The Heat return to Miami down 0-2 by getting outclassed and outhustled by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Media were listing the Heat’s “playoff experience” as an intangible against the Cavs. The Cavs were the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for only the fourth time ever. The Cavs showed in the two games that “the moment” wasn’t too big for them.
Cavs: 43 point second quarter
The Cavs scored 43 points in the second quarter and blew the game open. They shot 15 for 23 in the second quarter. Of those shots, 16 of them were from three-point land and they made 11. Ouch. Former Heater Max Strus shot 3 for 3 from three and scored nine points in the quarter.
Heat: 32 point fourth quarter
The Heat made a run in the fourth quarter. They cut the lead to two points after getting knocked to the mat in the second. They were knocked to the mat and then punched in the face several times when they tried to get up off the floor.
The key moment was at 103-105 after Tyler Herro made a jump shot with 3:11 remaining. Nikola Jovic made a lazy pass around the elbow to Bam Adebayo that Jarrett Allen intercepted. Then, Jovic was defending Donovan Mitchell on the other end of the floor. Mitchell took a hard drive to the basket that pushed Jovic back and then he buried a three-pointer to put the game out of reach.
Jovic was taking the blame for the loss. It would be a major overgeneralization to blame te loss solely on Jovic. The only way he should respond is by scoring 15 points per game through the rest of the series. Darius Garland could reasonably say Tyler Herro was to blame for the two games. In a post-game interview, he told the reporter that the Cavs game plan was “pick on Tyler Herro and take care of the ball.”
Saturday is Game 3
The Heat could arguably have been tired from playing two road games in the play-in tournament. I claimed in thePeachBasket Playoff prediction special that they got “a running start.” The team’s playoff experience will be most important in these next days. The Heat coaching staff will analyze the game film and make adjustments.
They will take it to the practice court and apply the game plan with the players. They will be ready on Saturday night. Heat twitter is going nuts and the fans will be ready for Darius Garland for Games 3 & 4. Darius Garland may have put a target on his back because he’s not a great defender either. The pressure is now on Cleveland — they held home court but can they win on the road?
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