Donovan Mitchell’s big night not enough for Cavs in loss to Heat: Behind the numbers

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Enjoying with out All-Star guard Darius Garland, the Cavs battled via a hotly contested matchup towards the Miami Warmth, falling quick in a 119-115 loss at Miami Dade Enviornment on Friday evening.

The loss snaps a 3-game profitable streak and provides each groups a break up of the season collection (2-2).

A prolific 3-point taking pictures evening from Donovan Mitchell was overshadowed with Miami’s personal lengthy ball down the stretch. The back-and-forth matchup went all the way down to the wire because the clock ran out on Cleveland and its hopes of knocking off Miami twice in three days.

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“It’s powerful to beat this workforce at dwelling twice in the identical week, however that’s what the playoffs are going to be,” Mitchell stated. “If this had been a playoff collection, we stole one at dwelling. That’s form of the mindset, , we stole one at dwelling and that’s form of what we’re coaching ourselves to suppose and perceive.”

Right here’s a deeper take a look at how the Warmth (36-32) defeated the Cavs (42-27), by the numbers.

Mitchell stays on a tear from behind the arc this season. He notched six 3-pointers within the first half. The All-Star guard entered the sport fifth within the NBA (205) in 3-pointers made. He had 25 factors on 9 of 12 taking pictures, together with 6 of 8 from deep within the opening half. Cleveland shot 10 of 19 from 3-point vary in that span. In response to NBA participant monitoring information, Mitchell went 4 of 8 on 3-pointers with no dribbles.

Mitchell joined rarified air along with his ninth 40-point efficiency of the season. He joined NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson for the third-most video games (9) with 40 or extra factors within the first yr with a brand new workforce. Mitchell completed with 42 factors in 43 minutes on 15 of 30 taking pictures, together with 8 of 15 from deep. It’s additionally the third-most 40-point video games in Cavs historical past.

“He was carrying us, there is no such thing as a doubt about it,” Cavs head coach JB Bickerstaff stated. “He understood with Darius being out and us lacking that key half that he was going to need to do some bit extra. I assumed he did a fantastic job of doing that. It wasn’t straightforward. That’s a extremely good defensive workforce that was eager to attempt to cease him.”

Trailing 59-50 behind a barrage of Mitchell 3s, Miami got here out swinging within the third quarter, reeling off a 10-2 run in lower than three minutes to chop the result in 61-60. Warmth star Jimmy Butler, level guard Tyler Herro and former Cavs ahead Kevin Love all contributed to the short hit. Cleveland constructed again up a 14-point lead earlier than Miami minimize it seven to finish the third.

Enjoying off their sizzling begin out of the break, Miami attacked Cleveland’s league-leading protection. The Warmth shot 61% within the second half and made 11 3-pointers, with 9 of them coming from Herro and Max Strus. Butler had a team-high 33 factors on 12 of 16 taking pictures.

The Warmth shot 12 of 17 from the sphere and eight of 8 from the free-throw line within the fourth quarter. Miami scored 69 factors within the second half and outscored Cleveland 37-26 within the remaining body.

The Warmth racked up 30 factors off simply 11 Cavs turnovers. Cleveland had 16 factors off 16 Warmth turnovers.

After the Cavs led by seven heading into the fourth quarter, Miami surged previous, however they left the door open on a pair of offensive fouls within the remaining minutes. Main 113-108, Warmth middle Bam Adebayo (19 factors) was referred to as for a foul. Mitchell responded with a layup.

Seconds later, Butler was referred to as for a foul. Evan Mobley slammed it on an alley-oop to trim the result in 113-112 with 38 seconds left. Butler knocked down a pull-up jumper as Mitchell was fouled earlier than he may shoot off a 3-pointer. He made the primary, and deliberately missed the second however there can be no free throw heroics on this evening.

Cleveland was 18 of 43 (41.9%) from 3-point vary. 13 of their 3-pointers got here from non-corner 3′s whereas Miami completed 14 of 29 (48.3%) from deep. Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert each completed with 16 factors for the Cavs.

The Cavs dominated in second probability factors, tallying a 22-9 benefit. Miami nonetheless outrebounded Cleveland, 46-34.

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