Takeaways from Miami Heat’s Victory over the Cavaliers

After a bad loss on Sunday, the Miami Heat were back on the court on Tuesday. This time they faced a tall task in the Cleveland Cavaliers. The first couple of minutes were tough as the Heat immediately trailed by eight. Cleveland’s size and length bothered Miami early on. But still, Miami battled back and competed the rest of the way. In the end, the Heat were able to escape with the win. With the win, Miami moves to 29-23 for the season. Here are my takeaways from Tuesday’s win over Cleveland.

Butler Sets the Tone

Two top five defenses collided on Tuesday. So, you knew this was going to be a battle offensively. And that’s exactly what happened in the first few minutes of the game. Miami looked lost on the offensive end with Cleveland clogging up the paint and playing aggressive on ball defense. With the offense struggling, Jimmy Butler took it upon himself to get his team going. He scored in the low post and drew early fouls. With Butler’s aggression, the Cavaliers came with the double and Butler dished it off to his teammates. From there, the Heat’s offense came alive. Butler finished with 11 points in the first period. He ended the night with 23 points and three steals.

Bam Overcomes Early Struggles

Bam Adebayo struggled in the previous game against the Charlotte Hornets. It seemed to carry into this game as well. Cleveland started the game aggressive on the defensive end, keeping Adebayo off his spots. Adebayo went the first seven minutes without a basket. But then, he got going in the second quarter. It’s one play in the second quarter that stood out to me. While bringing the ball up in transition, he put his head down, bumped into Jarrett Allen, and threw down the dunk over him. Even though Adebayo has played well all season, there’s going to be nights where he struggles on offense. Adebayo overcame his struggles and impacted the game down the stretch. Adebayo finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Turd Quarter

The dreaded “Turd Quarter” returned to action on Tuesday. If you are not familiar with the term “Turd Quarter”, it’s basically when the Heat lose control of the game following the half. Miami would play so well and then come out the halftime lethargic. They go away from the game plan that works in the first half and the other team takes advantage. Miami did it once again in the third quarter, with Cleveland going on a 9-0 run. Miami bounced back with a run of their own. The Heat even lead by as many as nine before Cleveland came back and tied the game at the end of the quarter.

Caleb’s Night

Caleb Martin has struggled at times since returning from his quad injury. The shots were short, and his athleticism hasn’t been there at times. On Tuesday, he was huge for the Heat. He knocked down his first seven shots, four of which were three-pointers. It’s important seeing him knock down those jumpers from the outside. Playing alongside Butler and Adebayo, the Heat’s starting lineup needs shooting. Miami cannot afford to have two players afraid to shoot when the defense allows it. Martin also crashed the boards against the tall Cavaliers frontcourt. In the end, Martin finished the night with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Next up: The New York Knicks on Thursday. Game tips off at 7:30pm eastern.