Tag Archives: Miami Heat

Another insane mock trade involving Donovan Mitchell

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Another day and another hypothetical trade proposal that involves Cavs star Donovan Mitchell on the move. The trade, which appears in an article on King James Gospel, has a handful of players changing teams.

Cleveland would receive Damian Lillard from Portland while Miami lands Donovan Mitchell. Portland’s return would be Tyler Herro, Isaac Okoro, Jaime Jaques, Nikola Jovic, three first-round picks, and two pick swaps.

This is a lot to sort through.

First off, thankfully it does have Mitchell ending up on the Knicks. Pretty sure everyone has seen enough of those for a lifetime and then some. As far as the actual trade is concerned, it is a doozy. Anything involving Lillard at this point will be shut down by the league. Miami’s involvement, even though they do not land him in this mock deal, would result in immediate red flags.

Lillard ending up in Cleveland is an interesting proposition. Darius Garland and former Cavs guard Collin Sexton were tabbed as the next potential Lillard-CJ McCollum. McCollum has since moved on to New Orleans while Sexton’s career has not developed. The issue is that Garland and Mitchell may be a better pairing than Garland and Lillard

Donovan Mitchell going to Miami would improve an already impressive starting lineup. Mitchell would be a part of easily the most talented team he has been on up to this point in his career, and the Heat would be on the shortlist of true title contenders.

For Portland, they are in full rebuild mode so acquiring the volume of picks makes all the sense in the world. Herro is someone they can build around if they choose to or flip for more future assets, the latter option seeming to be the preferred route for a team in their current position.

At the end of the day, this is a fun trade to shake things up, as there is no reason for the Cavs to find themselves in a deal such as this one.

Pressure is on Heat going into Game 7

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Could the impossible actually happen? Are the Miami Heat going to become the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead? Judging by the way the previous three games have gone, all signs point to yes (shoutout David Puddy).

Losing a Game 4 with a 3-0 lead happens. It is usually the last gasp of life left in a team before falling flat and being blown out in Game 5, but that has not been the case. Miami had a superior Boston team with their backs up against the wall fighting for their playoff lives, and they let them back in with little resistance. This is not the type of play that a championship caliber team should be showcasing before advancing The Finals to take on a well rested Nuggets squad.

If Miami blows this and lets the Celtics win it will go down as one of the bigger choke jobs in NBA history. Not quite up to the level of the 73-9 Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead, but maybe Yankees blowing a 3-0 lead to the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS. While losing this series should not cost Erik Spoelstra his job, it would be one hell of a blemish on his coaching record.

There are conversations that should be had, but that is it, just conversations. Any sort of coaching change down on South Beach would be surprising and should be met with harsh criticism. Additionally, if Spoelstra were to be relieved of his duties and wanted to continue his coaching career he would not have a hard time finding a new job.

The winner of this series is going to be gassed and Denver should be the favorite in The Finals no matter the opponent. The Nuggets just look to be better all around and have not appeared prone to the shortcomings of these Heat and Celtics teams. That being said, that series still has to be played and anything can happen, including an unlikely Heat or Celtics victory.

Celtics stay alive with Game 4 win over Heat

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It was a win or go home scenario for the Boston Celtics and they made sure that their trip to South Beach would not end on a sour note. Boston came away with a 116-99 win over the Miami Heat to extend their season another day, two may be more accurate considering their next game is Thursday.

This game definitely seems to have been the energy dump game from a team looking to avoid the sweep. It has been seen countless times before, a team holds a 3-0 lead and the team that has been outplayed the entire series suddenly puts it together for a win in Game 4 before flaming out in Game 5 when they have nothing left to give.

This is not about talent as Boston is a very talented team. In fact, it has nothing really do to with talent. It is about a Heat team that has played better and the Celtics having their back up against the wall. A spoiler win like this should come as no surprise to anyone. Even LeBron and the Lakers looked like they were going to get one win before coming up short and rumors of retirement began to swirl.

There have been three instances of a team evening a series down 0-3 in the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately for Boston this is where the good news ends. No team has ever come back down three games to none, the most recent chance coming in 2003. The Celtics will certainly have their chance to defy history and make an impressive comeback. But don’t count on anything as the odds are stacked heavily against them.

Cavaliers miss out on NBA Awards

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The Cleveland Cavaliers took a massive step forward last season in their ascension from the basement of the Eastern Conference, but did not result in any awards for members of the organization. Award winner after award winner was announced without any Cavs taking home the respective honor.

Up for Most Improved Player, Darius Garland finished in third behind winner Ja Morant and second place Dejounte Murray. Garland’s rise in the wake of multiple teammates suffering season-ending injuries propelled the Cavs to postseason play without LeBron James for the first time in a quarter century.

In a very controversial decision Evan Mobley finished in second place for Rookie of the Year with Toronto’s Scottie Barnes being named the winner. The 15 vote differential is the smallest ever in the system of voting.

The comeback season of Kevin Love got a lot of appreciation league wide, but not enough to win Sixth Man of the Year. Tyler Herro of the Heat won by nearly 270 votes taking 96 of 100 first place votes (Love finished with three first place votes).

Koby Altman was up for Executive of the Year, but fell short to another individual from Memphis, Zach Kleiman. Altman finished with two first place votes, five second place votes, and two third place votes for 27 points total while Kleiman had 85.

If the Cavaliers are the type of team that thrives on being overlooked then this could be some motivation for next season. This young Cavs team could make sure that next time that the end of season NBA awards are being announced that they get the call.

Cavaliers cool Heat, win fourth straight

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The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the visiting Miami Heat by a score of 105-94 as they won their fourth consecutive game.

It’s time to start taking the Cleveland Cavaliers seriously. The Cavs controlled their Monday night contest with the Miami Heat for the majority of the game and were able to avoid the usual pitfalls they found themselves into in previous seasons. Miami battled and were keeping up with Cleveland for most of the contest until the Cavaliers put the game away midway through the 4th.

With the win Cleveland did something that they have not accomplished since February 4, 2010. The Cavaliers defeated the Heat in two straight games with one of those games taking place in Miami for the first time since the first LeBron James era. The Cavs have defeated the Heat in consecutive games prior to Monday, but that elusive win in Miami did not happen until earlier this season.

Game Notes

A major reason for why the Cavaliers were able to beat the Heat was the difference at the free throw line. Miami went 5-9 while Cleveland was 17-18, being able to get shots at the charity stripe and converting them at a high rate more often than not will lead to a win.

Leading Cleveland’s scoring attack was none other than Kevin Love. Coming of the bench, Love scored 23 points on the strength of making five of eight three-point attempts and all six free throws in just 24 minutes. Love’s 23 points was tied for a game high with Miami’s P.J. Tucker.

Isaac Okoro had his third straight impressive scoring night, finishing with 18 points with most of his damage coming from deep (4-8 3PT). Okoro’s effectiveness from deep certainly played a part in the Cavaliers win.

Jarrett Allen finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block. While Allen’s double-double streak came to an end, the double-digit scoring streak continues as he scored 10 or more points in 19 straight games. Prior to this streak beginning on November 1st, Allen scored just 14 points combined in the previous three games.

It was an all around solid game for rising star Darius Garland. Garland had 16 points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals for the Cavs. While it was not a great shooting night for Garland, (5-16 FG, 3-7 3PT), the fact he can impact in the game in other areas separates him from others.

With the win the Cavaliers are now 17-12 on the year and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland’s current four game winning streak is tied with two other streaks earlier in the year for longest of the season. The Cavs can make it five in a row as they take on the Houston Rockets Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Cavaliers stumble after strong 1st quarter vs. Heat

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It was all downhill for the Cleveland Cavaliers after the 1st quarter in a 17-point loss to the Miami Heat.

The Cleveland Cavaliers came out firing Saturday night against the Miami Heat, scoring 36 points and holding a seven-point lead. Unfortunately that was the high point for the Cavs as they were outscored 95-71 over the next three quarters in what was a 124-107 final score.

The outcome is really not that surprising. Anyone who has watched the Cavaliers this season know that as the game progresses their performance declines. More often than not the 3rd quarter is where everything falls apart, but the Heat were ahead of scheduled Saturday. Miami took the lead at the half thanks to outscoring Cleveland by 14 in the 2nd quarter. The Heat later extended their lead in the second half as they kept piling on, outscoring Cleveland by 10 in the final two quarters.

Kevin Love and Collin Sexton led the Cavaliers scoring attack with 25 points each. This was a much different outing for Love as he declined to take a shot in their loss the night before. Sexton had usual shooting performance with 12 misses (8-20 overall). Dean Wade came through with 16 points off the bench thanks to a 6-10 shooting performance from deep.

At this point in the season it is just about getting through the final games without anyone getting seriously hurt. After that the Cavaliers need to make some business decisions about their roster construction and who they want to build around going forward.

Cavaliers lose 20th straight game in Miami

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It was a 115-101 loss for the Cavaliers down in Miami as Cleveland lost their 20th consecutive game at American Airlines Arena.

Trips down to Miami have not been great for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time Cleveland came away with a win at American Airlines Arena was during the first LeBron James era and that did not change Saturday. The Heat handed the Cavs a 14-point loss in what was their 20th straight loss in Miami.

There was only one quarter that Cavaliers were not outscored in and surprisingly it was the 3rd. Cleveland held a 19-17 advantage during that quarter, but the differences in the other three quarters all favored Miami. The Heat outscored Cleveland 98-82 outside the 3rd, scoring 31 or more points in each quarter.

As per usual for the Cavaliers this season, Cleveland made less three-pointers than their opponent. Miami went 15-38 while Cleveland went 10-31, the 15 points just in three-pointers has an interesting look when compared to the final score differential.

SexLand excels in two different areas

For the second straight game Colin Sexton scored 20+ points and did not require 10+ misses to do so. Sexton went 11-17 from the field and made all 4 free throws en route to a 26-point performance. It was the scoring aspect that Sexton played well in while making a lesser impact in the assist department with only 3 on the game with 5 turnovers.

Darius Garland was the member of SexLand to excel in the assists. Garland finished with 8 assists, a team-high, with only 3 turnovers. It was a so-so scoring effort from Garland as he finished with 12 points on 4-8 from the floor (2-4 3PT) and 2-2 from the line.

Oh, Oh, Okoro

It was a surprising scoring performance from rookie Isaac Okoro. Okoro made 5 of 7 field goal attempts, including both shots from deep, along with 5-7 from the free throw line as he finished with 17 points in 36 minutes. Okoro’s scoring total was the third-highest for the Cavaliers and second-highest total in their starting lineup.

Prince off the bench

Cleveland did get a boost off the bench in the form of Taurean Prince. Prince played 32 minutes and finished 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. It was a 7-13 shooting performance for Prince as he made 2 of 4 three-pointers on the nights. Additionally, Prince made all three free throw attempts.

The Cavaliers will look to snap their current five-game losing streak at home against the San Antonio Spurs Monday at 7:00 P.M.

Cavaliers look for better result in Miami

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to snap their current four-game losing streak as they take on the Heat in Miami.

Not only have the Cleveland Cavaliers lost their last four games, those losses have come in pretty disappointing fashion. The Cavs last loss was a 20-point loss to the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers Thursday. Cleveland will look to change their fortunes in a locale that has not been kind to them for some time, Miami.

The Cavaliers have lost 19 straight games against the Heat in Miami. Cleveland’s last win came on January 25, 2010 during the first LeBron James era. Since then it has been a house of horrors for the Cavs and that may not be coming to an end Saturday.

While the Heat are only 5th in the Eastern Conference, they are a better team than their record. This could prove problematic for the Cavaliers as they come in second to last in the conference, the only team with a worse record being the 14-34 Detroit Pistons.

The Heat are averaging 106.2 points per game while surprisingly giving up 107.2 to their opponents. Both numbers are better than Cleveland’s and this should play a factor in the final result. Miami’s 36.5 three-point attempts per game rank 11th in the NBA while their 12.6 makes from deep is good for 15th. The Cavaliers still rank 30th in both three-point makes and attempts on the season.

The Cavaliers will be without Larry Nance Jr., Jarrett Allen, and Dylan Windler. These injuries will certainly make things more difficult for a Cleveland team looking to snap their current losing streak and losing streak in Miami.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. in Miami

Cavaliers torched by Heat in Miami

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were no match for the Miami Heat losing 113-98.

Tuesday night went as expected as the Cleveland Cavaliers were outclassed by the Miami heat from start to finish. The fact of the matter is that the Heat are head and shoulders above the Cavs and that proved to be true in what was their fourth straight loss, the third in a row by 10 or more points.

Miami was off and running the in the 1st quarter, scoring 37 points. Cleveland giving up nearly 40 points in the 1st quarter was quite the ominous sign. The Cavaliers were just not able to stop anything offensively that the Heat were doing. Cleveland was able to close the gap a few times over the course of the game, but Miami was able to rebuild their lead faster than they lost it.

The wheels are falling off for Cleveland as each game progresses and it is just becoming a yearly tradition now. When does the team fall fall on their face and when do they start trading players away? It seems like the former has already happened while the latter is on the horizon.

The Cavaliers have a chance to snap their losing streak Wednesday night as they host the Boston Celtics.

Cavaliers look for win in Miami vs. Heat

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to snap their three-game losing streak Tuesday as they travel to Miami to take on the Heat.

It has been two straight games of underwhelming performances for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the last an 18-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Cavs are hoping for a change of fortune as they take on the 21-18 Miami Heat Tuesday night. The Heat are currently on a four-game winning streak and are looking to extend that as Cleveland comes into town.

Miami is currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and is not necessarily playing up to the level that they had at the end of last season in the bubble. That being said, this is still a better team than Cleveland and that cannot be discounted. The Heat are averaging 106.6 points per game while giving up 107.5. While not the strongest offensive unit, they do average more than the Cavaliers (103.4) and surrender less per game (111.8).

Cleveland is 5-14 on the road this season while Miami is 11-8 at home. This says that one team takes care of business at home while the other looks lost away from it. Perhaps the Cavaliers can find their way and get back into the win column and prevent things from spinning out of control further. Although it is possible that they continue their spiral into the abyss of the Eastern Conference, a scenario that seems a little more likely.

The game is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. Tuesday night.