CLEVELAND — Amid a sea of white, as fans packed Rocket Arena donning their playoff shirts and their rally towels, the Cavaliers welcomed in the 2025 NBA Playoffs with the kind of energy special to Cleveland. That energy was felt both in the crowd and on the court as the Cavs took down the Miami Heat 121-100.
Cleveland starts their playoff run on a very high note, opening the series against Miami 1-0 .
The Cavs entered Game 1 of the opening round on Sunday fully expecting a high-intensity, physical matchup with the Heat. Cleveland opened up, setting the tone early, working to take control while playing their brand of basketball.
Taking an early 14-5 lead, the Cavs got going quickly thanks to Max Strus and Evan Mobley hitting from behind the arc and Jarrett Allen getting big in the paint. Miami, who entered the Play-In Tournament as the No. 10 seed and won their way into the eighth seed to face the Cavs, kept it tight in the first frame.
As the first quarter wrapped, the Cavs pulled ahead, taking a 31-24 lead into the second.
By halftime, the Cavs held a 62-54 lead. Donovan Mitchell, who was ultra physical in Sunday's game, led the way through the first two quarters, putting up 15 points with two steals, two assists and two rebounds. Allen was busy on the boards, notching nine rebounds in the first half to go alongside his eight points.
Darius Garland, who was looking to make an impact this year in the playoffs now that he's healthy and playing at the weight he wants, had 12 points and four assists in the first half.
With a quarter left, the Cavs held an eight-point lead. In the fourth quarter, Ty Jerome embraced his recent title offinalist for Sixth Man of the Year, hitting two threes in a minute and helping the Cavs pull ahead down the stretch. He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Keeping their foot on the gas when it mattered most, the Cavs closed out strong to get the first victory of the playoff series.
Cleveland and Miami face off in Game 2 on Wednesday inside Rocket Arena. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
