The Miami Heat finally got back to .500 on Friday night, and they did it with a 133-121 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA Cup group play.
After a rough stretch to open the regular season, Miami is now 6-6, a much-needed reset after weeks of criticism and some clear chemistry issues. The victory also came in the Heat’s first game of a back-to-back home set.
Bam Adebayo set the tone for Miami with 37 points and 14 rebounds, powering a game that stayed tight for most of the night before the Heat pulled away late. Davion Mitchell delivered the kind of performance that can change a game’s shape, finishing with 22 points and a career-high-tying 17 assists. Adebayo and Mitchell also led the team in plus/minus.
Miami had to navigate the night without Pelle Larsson and Klay Thompson in the backcourt, and that opened the door for Ryan Conwell to make an impact. The rookie guard, Miami’s recent second-round pick, scored 20 points in a larger role. Conwell had already built buzz through workouts, camp and a strong preseason run, and this outing only added to the idea that he could be pushing for more minutes.
Myron Gardner was inserted into the starting lineup because of the injuries, though he didn’t put up much in 19 minutes. Andrew Wiggins also had a quiet night offensively despite a +11 plus/minus, finishing with eight points. Bobby Portis added five.
Cleveland had its own firepower. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden paced the Cavaliers in scoring, while Tyrese Proctor chipped in 19 points off the bench. The Cavaliers were missing Evan Mobley and Sam Merrill for the game.
The source also noted Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 37-point, nine-rebound, two-assist performance in the broader NBA Cup context.
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