Jim Feist - Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA 15-Star Blockbuster – Sunday!

Handicapper

Jim Feist

League

NBA

Competition

Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Release Date

04/20/2025 12:30 AM

Event Date

04/20/2025 07:00 PM

Bet Type

Point Spread

Pick

Cleveland Cavaliers -12.5 (-110) (BetOnline)

Outcome

Win

Analysis

The first-round playoff series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat starts on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The Cavaliers took home the top seed in the Eastern Conference thanks to their 64–18 record while the Heat claimed the eighth seed after moving forward from the Play-In Tournament. Cleveland boasts the highest offensive rating in the league by scoring 121.9 points for every 100 possessions. The team ranks eighth defensively because they permit opponents to score 111.8 points per 100 possessions. Donovan Mitchell has spearheaded the Cavaliers' offense by averaging 26.5 points per game while Darius Garland steers the team as an efficient floor general with 6.7 assists per game. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen serve as the foundation for Cleveland’s inside defense and rebounding efforts. The Heat took an alternate route to reach the playoffs. After Jimmy Butler left the team during the regular season Miami finished with a record of 37–45 and went on to win against Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks in the Play-In round. Tyler Herro has assumed the lead position for Miami Heat by scoring 23.9 points per game and receives crucial support from Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins during both offensive and defensive plays. The Cavaliers secured victories in two of three regular-season games against the Heat through wins with scores of 126–106 and 112–107. Miami achieved a 122–113 victory during their latest matchup. The upcoming series will largely revolve around the battle between Cleveland's explosive offensive style and Miami's tough and structured defensive approach. Cleveland stands to benefit from home-court advantage as they have shown dominant play at home during Game 1 projections. The combination of Mitchell’s scoring ability and Cleveland’s comprehensive offensive strategy gives the Cavaliers a strong position to start the series with an advantage. The Cavs offense will be too much for the Miami defense and the home crown should have the Cleveland team pumped-up for game one. Take: Cleveland Cavaliers.