Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the first half half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, Ty Jerome had 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 121-100 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
It was the seventh straight series where Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in Game 1, tying Michael Jordan, who had two streaks of seven games.
SCHEDULE: 2025 NBA Playoffs first round
The fourth quarter of the Cavs’ Game 1 victory belonged to @tyjerome_!
🔥 16 PTS (28 for the game)
🔥 3 AST
🔥 3 3PM (5 for the game) pic.twitter.com/fD8tST0U79— NBA (@NBA) April 21, 2025
Bam Adebayo had 24 points and Tyler Herro added 21 for the Heat. The Heat are the first No. 10 seed to advance to the NBA playoffs out of the Play-In Tournament.
Darius Garland added 27 for the Cavaliers, who host Game 2 on Wednesday night.
Garland and Jerome each had five 3-pointers for Cleveland, and the Cavaliers were 18 of 43 from beyond the arc.
READ: NBA: Cavaliers rout Bulls, clinch East’s No. 1 seed
Cleveland had a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, but Miami steadily cut it down and got to 98-90 with 7:26 remaining in the fourth.
The Cavs put the game out reach with a 13-4 run that included 10 straight points by Jerome, who was taking part in his first playoff game.
Jerome, a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award, was 6 of 7 from the field, and made all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.
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