Cleveland Cavaliers Rewrite Playoff History with Massive Win in Miami
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a loud and brutal statement Saturday afternoon, hammering the Miami Heat 124-87 in front of a stunned crowd at Kaseya Center. With the win, Cleveland now leads their Eastern Conference first-round series 3-0, leaving Miami just one loss away from an early summer vacation.
Jarrett Allen led the charge with 22 points, while De’Andre Hunter added 21 in a near-flawless showing. Evan Mobley scored 19 and Max Strus, facing his old team, dropped in 18 points. Ty Jerome and Donovan Mitchell each chipped in 13.
Miami had few answers. Bam Adebayo fought hard for his 22 points, and Davion Mitchell added 16, but the rest of the Heat looked completely outmatched. To make matters worse, the 37-point defeat officially became the Heat’s worst playoff loss in franchise history, surpassing their 36-point meltdown against San Antonio in the 2013 NBA Finals.
Unlike that 2013 team, which famously rallied to win it all, this version of the Heat looks finished.
“This is really disappointing,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game. “It might not seem like it, but our guys wanted this badly. I know how hard they fought to even get into the playoffs. That’s what makes today’s result so gut-wrenching.”
From the opening tip, it was clear the Cavaliers came to impose their will. They didn’t just win — they dominated every critical area. Cleveland won the rebounding battle 46-29, outscored Miami 60-30 in the paint, and delivered blow after blow until the Heat simply had nothing left to give.
“We knew the game was going to come down to rebounding and physicality,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Our guys went out and owned it.”
Cleveland will now aim to finish the sweep on Monday. NBA history isn’t kind to teams trailing 0-3: entering Saturday, teams in that hole were 0-157. Miami appears unlikely to become the first to flip the script.
Where It All Went Wrong
Miami actually came out swinging. The Heat jumped to a 15-6 lead early, feeding off the energy of their desperate home crowd. For a few fleeting moments, it looked like they might make it a series.
And then everything fell apart.
Cleveland responded with a staggering 33-5 run, blowing the game wide open. In just eight minutes, the Cavaliers turned a nine-point deficit into a 19-point lead, leaving the Heat shell-shocked. Cleveland couldn’t miss during that stretch, hitting 13 of 17 shots and sinking five straight three-pointers in just over two minutes.
Meanwhile, Miami’s offense collapsed. Turnovers, rushed shots, and poor decisions piled up as the Cavaliers smelled blood.
“We took their best shot early,” Mobley said. “Then we punched right back and took control.”
The Heat never recovered. They trailed by 20 at halftime and by 24 heading into the fourth quarter. The final 12 minutes were simply a formality.
Max Strus Returns to Miami With a Vengeance
If anyone had extra motivation Saturday, it was Max Strus. The former Heat guard, who signed with Cleveland last offseason, made sure Miami remembered him.
Strus not only poured in 18 points but also brought unmatched hustle. Loose balls, extra rebounds, crucial defensive stops — Strus did the little things that coaches and teammates love but rarely show up on the stat sheet.
“Max does all the dirty work that turns a good team into a great one,” Atkinson said. “His energy is contagious.”
Source: Cleveland Cavaliers hand Miami Heat worst-ever playoff loss
Miami’s Missed Opportunities
The Heat had chances to claw back into the game, especially when Cleveland stumbled out of the gates in the second half. The Cavaliers missed their first eight shots after halftime — an opening Miami desperately needed.
Instead, they managed just four points during that cold stretch, wasting any chance to make it a fight.
From there, Cleveland found their groove again, and Miami’s body language said it all: the Heat were defeated mentally long before the final buzzer.
The most excitement in the building the rest of the way? A huge roar from the crowd when Colombian superstar Shakira was shown on the big screen courtside.
Stat Sheet Says It All
The numbers tell the story better than any speech. Cleveland finished with 31 assists, moved the ball beautifully, and shot 56% during their game-breaking run. Meanwhile, Miami shot a woeful 38% overall and an even worse 26% from three-point range.
The Cavaliers also forced 14 turnovers and made the Heat pay with easy fast-break buckets.
“They beat us to every loose ball, every rebound,” Adebayo said. “This wasn’t about tactics. It was about effort.”
What’s Next
Game 4 looms Monday, and for Miami, it’s win or go home. For Cleveland, it’s an opportunity to slam the door shut.
Historically, the Cavaliers have been ruthless with 3-0 leads. All ten times they’ve taken a 3-0 advantage before — all during the LeBron James eras — they’ve finished with sweeps.
Now it’s Allen, Mobley, Strus, and Hunter leading the charge, but the result could be the same.
As for the Heat? Spoelstra knows the odds.
“This isn’t about schemes anymore,” he said. “It’s about pride. We’ve got to find it.”
For the Cavaliers, Monday night could be about sending a message: this isn’t the LeBron-era Cavs. This is a new generation — and they’re hungry.
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