Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers, reigning Eastern Conference champions, kick off their playoff journey against the Miami Heat in the first round on Sunday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Heat, who dropped both regular-season matchups against Cleveland, aim to steal a win on the road and seize early control of the series.

The Cavaliers delivered a historic regular season, securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record—second only to their 66-win 2008-09 season. Under first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson, they boasted the league’s best offensive rating (121.0) and set a franchise record with 30 road wins, alongside 34 home victories.

Despite a 2-3 finish in their final five games, Cleveland enters the postseason as legitimate title contenders, hoping to advance beyond the second round for the first time since their 2018 Finals loss to Golden State.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat took a tougher path to the playoffs, finishing 10th in the East with a 37-45 record and earning their spot through the Play-In Tournament for the third consecutive year. Tyler Herro’s 38-point outburst fueled a 109-90 rout of the Chicago Bulls, while a hard-fought 123-114 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks, powered by Herro’s 30 points and Davion Mitchell’s clutch three-pointers, clinched their playoff berth. Six Heat players scored in double figures against Atlanta, with Bam Adebayo adding a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double.

The Heat, three-time NBA champions, are eager to improve on last season’s first-round exit to the Boston Celtics. With recent playoff final appearances in 2020 and 2023, they carry momentum from a strong road stretch—winning six of their last seven away games. As Cleveland looks to dominate at home, Miami’s resilience and star performances set the stage for a compelling series opener.