Cavs Build Big Lead, Finish Job After Heat Run, Lead Series By 2-0 Count

CLEVELAND — It got a little scary there in the fourth quarter, but here’s all that matters:

Final score: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112 in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. What’s more important is the Cavs lead the series, 2-0.

Now, granted, it wasn’t an ideal fourth quarter. At one point in the second half, the Cavs led by 19. That lead was cut to 105-103 with 3:00 to go. Yeah. Yikes.

But as can often be the case, it was a whole lot of Donovan Mitchell, some great defense and a little added extra energy to close the game.

Nonetheless, Cavs Nation let out a collective phew with 10.5 seconds left and the outcome, finally, decided.

Here’s how it went down:

• With the Cavs leading just 105-103, Mitchell hit a floater. Then Jarrett Allen stole a pass at the other end. Then Mitchell hit a 3-pointer.
• After that, Miami’s Haywood Highsmith hit a three. Mitchell responded with a long one of his own. The Cavs’ lead was 113-106 with 1:50 left. But it wasn’t over yet.
• Heat guard Tyler Herro, who finished with 33 points and looked like prime Jerry West, scored off a drive. After that, the Cavs’ Max Strus shot an airball from the top of the key. It was a rare misfire on an otherwise strong night.
• Then Heat forward Nikola Jovic airballed a three of his with 1:10 to go. The Cavs held a five-point lead, with the ball. But Mitchell threw up a crazy layup with the shot clock nearing its end, hoping to draw a foul. None was called.
• After that, Herro drew a foul on Allen on a very questionable call. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson challenged. He won — resulting in a jump ball. The Heat won the tap, but Jovic missed another three from the baseline.
• Evan Mobley was fouled, buried both free throws, and that just about did it. Cleveland led 115-108 with 25.7 seconds left.

So, yeah. Phew. Mitchell tallied 30 points, including 17 in the fourth. Darius Garland finished with 21, his final two coming off a putback off a Mitchell miss. It was the type of winning play Garland has been making all season.

Mobley finished with 20, and Strus scored 14, 12 coming in the first half. De’Andre Hunter bounced back from a rough Game 1 to score 12 off the bench.

Game 3 is Saturday at 1 p.m. in Miami.