Takeaways From Miami Heat's Disheartening Game 1 Loss In Cleveland

Apr 20, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) in the first quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat hung around for most of their playoff debut in Game 1 against the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers, but things eventually unraveled in a 121-100 loss.

Here are some of my takeaways from the game:

Loss of Identity

The Heat's point-of-attack defense was poor with sloppy rim protection and messy rotations. The man-to-man and zone defense couldn't get the job done. They allowed the Cavs to put up an offensive rating much higher than their already league-leading mark.

It all began with the Cavs' backcourt. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Ty Jerome combined to convert on nearly 60 percent from the field while dishing out 12 assists to four turnovers.

In addition to the Heat giving up a 124 halfcourt offensive rating, they were also not the least bit disruptive. The Cavs finished with an assist-to-turnover ratio that far exceeds the best in the league.

A Real Test

Going up against a top 10 ranked defense, the Heat's offense also was not up to par. They finished the game scoring about 35 points per 100 possessions in the halfcourt.

The biggest difference overall was the Cavs putting up eight more shots within four feet of the rim (Heat put up just five), as well as 10 more threes. The Cavs also converted on 56 percent of their mid range shots.

The biggest individual indicator of their tough offensive night was Tyler Herro, who converted on just four of his 12 twos after having made impressive strides throughout the season countering teams running him off the three-point line. Herro also finished with just two assists and three turnovers.

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Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at toledoalexander22@gmail.com. Twitter: @tropicalblanket