Player Grades: Cavs vs Heat Game 1
Cavs take a 1-0 series lead.
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked calm, composed and most of all — ready — in their first game of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. They took an early lead over the Miami Heat and held it for the entire game before blowing the doors off in the fourth quarter.
Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.
Ty Jerome
28 points (10-15 shooting), 5 rebounds, 3 assists 26 minutes
Jerome had a miraculous breakout in the regular season. He wasted no time showing that it would translate to the playoffs.
This was the Jerome show from start to finish. He scored more than a point a minute — torching Miami’s defense every time he touched the ball. A floater, layup or 30-foot bomb was all the same. Jerome could do no wrong in Game 1.
We knew Jerome could take over games. But seeing him deliver a one-man Cavalanche in the fourth quarter to secure a playoff victory was still surreal. Have no doubt, Jerome is ready for the moment.
Grade: A+
Donovan Mitchell
30 points (11-19 shooting), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 33 minutes
Mitchell was electric tonight, even despite shooting 2-9 from downtown. He converted 9-10 attempts inside the paint and had no trouble shredding Miami’s point of attack defense. Mitchell’s constant rim pressure opened up the floor for a pair of three-pointers that he finally delivered at key moments of the second half.
30 points from Mitchell is a playoff norm. What elevated Mitchell to another level in this game was actually his defense. He was disruptive all night, darting into the passing lane for four steals. Mitchell’s hustle and determination served as an energizer for the Cavs and helped them maintain a healthy cushion against the Heat.
Grade: A+
Darius Garland
27 points (10-17 shooting), 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 31 minutes
This was by far the most comfortable Garland has ever looked in the NBA Playoffs. He was confident, decisive and patient with every attack. His drives to the basket were paired with the lethal three-point shooting he carried throughout the regular season. His barrage of five three-pointers helped put the Cavs over the top.
Like Mitchell, Garland was equally impressive on defense. His physicality made him an annoyance for Miami. Garland might not have the physical gifts to be an elite defender but he played with elite effort tonight and that made a difference.
Grade: A+
Jarrett Allen
12 points (1-4 shooting), 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block
There were moments where I thought Allen was the best player for either team in this game. Whether it was his constant pursuit of rebounds or his LeBron-esque chasedown on Bam Adebayo — Allen was everywhere tonight.
The Cavs don’t rely on Allen to do anything outside of his strengths. So when he’s playing to those strengths to the fullest extent, the results speak for themselves. Six offensive rebounds are game-changing stuff. Always being in the right place at the right time made Allen the unsung hero of Game 1.
Grade: A+
Evan Mobley
9 points (4-10 shooting), 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
This might look like an extremely disappointing game from Mobley. It surely wasn’t his best. But the box score looks much worse than his actual performance felt at any point.
Mobley was aggressive in the opening minutes. He canned a pull-up three-pointer and burrowed his way into the paint to punish a mismatch against Haywood Highsmith. But as the Cavs guards started to heat up — Mobley fell by the wayside. He wasn’t tentative or shy, though. Which is important to note.
The Cavs will want more production from Mobley moving forward. But this was a case of the game just flowing in a different direction. You can’t argue with the results.
Grade: B
Sam Merrill
6 points (2-4 shooting), 4 assists, 1 rebound
Merrill was the only other Cavalier bench player to score. He hit two three-pointers and both felt great. This could be a big series for Merrill if he continues to make Miami pay for rotation away from him.
For the third time, I get to praise a Cavalier for playing strong defense. Merrill was awesome whenever a Heat player tried to isolate him. He repeatedly shut off Davion Mitchell and even held Andrew Wiggins in a straitjacket for one possession. This was a strong showing from Merrill.
Grade: A+
Dean Wade
0 points (0-0 shooting), 1 rebound, 7 minutes
Can’t say I remember Wade doing one thing or another in this game. His box score reflects that.
Grade: C
Isaac Okoro
0 points (0-4 shooting), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 13 minutes
Okoro did everything but hit a shot in this game. His four misses from deep were all painful. Regardless of his defense on Tyler Herro or his effectiveness as a screener — Okoro will have to hit a few shots to make himself playable in the postseason.
That said, he was far from a train wreck in this game. The Cavs offense didn’t crater as a result of his misses. Miami continued to defend him on the perimeter up until his final miss of the game. By then, he was back on the bench.
We’ll see if Okoro is ignored in the following games and if he’s able to make anyone pay for leaving him open.
Grade: C+
De’Andre Hunter
0 points (0-4 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 16 minutes
The Cavs would love to avoid another performance like this from Hunter. He’s been too efficient as a scorer to come up blank like this. It’s nice that Hunter can have an ugly game without actively hurting the team. But the Cavs are hoping he can help them more in the future.
Grade: D
Max Strus
9 points (3-5 shooting), 1 assist, 1 rebound
Strus hit three three-pointers and all of them felt pure. His off-ball movement and ability to ghost a screen make him a constant threat to the defense. He didn’t rebound or distribute the ball at the rate he usually does — but Strus brought the juice on both ends of the floor and remains one of Cleveland’s strongest swing factors.