Cavs Needed A Challenge And Playoff Win Like This

1. We can all admit it got a little closer than it probably should’ve. The Cavs led by 19 at one point in the second half. They led by just two (103-101) with 3:00 minutes to go.

2. Not ideal. But also not terrible. It allowed them to show that they can step up and finish the job with a playoff game in the balance. They lead the series, 2-0.

3. Donovan Mitchell on that very topic: “I love the fact that the game happened like this. We had to really find our way as a group. That’s just going to help on a night-to-night basis.”

4. Mitchell was OK for the first three quarters. He was unbelievable in the fourth, scoring 17 points in the final 12 minutes, burying every important 3-point shot. That led to a 30-point night and more evidence that he is — as we like to say nowadays — that dude.

5. Or as coach Kenny Atkinson said, “He knows the moment.”

6. Actually, the entire Cavs proved that they do. Along with Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland all made key plays down the stretch. Allen with a steal, Mobley with two clutch free throws, Garland with a putback off a Mitchell miss. That’s your Core Four right there.

7. The Cavs trailed 13-5 in the first. They could get nothing going. But defense led to offense — highlighted by an Allen swat, which resulted in a Mitchell alley-oop slam at the other end, by way of a Garland pass.

8. It was a textbook fastbreak started by stellar defense. A transition play like that can really swing the momentum and get you going. Later, Mobley dribbled the length of the floor for a two-handed slam. 

9. These are more than moments that you’ll see on all the highlight shows. They often turn a game remarkably in your favor. That’s how Cavalanches happen and how snow comes out of the rafters. Seriously, all of that actually took place in the second quarter.

10. The Cavs scored 43 in the second. They knocked down 11 threes. They finished the first half with 68 points (Miami had 51). But they let up in the second. The Heat started making all the hustle plays and hitting shots. The Cavs suddenly struggled in every area.

11. Atkinson was not pleased with some of that. “What bothered me was (the Heat) getting extra possessions. We lost (Tyler Herro) there for a bit, too. He was 9-of-10 on floaters.”

12. Herro scored 33 for the game and at times resembled a young Jerry West — dribbling up the floor, and then around and through the Cavs’ defense. He just willed his way to buckets. 

13. That also started to open things up for his teammates. So, yeah, it got real dicey there for a few minutes. And that is when the Cavs reclaimed command.

14. Despite the Heat’s run, the Cavs were never rattled. “We came in knowing it was going to be a full game,” Mobley said. “Kenny was preaching that at practice. So when they threw their punch, we knew it was coming. That’s when we locked in.”

15. The Cavs have scored 121 points in each of the first two games. Offense is never the problem. Occasional slip-ups defensively and getting to those vital “50-50 balls” are why leads sometimes slip away. The Cavs say they know that and will try to get it cleaned up for the next two games in Miami.

16. Garland finished with 21 points and nine assists, Mobley went for 20 on 7-of-10 shooting. Max Strus added 14, with 12 coming in the first half. He worked his tail off, per usual.

17. Also, De’Andre Hunter (12 points) bounced back nicely after going scoreless in Game 1. “We were trying to get him involved a little more,” Mobley said. “He’s capable of making big plays for us. We’re gonna keep going to him.”

18. Hunter, Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill, Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade all made the most of their minutes. Jerome only scored six points one game after tallying 28, but he was everywhere. Remember that first-quarter deficit? It changed when Jerome entered the game.

19. Allen finished with nine points and eight rebounds. It actually felt like more. His impact on the game is always more than just stats.

20. Now, it’s off to Miami. Game 1 is Saturday at 1 p.m. EST. Mitchell reiterated that winning a close one like this should only help on the road. “Having that fresh on the brain is helpful,” he said. “I think we’ll be ready for the challenge down there.”

• Box Score | Cavs 121, Heat 112