It felt like it was over before it even began. That sentiment applied not only to Game 4 for the Miami Heat but also to the entire first-round series.
The Cleveland Cavaliers completed the most dominant series in NBA playoff history Monday night, beating the Miami Heat 138-83 to finish off a first-round sweep with a record-setting 122-point margin across four games.
Ty Jerome from DEEP to end the 3Q 🎯
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 29, 2025
CAVS LEAD BY 48 GOING INTO THE 4TH 😅 pic.twitter.com/QZytoZl5DS
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points, De’Andre Hunter added 19, and Cleveland led by as many as 60 in Game 4. Ty Jerome scored 18, Evan Mobley had 17, and Jarrett Allen chipped in 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals.
The 55-point margin was the fourth-largest playoff win in league history. “We came out here with a goal in mind,” Mitchell said. Cleveland outscored Miami by at least 26 points in each of the last two games.
Nikola Jovic had 24 points for Miami, while Bam Adebayo scored 13.
“Damn, it was humbling. These last two games were embarrassing,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “Cleveland’s a very good team … they showed us why we weren’t ready for that.”
"Damn it was humbling... We were as irrational as we usually are, thinking that we have a chance to win this series and they showed us why we weren't ready for that."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 29, 2025
Erik Spoelstra on the Heat being swept by the Cavs🗣️pic.twitter.com/8NEV4z9ogT
Cleveland will face either the Indiana Pacers or Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Regardless of the opponent, Game 1 will be in Cleveland no earlier than Saturday.
The Cavaliers jumped out to a 43-14 lead late in the first quarter behind a 26-point blitz that tied the worst quarter in Heat playoff history. The halftime margin ballooned to 72-33 — the third-largest in playoff history.
It was Miami’s third sweep in a best-of-seven series, all of which ended on their home court.
“We came down here with the right mentality,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Our maturity, our leadership, all that stuff we’ve been talking about all year. We don’t seem to have letdowns. That’s rare.”
Cleveland keeps its championship hopes alive, something it has not won since a kid from Akron returned to the Cavaliers.
