The Miami Heat lost game one of their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, April 20. The Cavaliers’ offense put the Heat in a bind and ensured the Heat have a lot of work to do ahead of game two.
According to Davion Mitchell, who was speaking to the media following his team’s loss, the Heat must embrace being the hardest-working team.
“We got to be the hardest playing team,” Mitchell said. “They’re a really good and talented team. They can score the ball with the best of them, so we got to be the hardest playing team. That’s what we got to do.”
Miami is known for playing elite defense under Erik Spoelstra. Part of that defense is the energy levels and hustle the Heat bring to the table. They don’t give up easy buckets or take their foot off the gas. It’s that mentality that Mitchell embodies, especially on the perimeter.
As such, the Heat will still be confident in their ability to overcome the Cavaliers if they stick to their usual game plan. The hard part is slowing down an offense that has been firing on all cylinders for the entire season, and is lead by All-Star guard Donovon Mitchell.
Andrew Wiggins Also Calls for More Defense
Andrew Wiggins has been part of a championship roster. He won his first and only championship ring in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors. As such, he has an understanding of what is needed during the postseason.
During his post-game news conference after Miami’s loss, Wiggins also called for more intensity and hustle on the defensive end.
“The physicality and just getting those 50-50 balls,” Wiggins said. “Offensive rebounds. Just little stuff that we can clean up. The beautiful thing about the playoffs is every game is different. Every game is its own game. So, next game will be a big one.”
Wiggins is capable of making a significant impact in Miami’s series against the Cavaliers. He was a huge swing factor for the Warriors in 2022, and has the defensive upside to shut down Kenny Atkinson’s team for stretches.
Erik Spoelstra Praised Cleveland’s Offense
Spolestra is under no illusion of the task at hand. When speaking to the media following Miami’s loss, the veteran head coach praised Cleveland’s offense and the versatility at Atkinson’s disposal.
“You get to the playoffs, there are going to be dynamic offensive teams,” Spoelstra said. “And they have guys that drive and break you down off the dribble and they can also just shoot pull-up threes and they’re very good spot-up shooters, as well. So that’s the task and it’s up to us to figure out how to beat that.”
Miami will undoubtedly make some key adjustments ahead of the second meeting with Cleveland on Wednesday, April 23. The playoffs are all about making key adjustments both during and in between games. Spoelstra has proven himself to be among the best at making those adjustments.
As such, the Cavaliers can’t get too confident. Miami won’t go down easily and will be aiming to get back on level footing on Wednesday.
