CLEVELAND, Ohio — Approximately an hour prior to the game, a small group of Cavaliers players gathered in the locker room scrolling through their phones, a typical pregame ritual. One player brought up the final score of the Oklahoma City-Memphis playoff opener (131-80).
“They set a strong precedent. It’s our turn to send a message,” he remarked. “We need to replicate that tonight and demonstrate why we are the No. 1 seed.”
Cleveland followed through, defeating eighth-seeded Miami 121-100 in the first game of their playoff series at Rocket Arena. The Cavaliers now lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
“We played with great intensity and competitiveness,” remarked Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson after the victory. “The Heat make you play hard for all 48 minutes — many teams do not. While it may look like a 20-point game, at one point it was just a six- or seven-point difference. This series is going to be a battle, and I have a lot of respect for that team.”
The energy in the arena was electric, with fans dressed largely in white waving rally towels. After a year since their last postseason exit against the eventual champion Boston Celtics, both the Cavaliers and their supporters anticipated a chance to demonstrate their growth and aim for a longer playoff run, possibly until June.
The Cavaliers, who achieved 64 wins to secure the top seed thanks to their second-best regular season in franchise history, opened the game with a right-wing three-pointer from Max Strus, energizing the already lively crowd. They quickly established a nine-point lead within three minutes, only trailing for 35 seconds in the first quarter — the only time Miami was ahead throughout the game.
“We’re a very strong team when everyone is on the same page,” stated All-Star point guard Darius Garland. “When the ball is moving and everyone is involved, that’s when we play Cavaliers basketball. We need to continue that throughout this series and the playoffs to achieve our goals.”
Up next
The Cavaliers are set to play Game 2 against the Heat on Wednesday evening, with the tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
