Heat Drop First Game to Cavs on Road Trip, 105-94

To start their four-game road trip, the Miami Heat flew to Cleveland to battle the Cavaliers in a rematch of their matchup from December 1. The Heat were eyeing a different outcome from the last time the squads met, in which the Cavs dominated the Heat with a 111-85 win at FTX Arena.

Recap

In a game where both teams went on massive hot streaks, the Heat finished a cold shooting half with a deficit of 55-44. A scorching third quarter brought Miami back into the thick of things, but a Kevin Love-led Cavaliers surge in the fourth quarter clinched the contest for the home team. Once again, Miami fell to Cleveland with a final score of 105-94. The Cavs’ record bumps up to 17-12, and the Heat fall half a game behind Cleveland at 16-12.

One thing that pops off the box score is the Heat’s continual low free throw attempts. As a team, Miami only attempted nine freebies on the night and connected on five of those tries. With Jimmy Butler remaining sidelined, the Heat cannot generate anything from the foul line. The usual suspects, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro, carried most of the offensive load. Lowry splashed four triples and contributed 22 points and five assists. Herro posted a meager 12 points on 15 shot attempts. P.J. Tucker, however, led the team in scoring, dropping in 23 points on 9/15 shooting in his best game as a Heat.

In a game where the Cavaliers received up-and-down performances from Darius Garland, Lauri Markkanen, and Evan Mobley, it was Isaac Okoro and Jarrett Allen who pulled their weight in the first half. Allen, an All-Star candidate this season, posted 17 points on a perfect 6/6 shooting and hauled in eight rebounds. Okoro chipped in 18 points and four triples, which give him a three-game hot streak from the offensive side. It was Kevin Love, however, who made the biggest difference in the second half. After going scoreless in the first half, Love reminded everyone why he is a Hall-of-Fame caliber player in the second. Setting a season-high 23 points in the second half alone, Love single-handedly dominated the Heat and led his surprising Cavaliers team to a victory.

Up Next

The Heat continue their road trip and fly to Philadelphia to compete against the 76ers on Wednesday, December 15. The Heat will take on the 76ers, who got smashed by the Memphis Grizzlies 126-91 on Monday.

The Cavs will conclude their three-game home stand against the Rockets on Wednesday, December 15. Despite being one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Rockets have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games. Cleveland, who is riding a four-game winning streak, should be up for the challenge.

(Featured image by Tony Dejak/AP Photo)