The Miami Heat (35-32) are hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers (42-26) on Friday. At 8:00 p.m. EST, the Miami Dade-Arena will host this game.
The latest injury reports Cavaliers vs. Heat game
The Cavaliers defeated the Heat 104-100 last Wednesday, making this the fourth and final regular season meeting between the two teams.
The Cavaliers are confident after defeating the Heat earlier this season. They played exceptionally well on defense, which is crucial for their chances of sweeping a pair of games against the Heat.
For the Miami Heat, they will need to improve their offensive efficiency if they are to get back on track in this game after losing to the Cavs on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers beat the Heat 104-100 on the road on Wednesday, with all five starters scoring in double figures.
There were 18 ties and 18 lead changes in the first half, and then Cleveland took a 12-point lead early in the third quarter before Miami rallied in the fourth. With 2:44 remaining, Miami got within a point, but they were unable to catch the away team.
The Cavaliers have won 11 of 15 games since the beginning of February, led by Darius Garland‘s 25 points and Donovan Mitchell’s 18.
Mitchell did not have his best offensive performance, as he tied for the team lead in field goal attempts with zero points, but he still contributed to a Cleveland victory over a playoff hopeful like Miami and finished with a respectable stat line.
Mitchell is one of the best scoring threats in the Eastern Conference this season, averaging 30.1 points per game over his last 10 games, so this subpar performance — by his standards — should be nothing more than a bump in the road.
Better ball control is essential if Miami is to salvage a split of the two-game series. A season-high 24 Heat turnovers helped the Cavaliers to 29 points.
Miami’s Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 28 points, while Tyler Herro added 22 and big man Bam Adebayo contributed 17.
Butler, as is his custom, scored heavily from the charity stripe and efficiently from the field while rarely attempting threes.
The Cavaliers are still in the hunt for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference after winning three consecutive games and four of their last five.
There will be no home games for Cleveland for the next four. In Charlotte on Sunday and Tuesday, the team will play the second half of its four-game road swing as a two-game set with the same opponent.
The Heat are vying to secure the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and avoid the play-in round by holding off No. 8 Atlanta and catching the Brooklyn Nets.
After starting their five-game homestand with a loss to the New York Knicks, Miami has gone 3-2 against Atlanta before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Injury Report Heat: Nikola Jovic SF (Back) and Kyle Lowry PG (Knee) are out.
Injury Report Cavaliers: No Injuries.
