Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Miami Heat 138-83 to complete a 4-0 series sweep and cruise into the NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals on Monday. A dominant all-round offensive effort from the Cavaliers laid the foundations for a lopsided victory that saw the Heat exit the postseason with a whimper in front of their home crowd.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers scoring with 22 points on a night when six Cleveland players finished in double figures. With Darius Garland (toe) missing from the Cleveland line-up, Mitchell received support from De’Andre Hunter with 19 points, Ty Jerome (18), and Evan Mobley (17). The Eastern Conference No.1 seeds will face either the Milwaukee Bucks or Indiana Pacers in the next round, with Indiana leading that series 3-1.
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Mitchell said Cleveland had been determined to wrap up the series swiftly. “We came out here with a goal in mind,” Mitchell told TNT television. “To keep our foot on their throat and on their neck and continue to play 48 minutes of basketball.”
That ruthlessness was apparent from the tip-off, with Cleveland rapidly opening up a monster 43-17 lead after the first quarter against a shellshocked Miami line-up. The Cavs cranked up the pressure in the second quarter, stretching their lead to as many as 45 points before reaching half-time with a whopping 72-33 lead.
The punishment continued after the break, with the Cavaliers keeping the points flowing to build on their advantage, opening up a 48-point lead at 96-48 midway through the third quarter. That lead had grown to 111-63 heading into the fourth quarter, and the carnage continued in the final frame as Cleveland romped home.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said Monday’s blowout — which followed a 124-87 pummeling on Saturday — underscored the gulf between the two teams. “Damn, it was humbling,” Spoelstra said. “This series was humbling. These last two games were embarrassing. But Cleveland is a very good team…we were as irrational as we usually are thinking that we have a chance to win this series, and they showed us why we weren’t ready for that.”
© 2024 AFP
