The Miami Heat host the Cleveland Cavaliers this afternoon, hoping to avoid falling to a 0-3 deficit in this first-round 2025 NBA Playoffs series. But the Heat simply don’t have an answer for the Cavaliers’ three-point shooting. Cleveland has knocked down 46% of three-point attempts this series.
The Heat don’t have the offensive firepower to match the Cavaliers in a three-point shooting battle. They’ll need to step up their perimeter defense to stand a chance. In all likelihood, they’ll fall short.
As a 10th-seed, Miami made history by simply making it to the first round. But few, if anyone, predicted them to even win a game against the Cavaliers, which dominated the Eastern Conference this season.
A positive for Miami has been the performance of Tyler Herro, who has averaged 27 points on 50% shooting from the field in the first two games of this series. But the Heat are a diminished team with Jimmy Butler, who propelled the Warriors into a playoff contender until his injury this series. The Cavaliers’ trio of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley are just too big an obstacle for the Heat to overcome.
The Cavaliers will win this afternoon and sweep the series.
Donovan Mitchell Stats
Mitchell is averaging 30 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals in this first-round playoff series with the Heat. He’s shooting 47.4 from three.
How to Watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat
This afternoon’s Cavaliers-Heat game tips off just after 1:00 PM Eastern. The game will be aired nationally on TNT. Local viewers in Cleveland and Miami can also tune in to their regional sports networks. Details are below.
Time: 1:00 PM Eastern
Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
TV: TNT, FanDuel Sports Network — Florida (Miami), FanDuel Sports Network — Ohio (Cleveland)
Streaming: TNT app, Max, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, YouTube TV
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