Game ID: 42400103
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat
Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM ET
Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
MIA 20 22 22 23 87CLE 33 29 26 36 124
CLE @ MIA ScoutingCLE @ MIA Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
MIA availability going into 4/11 · 1 day's restOUT Rozier missed 2 since 4/07, returns tonight: 12 min (46% of 26)
OUT Jović missed 25 since 2/24, out tonight
OUT Love missed 10 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 4/09 after 6, 27 min since (85% of 32)
BACK Robinson back 4/03 after 5, 21 min since (91% of 24)
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 4/07 after 2, 15 min since (74% of 20)
NEW Ware 22 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Anderson 18 to 25 min over the last 5
NEW Larsson 14 to 30 min over the last 4
MIA availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restOUT Jović missed 26 since 2/24, out tonight
OUT Larsson missed 2 since 4/09, out tonight
OUT Love missed 11 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 4/09 after 6, 26 min since (81% of 32)
BACK Rozier back 4/05 after 2, 8 min since (32% of 26)
BACK Robinson back 4/03 after 5, 21 min since (89% of 24)
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 4/07 after 2, 14 min since (71% of 20)
NEW Ware 22 to 28 min over the last 5
NEW Anderson 18 to 25 min over the last 5
MIA availability going into 4/20 · 6 days' restOUT Jović missed 27 since 2/24, returns tonight: 1 min (6% of 25)
OUT Larsson missed 3 since 4/09, returns tonight: 1 min (10% of 14)
OUT Love missed 12 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 4/09 after 6, 26 min since (81% of 32)
BACK Rozier back 4/05 after 2, 17 min since (66% of 26)
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 4/07 after 2, 23 min since (115% of 20)
NEW Anderson 18 to 26 min over the last 5
MIA availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restOUT Love missed 13 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 4/09 after 6, 30 min since (94% of 32)
BACK Rozier back 4/11 after 2, 23 min since (90% of 26)
BACK Jović back 4/20 after 27, 1 min since (6% of 25)
BACK Jaquez Jr. back 4/07 after 2, 18 min since (88% of 20)
BACK Larsson back 4/20 after 3, 1 min since (10% of 14)
MIA availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' restOUT Rozier missed 2 since 4/20, out tonight
OUT Love missed 14 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Wiggins back 4/09 after 6, 30 min since (93% of 32)
BACK Jović back 4/20 after 27, 13 min since (53% of 25)
BACK Larsson back 4/20 after 3, 6 min since (42% of 14)
MIA availability going into 4/28 · 1 day's restOUT Rozier missed 3 since 4/20, out tonight
OUT Anderson missed 2 since 4/23, returns tonight: 8 min (44% of 18)
OUT Burks missed 2 since 4/23, out tonight
OUT Love missed 15 since 3/23, out tonight
BACK Jović back 4/20 after 27, 15 min since (62% of 25)
BACK Larsson back 4/20 after 3, 10 min since (68% of 14)
CLE availability going into 4/11 · back-to-backOUT Mitchell missed 2 since 4/08, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 4 since 4/04, out tonight
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 18 min since (87% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 23 min since (117% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restOUT Mitchell missed 3 since 4/08, out tonight
OUT Tomlin missed 5 since 4/04, returns tonight: 47 min (369% of 13)
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (98% of 20)
BACK Jerome back 4/06 after 5, 23 min since (117% of 20)
CLE availability going into 4/20 · 6 days' restOUT Mitchell missed 4 since 4/08, returns tonight: 33 min (106% of 32)
OUT Hunter missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 16 min (65% of 25)
OUT Jerome missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 26 min (132% of 20)
OUT Merrill missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 24 min (121% of 20)
BACK Wade back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (98% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
NEW Okoro 18 to 24 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 4/23 · 2 days' restBACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 33 min since (106% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 16 min since (65% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 26 min since (132% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 24 min since (121% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/26 · 2 days' restBACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 34 min since (109% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 20 min since (80% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 25 min since (124% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 22 min since (110% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
CLE availability going into 4/28 · 1 day's restBACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 33 min since (105% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 23 min since (92% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 24 min since (119% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 21 min since (106% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
CLE availability going into 5/04 · 5 days' restOUT Garland missed 2 since 4/26, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 31 min since (98% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 22 min since (90% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 23 min since (115% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 20 min since (103% of 20)
BACK Tomlin back 4/13 after 5, 47 min since (369% of 13)
CLE availability going into 5/06 · 1 day's restOUT Garland missed 3 since 4/26, out tonight
BACK Mitchell back 4/20 after 4, 31 min since (100% of 32)
BACK Hunter back 4/20 after 2, 24 min since (97% of 25)
BACK Jerome back 4/20 after 2, 24 min since (121% of 20)
BACK Merrill back 4/20 after 2, 20 min since (101% of 20)
CLE availability going into 5/09 · 2 days' restOUT Garland missed 4 since 4/26, returns tonight: 25 min (81% of 31)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 117, shooting 51 percent and 38 from three, 16 free throws a game; Herro at 26 and Adebayo at 19 a game. That is 3 straight losses. Without Rozier (2 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 111, shooting 45 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; Garland at 25 and Jerome at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the line, where Cleveland takes 21 free throws a game to Miami's 16 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 111 a night to Miami's 117. Call it Cleveland 115, Miami 114, Miami keeping it close.
4/11 @ NOP 153-104 — MIA notes
MIA won 153-104. MIA shot 56% (58 of 104) to NOP's 40%, 20 of 45 from three. The glass went 60-42 for them. Adebayo led with 23 (8 of 12, 4 of 6 from three); Herro added 22, Robinson 21. The hinge was Q3, 39-18: a lead of 17 became 38, and the lead reached 52. Adebayo was the night's best plus/minus at +46.
4/13 vs WAS 118-119 — MIA notes
MIA lost 118-119. MIA took 8 more shots (98 to 90), but shot 50% to WAS's 51%, 10 of 32 from three. Jaquez Jr. led with 41 (17 of 25, 2 of 6 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Christopher added 17, Johnson 17. Q4 was theirs, 32-25, the deficit cut from 8 to 1, but the other 3 periods went 94-86 against them. Jaquez Jr.'s -4 in 41 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/20 @ CLE 100-121 — MIA notes
MIA lost 100-121. MIA shot 49% (39 of 80) to CLE's 51%, 13 of 31 from three. MIA turned it over 14 times to CLE's 7, and CLE turned those into 8 steals. Adebayo led with 24 (10 of 22, 1 of 5 from three, 3 of 6 at the line); Herro added 21, D. Mitchell 18. Q3 was theirs, 25-25, but the other 3 periods went 96-75 against them. Wiggins's -22 in 38 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/23 @ CLE 112-121 — MIA notes
MIA lost 112-121. MIA shot 52% (42 of 81) to CLE's 48%, 16 of 45 from three, and got to the line 16 times to CLE's 23. MIA turned it over 13 times to CLE's 8, and CLE turned those into 10 steals. Herro led with 33 (14 of 24, 4 of 11 from three); D. Mitchell added 18, Highsmith 17. Q3 was theirs, 29-25, the deficit cut from 17 to 13, but the other 3 periods went 96-83 against them. Robinson's -17 in 12 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/26 vs CLE 87-124 — MIA notes
MIA lost 87-124. MIA shot 42% (32 of 76) to CLE's 53%, 16 of 34 from three, and got to the line 10 times to CLE's 20. MIA turned it over 16 times to CLE's 9. The glass went 29-46 against them. Adebayo led with 22 (9 of 20, 4 of 7 from three); D. Mitchell added 16, Herro 13. Q3 was theirs, 22-26, but the other 3 periods went 98-65 against them. Adebayo's -28 in 40 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/28 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 118, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 14 free throws a game; Herro at 22 and Adebayo at 20 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Rozier (3 straight), Burks (2 straight), Anderson (2 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 105, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Garland at 25 and Mitchell at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 105 a night to Miami's 118 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-7 a night and Miami plus-1. Call it Cleveland 116, Miami 112, Miami keeping it close.
4/11 @ NYK 108-102 — CLE notes
CLE won 108-102. CLE shot 49% (38 of 77) to NYK's 41%, 11 of 31 from three, and went to the line 30 times to NYK's 20 — 21 points from the stripe to their 14. CLE turned it over 15 times to NYK's 8, and NYK turned those into 11 steals. The glass went 49-35 for them. Garland led with 26 (10 of 17, 1 of 5 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Strus added 19, Mobley 16. The hinge was Q4, 30-16: CLE came in trailing by 8 and left it ahead by 6. CLE trailed 50-62 at the half and won the second half 58-40. Allen was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
4/13 vs IND 118-126 — CLE notes
CLE lost 118-126 in 2 overtimes. CLE shot 38% (44 of 115) to IND's 40%, 18 of 60 from three. CLE turned it over 21 times to IND's 13, and IND turned those into 15 steals. Tyson led with 31 (12 of 25, 4 of 12 from three); Bates added 25, Tomlin 24. Q2 was theirs, 29-18, but the other 5 periods went 108-89 against them. They led by as many as 27. Thompson's -25 in 43 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/20 vs MIA 121-100 — CLE notes
CLE won 121-100. CLE shot 51% (45 of 88) to MIA's 49%, 18 of 43 from three. CLE turned it over 7 times to MIA's 14. Mitchell led with 30 (11 of 19, 2 of 9 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Jerome added 28, Garland 27. The hinge was Q4, 34-21: a lead of 8 became 21. Strus was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
4/23 vs MIA 121-112 — CLE notes
CLE won 121-112. CLE shot 48% (39 of 82) to MIA's 52%, 22 of 45 from three, and went to the line 23 times to MIA's 16 — 21 points from the stripe to their 12. CLE turned it over 8 times to MIA's 13. Mitchell led with 30 (10 of 21, 7 of 10 from three); Garland added 21, Mobley 20. The hinge was Q2, 43-27: a lead of 1 became 17. Hunter was the night's best plus/minus at +12.
4/26 @ MIA 124-87 — CLE notes
CLE won 124-87. CLE shot 53% (46 of 86) to MIA's 42%, 15 of 40 from three, and went to the line 20 times to MIA's 10 — 17 points from the stripe to their 7. CLE turned it over 9 times to MIA's 16. The glass went 46-29 for them. Allen led with 22 (8 of 9, 6 of 6 at the line); Hunter added 21, Mobley 19. The hinge was Q1, 33-20: from level to 13 ahead, and the lead reached 40. Hunter was the night's best plus/minus at +34.
4/28 @ MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 118, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 14 free throws a game; Herro at 22 and Adebayo at 20 a game. That is 4 straight losses. Without Rozier (3 straight), Burks (2 straight), Anderson (2 straight). One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 105, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 22 free throws a game; Garland at 25 and Mitchell at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 7 a night. One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 105 a night to Miami's 118 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-7 a night and Miami plus-1. Call it Cleveland 116, Miami 112, Miami keeping it close.
5/04 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 102, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 21 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Jerome at 16 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Garland (2 straight). 5 days' rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 110, shooting 50 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Siakam at 20 and Haliburton at 18 a game. Without Isa. Jackson (81 straight). 4 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-6 a night and Indiana minus-2 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 102 a night to Indiana's 110. Call it Cleveland 119, Indiana 111.
5/06 vs IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 101, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Mitchell at 26 and Jerome at 17 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Garland (3 straight). One day's rest. Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 113, shooting 50 percent and 42 from three, 18 free throws a game; Haliburton at 20 and Siakam at 18 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Isa. Jackson (82 straight). One day's rest.
So: Cleveland wins, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 101 a night to Indiana's 113 and the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-5 a night and Indiana minus-3. Call it Cleveland 120, Indiana 110, Cleveland by 10.
5/09 @ IND — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Indiana comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 114, shooting 51 percent and 41 from three, 20 free throws a game; Haliburton at 20 and Nesmith at 18 a game. That is 4 straight wins. Without Isa. Jackson (83 straight). 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 105, shooting 49 percent and 38 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 29 and Mobley at 19 a game. Without Garland (4 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Cleveland wins, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, Cleveland allowing 105 a night to Indiana's 114 and the turnovers, Indiana giving it away 14 times a game to Cleveland's 10. Call it Cleveland 117, Indiana 114, Indiana keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
MIAAW A. Wiggins
BA B. Adebayo
DR D. Robinson
HH H. Highsmith
JJ J. Jaquez Jr.
JO Jovic
KW K. Ware
NJ N. Jović
PL P. Larsson
TH T. Herro
CLECP C. Porter Jr.
DH D. Hunter
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
EM E. Mobley
IO I. Okoro
JA J. Allen
JG J. Green
JT J. Tyson
MS M. Strus
SM S. Merrill
TJ T. Jerome
TT T. Thompson
MIA/CLE the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Cavs hand Heat worst-ever playoff loss, roll 124-87 for 3-0 lead in series
MIAMI -- — Donovan Mitchell didn't have a great shooting day. Darius Garland was in street clothes, out with an injury.
And Cleveland rolled anyway, moving to the brink of Round 2.
Jarrett Allen scored 22 points, De’Andre Hunter added 21 and the Cavaliers — bullying Miami around all day — handed the Heat their worst playoff loss with a 124-87 win Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Cavs took control with a 33-5 run early, outrebounded Miami 46-29 and outscored the Heat 60-30 in the paint.
“Our guys knew that was the key, rebounding and winning the rebounding battle,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We really executed defensively.”
Evan Mobley scored 19 points and Max Strus added 18 for Cleveland. Ty Jerome had 13 points and 11 assists in 22 minutes — he was plus-33 — and Mitchell scored 13 on 4-for-14 shooting.
They didn't need more from him and didn't need anything from Garland, their All-Star guard who was out with a sprained toe.
“Look, our guys really want this and it probably looks like our guys don't," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But I know what our last six weeks have been like, just to fight and scratch and claw to get into this.”
Bam Adebayo scored 22 and Davion Mitchell added 16 for Miami. The worst Heat playoff loss before Saturday was a 36-point defeat in Game 3 of the 2013 NBA Finals at San Antonio.
That Heat team won an NBA title. This Heat team is on the brink of being swept.
It's the 11th time that a Cavaliers team has taken a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series — the other 10 were all in the LeBron James eras in Cleveland, and they all ended in 4-0 sweeps.
These Cavs will try to finish off a sweep of their own in Game 4 at Miami on Monday. It's the 159th time in NBA history that a team has taken a 3-0 series lead; all of the previous 158 have gone on to win those series, with Oklahoma City — which finished off a sweep of Memphis on Saturday — the latest entry on that list.
It was all Miami for the first 5 1/2 minutes. After that, it was all Cleveland, the Cavaliers taking full control of the game over the next eight minutes with their 33-5 run.
Cleveland shot 13 for 17 during the spurt, scoring on its first eight possessions of the run. And it ended with five consecutive makes from 3-point range, those coming in a span of just over 2 minutes.
Just like that, 15-6 Miami became 39-20 Cleveland.
“We took the first punch,” Mobley said. “And from there we just took the game over.”
It was 62-42 at halftime, and Cleveland missed its first eight shots of the second half. But Miami scored only four points during that span, wasting a chance. Cleveland led 88-64 going into the fourth and that was it.
“Clearly, a very disappointing day,” Spoelstra said.