The Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers was one of the most interesting games on the March 5 NBA slate. Both teams came off wins (Miami 106-90 against Washington and Cleveland 139-117 against Chicago), with the Cavs set to clinch a playoff berth at Rocket Arena.
The Cavaliers beat the Heat 112-107 in a hard-fought matchup behind Donovan Mitchell’s 26 points. Evan Mobley added 16 points and Darius Garland 15 while Bam Adebayo responded with 34 points.
Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers player stats and box score
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Miami Heat player stats and box score
Cleveland Cavaliers player stats and box score
Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers game summary
The Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game started with the home team trying to assert its dominance. Bam Adebayo responded with seven points early in the game, but the Cavs called a timeout at 5:53. The rest of the period saw both teams exchange blows. Cleveland took the first quarter 36-32.
The second quarter was closer than the first, with both teams scoring 27 points. The Heat nearly overcame a 17-point deficit, cutting the lead to four points, but they entered halftime down 63-59, led by Adebayo (16 points) and Terry Rozier (10 points). Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 13 points while Evan Mobley contributed 12.
The third quarter was more of the same, with both teams playing harder on defense. They tied with 23 points apiece, meaning Cleveland kept the four-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Miami started the final period on an 11-3 run to take a 93-89 lead at 7:30.
The Cavaliers reacted and tried to surpass the Heat and drift away, but the Floridians wouldn’t go down without a fight. In the final four minutes, the Cavs went on a 17-7 run to take a three-point lead with 27.7 left on the clock.
Bam Adebayo made a crucial mistake in a favorable matchup against Max Strus to seemingly end the Heat’s chances. After a failed steal attempt, Darius Garland made two free throws to give Cleveland the 112-107 win.
Edited by Chaitanya Prakash
