Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) vs Miami Heat (37-45)
Game Info: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 7:30 pm (Rocket Arena)
The Line: Betting Odds: Cleveland Cavaliers -12.5 — Over/Under: 211.5
Miami Heat Betting Preview
The Miami Heat headed into the playoffs quietly confident after taking the long route via the Play-In Tournament, but they fell back down to Earth in Game 1 where they lost by 121-100 at Cleveland. Bam Adebayo led the team in scoring with 24 points, nine rebounds and three assists on 10 of 22 shooting, Tyler Herro added 21 points while Davion Mitchell chipped in with 18 points and nine assists off the bench.
As a team, the Heat shot 48 percent from the field and 13 of 31 from the 3-point line as they did a decent job of hanging within striking distance until they went ice-cold and managed just 10 points in the final 7:25 of the fourth quarter to get blown out on the road. The Heat needed more production from players like Duncan Robinson who scored just eight points and Haywood Highsmith who scored seven points in 31 minutes off the bench.
Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers came into the playoffs well-rested, and they will now have their eyes on taking a 2-0 series lead after running past the Heat in a dominant win in Game 1 on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell led the team with 30 points, four assists and four steals on 11 of 19 shooting, Ty Jerome provided the spark off the bench with 28 points in 26 minutes of action while Darius Garland chipped in with 27 points and five assists.
As a team, the Cavaliers shot 51 percent from the field and 18 of 43 from the 3-point line, but despite taking the early lead, the Cavaliers didn’t really gain any separation until they closed the final 7:04 on a 23-10 run to pull away late for the big win at home.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers will win
- The Cavaliers have won each of their last 11 night games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a losing record.
- The Heat have lost eight of their last nine road games against Central Division opponents.
- The Cavaliers have covered the spread in seven of their last eight playoff home games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Heat have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four Eastern Conference First Round games as underdogs.
Why the Miami Heat will win
- The Heat have won three of their last four playoff games as underdogs against Central Division opponents.
- The Cavaliers have lost each of their last four playoff games against Eastern Conference opponents following a win.
- The Cavaliers have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games at Rocket Arena following a win.
- The Heat have covered the spread in six of their last seven games as underdogs.
Cleveland Cavaliers Player Facts
- De’Andre Hunter is one of only five players to have scored 35+ points off the bench in a game this season.
- Donovan Mitchell ranks 5th amongst qualified players for points per 36 minutes (27.4) this season.
Miami Heat Player Facts
- Alec Burks ranks 14th amongst qualified players for 3P% (42.5%) this season.
- Duncan Robinson ranks 14th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (3.8) this season.
Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction
The Heat are still missing Kevin Love and Terry Rozier, while the Cavaliers are coming in with a full squad once again. The Cavaliers didn’t have it all their way in the series opener, but they were able to turn it on when it mattered most to win and cover the hefty spread. The Heat were more competitive on Sunday than the final score suggests, but they still got blown out, and it was the Cavaliers’ depth that was the difference.
I still think the Heat can win a game in this series and avoid the sweep, but I don’t see them beating the Cavaliers in their own building. The line is hefty once again, but I am expecting a similar result with the Cavaliers getting the cover when it’s all said and done.