Heat build biggest lead in more than a decade, roll past Cavaliers 121-84
MIAMI (AP) There was a 2-on-0 break in the third quarter when Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo seemed like they couldn't decide which one was going to get the easy basket.
It was that kind of night for the Miami Heat. Everything went right.
Haywood Highsmith scored 18 points, part of a 59-point effort by Miami's reserves, and the Heat built what was their biggest lead in more than a decade on the way to beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-84 on Sunday night to snap a three-game home slide.
“Our home fans really deserved this, to be honest with you,” Highsmith said. “We haven't been playing our best basketball at home. They deserve our best version of basketball and tonight was definitely fun for them.”
Adebayo had 15 points and 16 rebounds and Butler scored 15 points for the Heat, who led by 45 in the fourth quarter. Their biggest lead this season entering Sunday was 33, also against Cleveland on Nov. 22, and the 45-point cushion was their largest since leading Chicago by 46 in a playoff game on May 8, 2013.
Miami started the day seventh in the Eastern Conference and ended there as well, tied with Philadelphia at 39-32. The 76ers won at the Los Angeles Clippers earlier Sunday, but currently trail the Heat because of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Miami was coming off a 23-point loss to New Orleans on Friday.
“This group really cares. Even after a night like the other night ... when it’s a really lopsided loss and you can erroneously say, ‘that’s a listless team,’ it’s not," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “This is a team that cares deeply.”
Evan Mobley scored 15 points for Cleveland (43-28), which lost for the seventh time in 10 games but remained No. 3 in the East, a half-game ahead of New York.
Both teams were short-handed Sunday. Cleveland got Mobley back after a nine-game absence with an ankle issue, but was again without Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and Dean Wade. Miami played without Tyler Herro, Kevin Love, Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez Jr.
“Mentally, physically, we're worn,” Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “It's on us all to figure it out. There's no excuses. It doesn’t get any easier. But I just think tonight was one of those nights where collectively, it just set in on us.”
It was the first time since Jan. 30, 2008, that Cleveland had only one player in double figures; it was LeBron James that night.
“Just one of those nights,” Bickerstaff said.
Terry Rozier and Thomas Bryant each scored 14 for Miami. It was Miami’s biggest victory margin of the season and Cleveland’s most lopsided loss; the previous entry in both cases was also a Heat-Cavs game, the 129-96 win by Miami in November.
The Heat got a buzzer-beating layup from Rozier to end the first quarter with a 30-22 lead. Rozier did the same thing to end the second quarter, that score pushing the Miami margin out to 60-39.
And in the third, it became a runaway. A 23-2 run over a five-minute stretch wound up pushing Miami's lead to 86-46. Cleveland pulled all five starters just 3 1/2 minutes into the third and four of them - Isaac Okoro, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert and Darius Garland - stayed there the rest of the way.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host Charlotte on Monday.
Heat: Host Golden State on Tuesday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
12:00 | Jarrett Allen vs. Bam Adebayo (Terry Rozier gains possession) | |||
11:34 | Terry Rozier misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
11:31 | Jarrett Allen defensive rebound | |||
11:17 | Jarrett Allen misses two point jump shot | |||
11:14 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
11:05 | Patty Mills misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
11:01 | Evan Mobley defensive rebound | |||
10:55 | +3 | Evan Mobley makes three point jump shot (Jarrett Allen assists) | 3-0 | |
10:41 | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point jump shot (Terry Rozier assists) | 3-2 | |
10:24 | Evan Mobley turnover (bad pass) (Bam Adebayo steals) | |||
10:15 | +2 | Patty Mills makes two point driving reverse layup | 3-4 | |
10:04 | Isaac Okoro turnover (bad pass) (Jimmy Butler steals) | |||
9:46 | +3 | Jimmy Butler makes three point stepback jump shot (Terry Rozier assists) | 3-7 | |
9:20 | Isaac Okoro turnover (lost ball) (Nikola Jovic steals) | |||
9:15 | +2 | Terry Rozier makes two point running layup (Nikola Jovic assists) | 3-9 | |
9:01 | Darius Garland misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
9:01 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
8:54 | Evan Mobley shooting foul (Bam Adebayo draws the foul) | |||
8:54 | Bam Adebayo misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
8:54 | Heat offensive rebound | |||
8:54 | +1 | Bam Adebayo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 3-10 | |
8:37 | Jimmy Butler personal foul (Jarrett Allen draws the foul) | |||
8:32 | +2 | Jarrett Allen makes two point driving layup (Darius Garland assists) | 5-10 | |
8:12 | Bam Adebayo misses three point jump shot | |||
8:09 | Isaac Okoro defensive rebound | |||
7:46 | Evan Mobley misses two point driving floating jump shot | |||
7:44 | Jimmy Butler defensive rebound | |||
7:40 | +2 | Jimmy Butler makes two point driving finger roll layup | 5-12 | |
7:40 | Caris LeVert shooting foul (Jimmy Butler draws the foul) | |||
7:40 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 5-13 | |
7:15 | Jarrett Allen misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | |||
7:12 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
7:10 | Caris LeVert shooting foul (Jimmy Butler draws the foul) | |||
7:10 | Jimmy Butler misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
7:10 | Heat offensive rebound | |||
7:10 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-14 | |
7:01 | Sam Merrill misses three point jump shot | |||
6:58 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
6:51 | Nikola Jovic misses three point jump shot | |||
6:48 | Jarrett Allen defensive rebound | |||
6:37 | +2 | Jarrett Allen makes two point alley-oop dunk (Georges Niang assists) | 7-14 | |
6:31 | Jarrett Allen personal foul (Bam Adebayo draws the foul) | |||
6:31 | Heat 60 second timeout | |||
6:22 | Patty Mills misses three point jump shot | |||
6:19 | Georges Niang defensive rebound | |||
6:10 | +2 | Jarrett Allen makes two point hook shot (Darius Garland assists) | 9-14 | |
5:58 | Nikola Jovic turnover (traveling) | |||
5:43 | Jarrett Allen misses two point hook shot | |||
5:43 | Cavaliers offensive rebound | |||
5:42 | Patty Mills personal foul (Loose ball) (Isaac Okoro draws the foul) | |||
5:37 | Isaac Okoro misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | |||
5:37 | Cavaliers offensive rebound | |||
5:37 | Nikola Jovic personal foul (Loose ball) (Jarrett Allen draws the foul) | |||
5:31 | Isaac Okoro misses three point jump shot | |||
5:26 | Jimmy Butler defensive rebound | |||
5:10 | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point turnaround hook shot | 9-16 | |
4:55 | Darius Garland misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
4:52 | Jimmy Butler defensive rebound | |||
4:48 | Sam Merrill shooting foul (Jimmy Butler draws the foul) | |||
4:48 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 9-17 | |
4:48 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 9-18 | |
4:35 | +2 | Darius Garland makes two point pullup jump shot | 11-18 | |
4:11 | Bam Adebayo misses two point jump shot | |||
4:08 | Darius Garland defensive rebound | |||
3:56 | Darius Garland turnover (bad pass) (Bam Adebayo steals) | |||
3:47 | +3 | Caleb Martin makes three point jump shot (Terry Rozier assists) | 11-21 | |
3:24 | Nikola Jovic shooting foul (Jarrett Allen draws the foul) | |||
3:24 | Jarrett Allen misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
3:24 | Cavaliers offensive rebound | |||
3:24 | +1 | Jarrett Allen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 12-21 | |
3:03 | Terry Rozier misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
2:59 | Darius Garland defensive rebound | |||
2:55 | Darius Garland misses two point running finger roll layup | |||
2:55 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
2:48 | Delon Wright misses three point running jump shot | |||
2:45 | Georges Niang defensive rebound | |||
2:32 | +2 | Marcus Morris Sr. makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | 14-21 | |
2:05 | +3 | Haywood Highsmith makes three point jump shot (Bam Adebayo assists) | 14-24 | |
1:49 | +3 | Georges Niang makes three point jump shot (Darius Garland assists) | 17-24 | |
1:33 | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point driving layup (Delon Wright assists) | 17-26 | |
1:19 | +3 | Georges Niang makes three point jump shot (Sam Merrill assists) | 20-26 | |
1:07 | Darius Garland personal foul (Terry Rozier draws the foul) | |||
1:07 | Cavaliers 60 second timeout | |||
1:07 | +1 | Terry Rozier makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-27 | |
1:07 | +1 | Terry Rozier makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-28 | |
0:45 | +2 | Evan Mobley makes two point driving dunk (Craig Porter Jr. assists) | 22-28 | |
0:45 | Cavaliers delay of game violation | |||
0:36 | +2 | Haywood Highsmith makes two point alley-oop layup (Terry Rozier assists) | 22-30 | |
0:19 | Sam Merrill misses three point jump shot | |||
0:15 | Terry Rozier defensive rebound | |||
0:01 | +2 | Terry Rozier makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 22-32 | |
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11:45 | Marcus Morris Sr. misses three point jump shot | |||
11:39 | Haywood Highsmith defensive rebound | |||
11:25 | +3 | Haywood Highsmith makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Butler assists) | 22-35 | |
11:13 | Haywood Highsmith shooting foul (Craig Porter Jr. draws the foul) | |||
11:13 | +1 | Craig Porter Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-35 | |
11:13 | +1 | Craig Porter Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-35 | |
10:52 | Craig Porter Jr. kicked ball violation | |||
10:42 | +2 | Delon Wright makes two point driving reverse layup | 24-37 | |
10:31 | Georges Niang misses two point floating jump shot | |||
10:27 | Thomas Bryant defensive rebound | |||
10:21 | Delon Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
10:20 | Caleb Martin offensive rebound | |||
10:20 | Caleb Martin misses two point tip layup | |||
10:19 | Georges Niang defensive rebound | |||
10:11 | Caris LeVert misses three point jump shot | |||
10:07 | Caleb Martin defensive rebound | |||
10:02 | Evan Mobley shooting foul (Jimmy Butler draws the foul) | |||
10:02 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-38 | |
10:02 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-39 | |
9:48 | +2 | Marcus Morris Sr. makes two point pullup jump shot (Craig Porter Jr. assists) | 26-39 | |
9:31 | Jimmy Butler turnover (bad pass) (Georges Niang steals) | |||
9:25 | Craig Porter Jr. misses two point running pullup jump shot | |||
9:22 | Delon Wright defensive rebound | |||
9:05 | +3 | Caleb Martin makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Butler assists) | 26-42 | |
8:44 | Caris LeVert misses three point jump shot | |||
8:41 | Thomas Bryant defensive rebound | |||
8:31 | Thomas Bryant misses three point jump shot | |||
8:28 | Heat offensive rebound | |||
8:20 | Caleb Martin misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
8:17 | Haywood Highsmith offensive rebound | |||
8:17 | +2 | Haywood Highsmith makes two point putback layup | 26-44 | |
8:05 | +2 | Evan Mobley makes two point driving hook shot (Craig Porter Jr. assists) | 28-44 | |
7:50 | Evan Mobley shooting foul (Thomas Bryant draws the foul) | |||
7:50 | +1 | Thomas Bryant makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-45 | |
7:50 | +1 | Thomas Bryant makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-46 | |
7:31 | Thomas Bryant shooting foul (Jarrett Allen draws the foul) | |||
7:31 | +1 | Jarrett Allen makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-46 | |
7:31 | +1 | Jarrett Allen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-46 | |
7:11 | +3 | Haywood Highsmith makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Butler assists) | 30-49 | |
6:56 | +2 | Caris LeVert makes two point driving reverse layup (Craig Porter Jr. assists) | 32-49 | |
6:43 | Darius Garland personal foul (Delon Wright draws the foul) | |||
6:43 | Heat 60 second timeout | |||
6:37 | Nikola Jovic turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | |||
6:24 | +2 | Darius Garland makes two point driving floating jump shot | 34-49 | |
6:12 | Terry Rozier misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
6:10 | Jarrett Allen defensive rebound | |||
5:59 | Caris LeVert misses two point driving layup | |||
5:58 | Caris LeVert offensive rebound | |||
5:56 | Nikola Jovic shooting foul (Caris LeVert draws the foul) | |||
5:56 | Caris LeVert misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:56 | Cavaliers offensive rebound | |||
5:56 | Caris LeVert misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
5:53 | Haywood Highsmith defensive rebound | |||
5:38 | Darius Garland shooting foul (Caleb Martin draws the foul) | |||
5:38 | Caleb Martin misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
5:38 | Heat offensive rebound | |||
5:38 | +1 | Caleb Martin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 34-50 | |
5:23 | Jarrett Allen turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | |||
5:04 | Caleb Martin misses two point cutting layup | |||
5:01 | Jarrett Allen defensive rebound | |||
4:53 | Isaac Okoro turnover (out of bounds step) | |||
4:41 | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point turnaround fadeaway bank jump shot | 34-52 | |
4:24 | Sam Merrill misses three point jump shot | |||
4:22 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
4:12 | +2 | Bam Adebayo makes two point stepback jump shot | 34-54 | |
3:56 | Isaac Okoro misses two point driving layup | |||
3:54 | Delon Wright defensive rebound | |||
3:36 | Haywood Highsmith misses two point cutting dunk | |||
3:33 | Caris LeVert defensive rebound | |||
3:12 | +2 | Darius Garland makes two point driving floating jump shot (Jarrett Allen assists) | 36-54 | |
2:49 | Georges Niang shooting foul (Caleb Martin draws the foul) | |||
2:49 | Cavaliers 60 second timeout | |||
2:49 | +1 | Caleb Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 36-55 | |
2:49 | +1 | Caleb Martin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-56 | |
2:37 | Terry Rozier personal foul (Darius Garland draws the foul) | |||
2:29 | +3 | Isaac Okoro makes three point jump shot (Caris LeVert assists) | 39-56 | |
2:02 | Terry Rozier misses three point jump shot | |||
1:59 | Haywood Highsmith offensive rebound | |||
1:55 | Delon Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
1:52 | Caris LeVert defensive rebound | |||
1:47 | Isaac Okoro misses three point running jump shot | |||
1:42 | Delon Wright defensive rebound | |||
1:30 | Delon Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
1:26 | Darius Garland defensive rebound | |||
1:03 | Jump ball. Bam Adebayo vs. Georges Niang (Haywood Highsmith gains possession) | |||
1:03 | Jarrett Allen turnover (lost ball) (Bam Adebayo steals) | |||
0:51 | Jimmy Butler offensive foul (Georges Niang draws the foul) | |||
0:51 | Jimmy Butler turnover (offensive foul) | |||
0:35 | Georges Niang misses three point jump shot | |||
0:32 | Bam Adebayo defensive rebound | |||
0:24 | Darius Garland personal foul (Jimmy Butler draws the foul) | |||
0:24 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 39-57 | |
0:24 | +1 | Jimmy Butler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 39-58 | |
0:03 | Georges Niang turnover (lost ball) (Haywood Highsmith steals) | |||
0:00 | +2 | Terry Rozier makes two point running layup (Haywood Highsmith assists) | 39-60 | |
0:00 |