The Cleveland Cavaliers were heavily favored heading into their first-round matchup against the Miami Heat, the first team in NBA history to qualify for the playoffs all the way from the 10th spot in the standings. While the Cavs had the deeper and more talented squad, no one dared to count out the Heat; after all, under head coach Erik Spoelstra, they have displayed an incredible ability to surpass expectations. But without Jimmy Butler leading the way, the Heat have fallen all the way apart.
The Cavs deserve plenty of credit for dominating the way they did, and in Game 4, they wasted no time taking care of business, dispatching of the Heat in grand fashion en route to a 138-83 shellacking. They have now booked their place in the second round of the playoffs as a result, and they’re now awaiting the winner of the Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks matchup.
And in thrashing the Heat the way they did on Monday night, the Cavs made history by being the most dominant first-round team of all-time. According to Tim Reynolds of AP, the Cavs’ total margin of victory across four games of 122 points is the biggest in NBA history.
That averages to a margin of victory of 30.5 points, making it the most lopsided series in NBA playoff history. This number was undoubtedly boosted by their 55-point win in the closeout game, but the Cavs deserve plenty of credit for locking in on both ends of the floor and making life hell for a Heat team that has plenty of questions to answer this offseason.
The Cavs also appeared to win the mental warfare against Tyler Herro, rubbing even more salt into their wounds; after being called out defensively by Darius Garland, Herro proceeded to put up a stinker in Game 4, scoring just four points on 1-10 shooting from the field.
Cavs destroy the Heat down to the atomic level
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
By the time the first quarter of Game 4 ended, the Cavs had already booked their place into the second round of the playoffs. The Heat looked dead in the water all evening with their defeated body language, and at the half, the Cavs had already run out into a 72-33 lead. If there ever was a time to enforce the mercy rule, it’s for this game.
The Cavs are likely to face the Pacers in the next round of the playoffs, and they will certainly not have as easy of a matchup against them as they did against the Heat.
