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'How do we find a way?': Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell learn lesson in Game 2 win vs Heat
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- 'How do we find a way?': Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell learn lesson in Game 2 win vs Heat
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers' win in Game 2 of their opening-round series against the Miami Heat proved to be a lesson learned, and one without much in the way of paying a price — as long as it isn't repeated.
The Cavs took a 2-0 series lead with a 121-112 win Wednesday, April 23, at Rocket Arena. The series now turns to Miami and Game 3 Saturday, April 26.
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Not that it needed pointing out, but Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson noted how big of a difference a series can feel when it's tied 1-1 compared to being up 2-0, especially when the next two games are on the road. The Cavs, in a somewhat rare lapse, nearly let the control they have in the series slip away.
In the fourth quarter of Game 2, the Cavs led by 12 and appeared to be cruising yet again. Then the shots stopped falling. And to make matters much worse, the defensive effort stalled.
The Cavs have often prided themselves on not allowing poor offense to impact their defense on an individual basis, but it did for a few minutes in Game 2. In doing so, they didn't just leave the door open for the Heat to mount a comeback — they held it open for them, right up until the moment Miami made it a one-possession game with just over four minutes to go.
"I'd love to see us react better when we don't make shots," Atkinson said. "We're going to have those [stretches], just the nature of it. Field goal percentage goes down in the playoffs, so we're [not] just going to kind of outshoot teams. It doesn't happen that way."
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The Cavs have had some fun with the term " Cavalanche " this year. They even now have fake snow that shoots out onto the upper deck while the dance team dons snow gear. The term is reserved for when the Cavs have been able to overwhelm defenses. It happened in the second quarter of Game 2, when the Cavs set an NBA playoff record with 11 3-pointers in that quarter alone.
But that type of momentum can often go both ways, and the Cavaliers , with their lofty goals in these playoffs , know they have to reverse its progress faster.
"We let our offense affect our defense," said Donovan Mitchell , who poured in 17 points in the fourth quarter. "We weren't making shots, got a little tired, a little stagnant, especially when the game got choppy with the fouls.
"Give them credit. They were getting 50-50 balls, doing little things. But the biggest thing with me is we responded when we needed to and closed out the game."
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts during Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series against the Miami Heat on April 23, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Cavaliers , Donovan Mitchell reflect on fourth quarter in Game 2 vs Miami Heat in NBA playoffs
That last part is why the Cavs were able to be reminded of such a lesson without it costing them too much, at least for the time being. From the moment the Heat turned it into a two-point game, the Cavs outscored Miami 20-13 the rest of the way, and they never trailed at any point during that stretch, either.
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Much of that was because of Mitchell, who took over the game by hitting multiple 3s down the stretch.
Are they pleased with what transpired between the beginning of the fourth quarter and the four-minute mark? No, not at all. It's surely something Atkinson will emphasize heading to Miami in Game 3. But are they pleased with how they eventually recovered and played the final four minutes? Yes, in that they showed they can take that kind of a punch and turn the tide in crunch time.
"No one said it was going to be easy," Atkinson said. "We've got things to clean up, but really proud of the guys for holding their composure."
In fact, considering the Cavs will now play two games on the road, and they hope to have a lengthy playoff run ahead of them, they're finding some positives in all of it, even if it was a fourth quarter that didn't exactly go to plan — and even if they hope not to repeat it a second time.
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"I love it. I love the fact that the game happened like this," Mitchell said. "I would much rather [have] this than win by 20 like we did the other night, especially going into an environment like we are in a few days. We had to really find a way as a group. We did a lot of things positive, did some negative things, and then we responded.
"I think that's going to help on a night-to-night basis when we're not making shots. … How do we find a way? How do we still have the will?"
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: NBA playoffs: Cavaliers rebound late in Game 2 vs Miami Heat
