This Week In Cavs History: Cavs Destroy Heat In NBA-Record Fashion
Throughout the 2023-24 NBA season, Spencer Davies is going to turn back the clock to milestone moments and important dates in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ past. Whether they’ve been good, bad or sad, these events were significant in the franchise’s 53-year existence.
In sports, there are blowouts and then there are blowouts.
When you're talking about what happened 32 years ago at the Richfield Coliseum, "blowout" would be an understatement. Behind seven players in double figures, a 57.3 percent clip from the field and 39 assists on 59 field-goal makes, the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the Miami Heat by a final score of 148-80.
What's even crazier? The Cavs only led 34-24 after one quarter of play. The next three went as follows: 39-29, 33-14 and 42-13. That is an outrageous 58-point margin in the final 36 minutes.
Going down the list, the individual stats weren't even all that loud. They were just incredibly efficient. You can start with Mark Price's 18 points and 11 assists in 17 minutes. Partner-in-crime Brad Daugherty chipped in 17 points, seven rebounds and three dimes as well.
Cleveland's other double-doubles came from Danny Ferry (11 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes) and Winston Bennett (11 points and 10 rebounds). John Battle matched Price with 18 points off the bench. Henry James had 17 points and eight boards with the second unit too. Hot Rod Williams added 16 points and six rebounds.
Everywhere you looked, there was somebody producing, and as you can tell, the Cavs had their way with Miami on the glass with a 59-41 advantage.
Keith Askins #2, Small Forward for the Miami Heat dribbles the basketball around #11 Terrell Brandon of the Cleveland Cavaliers during their NBA Atlantic Division basketball game on 11th December 1991 at the at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, United States. The Miami Heat won the game 105 - 103.
Jim Spoontz/Allsport/Getty Images
At the time, the 68-point win was the largest margin of victory of all-time in NBA history, breaking the previous record held by the Los Angeles Lakers in their 162-99 win over the Golden State Warriors in the 1971-72 campaign.
It wasn't until the 2021-22 season that Cleveland's record was broken.
On Dec. 2, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79, which was a 73-point victory. It will likely be hard to touch that one!
