Mateo’s Hoop Diary: The Heat lacked defensive answers and enough firepower in the Game 1 loss to the Cavaliers

The Heat lost Game 1 because they were the smaller, slower, and weaker team against a machine that didn’t show up in top form. They also rolled into the match physically, mentally and emotionally spent after surviving two elimination games in the Play-In Tournament. They played well for their standards and hung around with the Cavaliers for three quarters, but they were overwhelmed by artillery strikes late.

Considering their 37-win record matching up against the Cavaliers’ 64 dubs, it was a surprise the Heat were stronger than a sparring partner. Aside from Donovan Mitchell’s 30 points that came via blow-bys and jumpers, Ty Jerome inflicted 28 digits on 67% shooting off the bench. At one point, the latter went on a victim spree, the metaphorical equivalent of the Heat getting shot up worse than Scarface at his last stand.

Tyler Herro said the Cavs’ physicality dictated terms. And coach Erik Spoelstra talked about watching the film and improving, but that’s something more the Cavaliers can do. 

The Heat’s most promising spurt of the opening quarter came after Spoelstra summoned his troops as they fell below nine points in the first few minutes. They answered with 11-2 run, but the Cavaliers figured them out like a boxer who takes a few rounds to decipher their rival.

A Cavalanche followed, including six triples and the hosts climbed to a 17-point lead. Naturally, the Cavaliers, like a prizefighter in a bout beneath their level, got bored, and their intensity waned by 40° to close the half as the Heat brought the deficit down to eight on 3-pointers from Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Davion Mitchell.

At halftime, the Heat still had a pulse down 62-54. Subsequently, they had no answers for Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland’s paint pressure. Yet, the team’s eight second-chance points, Bam Adebayo’s assertiveness near the paint, and the rest of the squad’s three 3-pointers kept the Heat in the game after falling behind by 13 and closing it to six with 49 seconds to go in the third.  

The Heat flashed a zone to start the fourth quarter, but no scheme could restrain Jerome’s spot-up, pull-up shots, and floaters. Adebayo’s three jumpers and Davion Mitchell’s paint strikes were the team’s last real retaliatory efforts, but it didn’t matter because they were outclassed midway through the period. 

The Heat lost 121-100. The Cavaliers picking up 14 offensive rebounds and committing seven fewer turnovers put them in position to take eight more field goals, making six. 

Takeaways:

• In spite of Kel’el Ware’s two blocks, his inexperience made him a target and limited his minutes to 19. His timing was off as a helper, too. 

• The Cavaliers have three options in Mitchell, Jerome and Darius Garland who can create separation on the dribble and break down Miami’s defense. They combined to score 85 points on 61% accuracy. 

• Cleveland’s length and quick help defense held the Heat’s half-court attack to 89 points per 100 plays, good enough for the 26th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. 

• Notably, the Heat only attempted five shots at the rim, making all, but most of their looks were in the paint non-restricted area, shooting 12.3% above the league average. 

• Andrew Wiggins had 14 points on 45% shooting, but he was not a big enough part of the offense. He is one of the Heat’s top-two athletes and needs to be more active, curling around screens and demanding the ball.

• Herro and Adebayo were the Heat’s main scorers, but they totaled 45 points on 42.5% shooting.