Dribbles: Cavs Hang On, Close Out Heat As Record-Setting Season Bounces On

March 5, 2025

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ 112-107 thriller of a home win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday. …

1. It’s not always beautiful, but there’s no doubt that these Cavaliers are having tons of fun. Winning 12 straight for the third time in a season will do that for a team.

2. That’s the Cavs (52-10). And yes, they’ve made more history. Only one other team has done this. That would be the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks. The NBA has been around since 1947. Again, just two teams have won 12 straight three times in the same season. Again, Cleveland is one.

3. Coach Kenny Atkinson was made aware of that fact. “I love it when you tell me stats like that,” he said, clearly joking. “… We know how we’ll ultimately be judged. But it’s special.”

4. The Cavs also officially clinched a playoff spot, in the event you ever had a doubt. And not just any playoff spot. They can now finish no worse than sixth in the Eastern Conference.

5. Of course, at this point, anything less than first would be a major stunner.

6. Either way, it’s not something they talk about. Atkinson has preached that message over and over. They understand that all of these accomplishments are a cool part of the long game. But it’s just part.

7. Veteran wing Max Strus said it best: “You don’t want to get caught up in it, but you do want to remember the journey. But when 82 games are over, that’s when the real season starts.”

8. As for the game, it appeared the Cavs were sort of going through the motions. They went up by 17 in the first half. They fell behind by seven in the second. Then they turned it on when it meant the most.

9. Sound familiar?’

10. For the second time in two nights, the Cavs faced an opponent that wasn’t whole. The Heat (29-32) were missing leading scorer Tyler Herro and Andrew Wiggins, among others. That opened the door for others to step in and try to prove themselves. Those types of opponents can always be dangerous.

11. And Miami indeed had the Cavs on the brink. But big shots and bigger defensive stands came through when Cleveland needed them most. As Atkinson noted, the Heat failed to score on six straight possessions to close the game.

12. Of course, one of those possessions resulted in Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson burying a 3-pointer with 17.4 seconds left. That would’ve tied it at 110-all. Only one problem — Robinson stepped out of bounds first.

13. When you win 12 straight, yes, there’s some good fortune involved. Atkinson was quick to point that out.

14. Donovan Mitchell again led the way with 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists. No surprise there. Mitchell has raised his game in the post-All-Star portion of the season. “This is the bare minimum for us,” he said of the playoff-clincher. “It’s to be expected. We have bigger goals.”

Someone just walked into Cavs locker room and unleashed a loud “Yo!” That individual has been identified as Kevin Love. “I’m glad he finally came back,” Max Strus says. “We’ve been waiting for him. That was special.”

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) March 6, 2025

15. Evan Mobley returned from a rest game to provide 16 points and 13 rebounds. De’Andre Hunter also scored 16. Darius Garland recorded 15 points and a game-high 10 assists. Ty Jerome had 12 points and Strus added 11, including a couple of big threes around the 4-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

16. Overall, the Cavs closed the game on a 19-7 run. Maybe not a full-blown Cavalanche, but by golly, it’s close enough.

17. The night marked the first game of Kevin Love in Cleveland while wearing a Heat uniform. He received a large ovation and a video tribute. “It gave you goosebumps,” Atkinson said of the crowd reaction.

18. Love visited the Cavs’ locker room after the game. “I’m glad he finally came back,” said Strus, who was Love’s teammate briefly with the Heat. “We’ve been waiting for him. That was special.”

19. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 34 points and 12 boards. Love started, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.

20. In summary, the Cavs weren’t great. They looked a little sluggish on the second night of a back-to-back. The Heat being wounded probably didn’t help in the motivation department. But the Cavaliers took care of business and got the win, and that right there has been the theme of the entire season.