Sigh. Another win followed by a letdown loss. The pattern is obvious, but the pain is still real. The Cavs faced another team with as many injuries, at home, but it still wasn’t enough. The Heat led most of the game and made enough plays in the end.
The Heat led the game for 40+ minutes yet the Cavs had every chance to win in the end. For a game the Heat controlled most of the way, all the Cavs had to do was hit a one or two clutch shots late or not give up nine points in three consecutive late possessions. But yet, here we are.
The game started out for the Cavs the same way it started: Sloppy. Which, for the most part, the Cavs played a sloppier than usual uninspired game.
The Heat scored 31 points in the first quarter and made six three-pointers. This is a team 27th in scoring, and 20th in three-pointers made, and down 73.1 points to injuries. The last seven games the Heat have averaged 100.9 points per game.
It took the Cavs more than five minutes to hit 10+ points. The Heat were at 20+ points within six minutes.
Part of the sloppiness was the little things early. Caris LeVert doesn’t close out on Jimmy Butler for an open three. LeVert doesn’t box out on a Heat possession adding to a Patty Mills offensive rebounder and jumper. Isaac Okoro misses a transition layup early. Jarrett Allen misses a short push shot early. All these things added to the early hole.
One noticeable change to start was LeVert initiating the Cavs offense. The Cavs used Darius Garland a lot more off the ball tonight to start possessions.
As the Heat do, they will consistently, and sporadically, change up their defenses. For a few possessions stretch, the Heat went zone. This seemed to wake the Cavs up as Sam Merrill and Marcus Morris Sr splashed threes within a minute of each other.
This pushed the Cavs to go on a 11-2 run to end the quarter with three threes. The Cavs were 2-6 from deep up until that point.
The Cavs bench was the difference in the first quarter. They contributed 9 points and were a combined +13.
The second quarter started exactly how the first quarter did: The Heat jumped out to a quick lead, and the Cavs struggled to find offensive rhythm. The Heat had seven straight points to start the quarter and put up nine points in two minutes.
Garland played the entire first quarter, as JB Bickerstaff has been doing more of late. He gave CRAIG! early second quarter minutes to relieve Garland and it didn’t go so well. As has happened in many previous games, this stretch hasn’t gone well and has resulted in little to none second quarter minutes.
CRAIG! was a -7 in four second quarter minutes before Bickerstaff quickly went back to Garland. For March, CPJ is a combined -31 across nine games and only had a positive plus-minus in one game this month. Just a rough stretch for the rookie, and a rough stretch the coach is not forgetting when it comes to second half minutes.
While the Cavs got going from deep to end the first quarter, it was getting going from inside in the second quarter that was the difference. They were 3-10 from three on the quarter, and 1-6 through most of the quarter.
Towards the end of the second, the Cavs started to go inside after not being able to convert much from the perimeter. This resulted in eight Jarrett Allen points, and 10 paint points in the quarter’s final five minutes. The Cavs went from down eight to down four heading into the break.
Unfortunately, another quarter another 30-point quarter for the Heat.
Garland had eight first half assists but only five points on 2-7 shooting. Offense wasn’t so much the issue in the first half, as they gave up 61 points and scored 57 points, but the down stretches for Garland during Mitchell’s injury have been a bit too extended for my liking.
The Heat were doing most of their damage in two areas in the first half: Corner threes and the restricted area – which was a true synopsis of how they were playing. They were 10-13 within the restricted area and getting most of what they wanted inside. When they weren’t they are able to drive and kick to find open corner shots.
It was also the little things for the Heat. They were 10-10 at the free throw line and only gave up the ball three times. That’s how teams weather injuries and win on the road.
It also helps when your best player is playing his best as Jimmy Butler put in 20 first half points.
After a high scoring first half, the third quarter was a bit of a slump. Both teams shot under 37% from the field, didn’t make more than three threes and neither had any fast break points.
The Cavs were able to gain an early lead but, once again, the Heat got hot to start the quarter. Right as the Cavs went up one, the Heat went on a 10-2 run. The Cavs kept pushing but never took a lead the rest of the quarter, and the Heat pushed it to eight by quarter’s end.
And like the second quarter again, the Cavs started out the quarter going 1-5 from three and only had four points in the quarter’s first five minutes.
A couple of uncharacteristically bad turnovers by Allen inbounding the ball led to the Heat nailing a three and Bickerstaff begrudgingly taking a timeout.
Despite having a size and skill advantage down low with Bam Adebayo out, the Cavs shot more threes (11) than twos (7) in the third quarter. It’s usually a good thing but when you have the size advantage inside and shoot 6-21 from three in the second and third quarter combined, you must play to what your strengths are.
The Cavs finally outscored the Heat in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. They even had an 83%-win probability with 90 seconds left and couldn’t do enough to pull out the home win.
Coming into the fourth quarter Garland was 5-15 from the field, 3-10 from three-point line with 14 points. He ended the game 7-18 from the field, 3-11 from three with 20 points. Okay… but the Cavs aren’t paying him to be okay and really needed to him to lift the team more especially late.
20 points (38.9 FG%, 27.3 3P^) and 9 assists with one turnover and a +3 is a dandy night. But the Cavs aren’t paying him to be dandy. Just in the way Mitchell stepped up during the steak, you were hoping for some of the same from Garland. But it’s only further cemented more how much Mitchell means to the Cavs.
After some punches thrown each way to start the fourth, the Cavs went on a little run sparked by Garland. They would go on a 15-5 run over a seven-minute span, hitting three’s, making hustle plays and playing some of the best defense on the night. This would put them up four with two minutes to go.
The hardest part is the Cavs had chances. Niang could have hit a three to put them up five twice. Garland could have hit a three to put them up five. They also fouled Terry Rozier on an and-1 three pointer. All chances under four minutes that didn’t go the Cavs way and let the Heat right back in.
The Cavs decided to challenge the Rozier and-one. Why is that important? Because the Cavs would quickly lose the challenge, and later could have used the timeout to advance the ball for a better last chance to tie the game. But, coaching.
Rozier continued his never-ending quest to ruin the Cavs with Kyrie Irving like sidestep three-pointer as time wound down to put the dagger in the Cavs chances. This would put the Heat up three with 15 seconds left.
Rozier had nine points in the final 84 seconds. The Cavs had six points in that time frame. The Cavs lost by three.
The Cavs also had a few technical fouls – one by Bickerstaff, one by Garland and one by Niang. The Heat made all three free-throws. The Cavs lost by three.
Crunch time continues to be an issue for the Cavs. The chances are there, and they can’t consistently convert. Also, another game another late game turnover. This time LeVert ran out the clock and created a shot clock violation with a tie game and chance for the Cavs to take back the lead.
Crunch time issues existed with Mitchell healthy but the further crunch time issues without Mitchell only further validates the value he provides the Cavs. Without him, they don’t have a consistent crunch time closer.
LeVert had another double-double. This time with 16 points and 12 assists, although it did come at the expense of five turnovers and a -9.
LeVert has double digit assists in three of his last five games.
I don’t want to diminish what Allen did in any way tonight. The man had 25 points and 20 points. That’s hard to do in any game no matter who the opponent is. But… did it truly feel like a dominating performance watching the game? Allen was the beneficiary of being the primary role man, as well as the primary big most of the night and cleaned up. Thompson didn’t score and the second highest rebounding total was five. Allen had a good game, but it didn’t feel like a truly dominant game that you wanted to see with Thomas Bryant and Orlando Robinson being the opposing centers.
After a hot first game, Marcus Morris cooled off a bit with four points on three shots.
Niang continues to play some good minutes for the Cavs as a starter. He didn’t shoot too well (40 FG%, 27 3P%) but was a net neutral and scored 18 points. He’s really been playing much better basketball of late – props to him.
Okoro’s offensive output the last five games have taken a little step back. He’s averaging 9.2 pts and shooting 30.4% from three. It’s a bit off pace of where he’s been and one of the more noticeable items is his three-point shot. He still is inconsistent when asked to reset his feet off a pass or movement. Set versus having to reset he’s a completely different shooter, and he’s been asked to make a lot of unset shots of late.
Thank goodness for Sam Merrill. He’s just a solid player.
The Cavs did manage 30 assists on 35 field goals. You can’t say the ball wasn’t moving.
The refs have been tasked with letting teams play more. There were some questionable calls in the first half where Thompson saw himself on his backside with no foul called and the Heat going the other way. Fans, players, and coaches were none too happy.
The Cavs need to start finding some consistency or else they’re going to find themselves down the standings. The Knicks are only one game back in the loss column, and 1.5 games back in total. The Magic are only two games back total and in the loss column. Both are playing well of late with the Knicks 6-4 in their last 10 and the Magic 8-2.
I’ll say it again: Allowing 107 points is enough to win in the NBA. Scoring 104 points is not. They’ve scored above 110 two times in regulation in 11 March games.
Up next: A Friday 8PM(ET) NBATV game in Minnesota.
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