws in Sunday’s 21-point loss, tied for its fourth-fewest of the season. This goes hand in hand with rim pressure. You’re not going to the charity stripe often if most of your diet is jump shooting. Cleveland finished just outside the top-10 during the regular season in free-throw rate allowed (Fun Fact: Heat were 3rd-best). This goes back to winning on the margins–get to the charity stripe, slow the game down and apply (more) pressure on the Cavaliers that way, allowing the Heat to set their defense on the other end.

Tyler Herro’s shortcomings were exposed in Game 1 versus Cavs

142.4 — Not to harp on it, but Miami’s defense was bad on Sunday. Cleveland’s 142.4 offensive rating in non-garbage-time placed in the 100th percentile, according to Cleaning The Glass. It was their second-best output of the season. Need I say more?