Cavs Blitz Heat in Game 1 Rout, Miami Looks to Regroup

The Miami Heat ran into a buzzsaw Sunday night in Cleveland, falling 121-100 to the top-seeded Cavaliers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup. After riding the high of a gritty play-in win just two nights earlier, Miami simply couldn’t match the pace, poise, and firepower of a Cavaliers team that looked every bit the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed.

Cleveland’s historically potent offense lived up to the hype, torching Miami’s usually stingy defense for 121 points on 51 percent shooting from the field and nearly 42 percent from deep. Ty Jerome’s explosion off the bench in the fourth quarter—16 points on near-perfect shooting—shut the door on any comeback attempt. Add that to 30 from Donovan Mitchell, 28 from Jerome, and 27 from Darius Garland, and the Heat were left searching for answers.

Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro did their part, combining for 45 points, but the Heat lacked rhythm and flow late, scoring just 21 points in the final period. After cutting the lead to seven early in the fourth, Miami unraveled under Cleveland’s relentless pace. Herro, who carried the offense in stretches, was held to just two points in the final quarter as the Cavs denied him touches and hounded him full court.

Turnovers and second chances hurt the Heat all night. Fourteen giveaways and 14 offensive boards allowed by Miami led to extra possessions that Cleveland turned into daggers. The Cavaliers attempted eight more shots and four more free throws, taking control of the game’s tempo while draining the Heat’s legs late.

Kel’el Ware, the Heat’s rookie big man, had a rough playoff debut. The 21-year-old didn’t register a rebound or a point in the first half, eventually finishing with two points and three boards in 20 minutes. It was a baptism by fire, and head coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged the challenge, noting that Ware’s development is critical and will come through these tough lessons.

Despite a promising start in the first half and a brief run in the third, Miami couldn’t generate enough stops or consistency on offense to keep pace. The defense that had carried them through the play-in suddenly looked overwhelmed, allowing the highest offensive rating they’ve given up all year.

Now trailing 1-0 in the series, the Heat have two days to regroup before Game 2 on Wednesday night. They’ll need to clean up their communication, take care of the ball, and find a way to disrupt Cleveland’s offensive rhythm if they hope to even the series. As Herro put it, “We’ve faced this kind of pressure all year. We just have to be better.”

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