Donovan Mitchell Drops 30 as Cavaliers Sink Heat 121-112/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donovan Mitchell scores 30 to lead Cavaliers over Heat 121-112. Cavs take 2-0 series lead after late fourth-quarter takeover. Miami’s late rally falls short despite 33 points from Tyler Herro.
Donovan Mitchell’s Clutch Fourth Quarter Fuels Cavs Win — Quick Looks
- Mitchell Delivers: Scores 30 points, 17 in the fourth quarter.
- Cleveland Leads Series: Cavs hold off Heat rally for 121-112 Game 2 win.
- Heat’s Comeback Falls Short: Miami erases 19-point deficit, can’t close gap.
- Historic Shooting: Cavs hit 11 threes in second quarter, 22 total.
- Herro Heats Up: Miami guard pours in 33 points in the loss.
- Game 3 Ahead: Series shifts to Miami for Saturday showdown.
Mitchell’s 30-Point Night Lifts Cavaliers to 2-0 Lead Over Heat
Deep Looks
CLEVELAND (April 23, 2025) — Donovan Mitchell showed why he’s the Cavaliers’ go-to superstar on Wednesday night, scoring 30 points — including 17 in the fourth quarter — to push Cleveland past the Miami Heat 121-112, giving the Cavs a 2-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
“I love the fact the game happened like this,” Mitchell said. “We had to really find a way, and then we responded.”
Miami had clawed back from a 19-point deficit, cutting the score to 105-103 with just over three minutes left. But Mitchell responded instantly with a step-back floater, followed by a deep 3-pointer after a Jarrett Allen steal, reestablishing control and putting the game away.
It marked Mitchell’s 27th career playoff game with at least 30 points, to go along with six rebounds and six assists.
“He’s a superstar for a reason,” said Davion Mitchell of Miami, who added 18 points. “Sometimes in this league, there’s nothing you can do when someone starts hitting those kinds of shots.”
Cavs Set Playoff 3-Point Mark
The top-seeded Cavaliers were lethal from beyond the arc, sinking a playoff franchise-record 11 3-pointers in the second quarter alone, and 22 total for the night — tied for sixth most in NBA playoff history.
Evan Mobley contributed 20 points, and Darius Garland added 19, while Max Strus and Sam Merrill each hit key threes during Cleveland’s second-quarter surge. De’Andre Hunter added a thunderous dunk late in the third that capped a run to put Cleveland up 93-74 before the Heat’s rally.
“When they threw that punch in the fourth, I think everyone locked in,” Mobley said.
Heat’s Furious Rally Can’t Complete Comeback
The Heat, led by Tyler Herro’s 33 points, rallied hard with a 25-8 run to narrow the gap to two points. Herro, along with Nikola Jovic and Davion Mitchell, led the charge with quick buckets and perimeter shooting.
But Miami couldn’t contain Mitchell when it mattered most.
“We lost the game. I don’t think there are any moral victories,” Herro said. “We’ve got to get that cleaned up or we’ll be down 3-0.”
Coach Kenny Atkinson praised Mitchell’s poise under pressure.
“I’m proud of the guys for holding our composure,” Atkinson said. “It helps when you have Donovan Mitchell. That was a superstar taking over.”
Game 3 Set for Saturday in Miami
The series now moves to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, where the Heat will look to get back on track and avoid falling into a 3-0 hole.
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