On Thursday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers made history. Last Saturday night, they made history, blowing the doors off the Miami Heat, taking Game 4 of their playoff series by a whopping 55 points! This victory marked a clean sweep of the Heat, which would be their last clean sweep … ever? It was the fourth-largest playoff win ever in NBA history. The Cavaliers proved to be the superior team in every aspect during their sweep, outscoring the Magic by a total of 122 points over the four games.
The Cavaliers proved to be the most overpowering team in history, winning their game by as much as 60 points. At halftime, they were leading an impressive score of 72-33. This lead, in fact, was the third-largest at halftime in NBA playoff history, an indication of how utterly dominant the team was as recipients of a largely pointless sweep. They opened up the series with a 33-5 run that guaranteed the victory in Game 3. That positive early momentum would carry through to the all-important Game 4.
Donovan Mitchell was the Cavaliers’ offensive leader with 22 points, and Ty Jerome chipped in 18 points. All-Everything Evan Mobley continued to impress, adding 17 points while All-Deceptively-Good-Defender De’Andre Hunter helped keep things running with 19 points. Jarrett Allen’s rim protection changed the game on both ends of the floor. He finished the game with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and six steals, showing his versatility and incredible offensive talent.
It was the specific historical context of the Cavaliers’ performance, though, that made it so spectacularly singular. The old record for largest playoff win was 58 points. It was a record long set first by Minneapolis against St. Louis in 1956 and then by Denver against New Orleans in 2009. The Cavaliers came within three points of the record. Under the new paradigm of an expanded, top-heavy playoff, they showed themselves to be formidable opponents.
The Miami Heat had an absolutely awful shooting night during the game. At one point, they had been down 43-14 with just over four minutes left in the first quarter. This bleak showing culminated in a 26-point spread, which tied their worst margin ever in a franchise playoff game. This margin turned out to be the second-best ever for any quarter in Cavaliers playoff history. It’s a visually sobering reminder of the gulf between the two teams.
With this win the Cavaliers had finished off the most lopsided series in NBA playoff history. They will now move on to play either the Indiana Pacers or the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. As they prepare for their next challenge, the Cavaliers have demonstrated their capability and readiness to compete at a higher level.
Leave a Reply