Cavaliers Dominate Heat in Historic Playoff Sweep
MIAMI (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers demonstrated their dominance by securing a resounding victory over the Miami Heat, finishing their Eastern Conference first-round series with a commanding 138-83 win. This decisive performance allowed Cleveland to sweep the series in just four games, marking the most lopsided series in NBA playoff history.
Game Highlights
Leading the charge for the Cavaliers was Donovan Mitchell, who contributed 22 points to the team’s victory. De’Andre Hunter followed closely with 19 points, while Ty Jerome and Evan Mobley added 18 and 17 points, respectively. Jarrett Allen also made a significant impact, recording 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals.
Cleveland’s overall consistency throughout the series was staggering, winning the four games by a total margin of 122 points. This surpassed the previous record set in 2009 when the Denver Nuggets defeated the New Orleans Hornets by 121 points.
Recap of Game 4
The Cavaliers established their dominance early in Game 4, leading by as much as 60 points at one stage. The 55-point margin of victory became notable as it was the fourth-largest in NBA playoff history. The highest playoff victory remains at 58 points, achieved twice before by the Minneapolis Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.
Miami’s Nikola Jovic was the standout player for his team, finishing with 24 points, while Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins added 13 and 12 points, respectively. However, Pelle Larsson’s late three-pointer preserved Miami from facing the worst playoff loss on record.
Historical Context
This series marked Miami’s third occurrence of being swept in a best-of-seven playoff series. The previous instances were against the Chicago Bulls in 2007 and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, both of which also concluded on Miami’s home court.
Cleveland exhibited an extraordinary first half, entering halftime with a 39-point lead—72-33. This was among the largest halftime leads witnessed in NBA history. The only larger leads were recorded by the Cavaliers themselves in 2017 and the Detroit Pistons in 1987.
Moving Forward
The Cavaliers are set to face either the Indiana Pacers or the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, with the Pacers currently leading that series 3-1. The next matchup is scheduled to occur in Cleveland, likely starting Saturday at the earliest.
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