CLEVELAND, Ohio — Game 3 has the makings of an instant classic, and the ball hasn’t even been tipped.
The Cavs are up 2-0 and arrive in Miami looking to squeeze the air out of the series, while the Heat are staring down a must-win with a 1 p.m. Eastern tip in front of what’s expected to be a late-arriving, sun-distracted crowd at the Kaseya Center.
But if anyone thinks this early matinee will lack energy, they haven’t been paying attention.
Tensions are simmering. Emotions are high.
Darius Garland made sure of that.
After the Game 2 win, Garland told reporters the Cavs’ goal to keep their offense clean was to attack Tyler Herro. Simple, direct and loud enough to be heard across the East Coast.
It didn’t take long for Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo to clap back. Herro brushed off the comments publicly, but the Heat don’t forget things like that. Adebayo, always the vocal heartbeat of the Heat, made it clear that they took notice and intend to respond.
Now, Saturday becomes a test of more than execution. It’s pride. Control. Survival.
How to watch the Cavs: See how to watch the Cavs games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule.
Garland’s comment didn’t just challenge Herro — it challenged the Heat’s identity. It questioned their toughness and painted a target.
Miami isn’t built to fade quietly. This is the franchise that thrives when counted out, that wears adversity like a badge of honor.
The expectation is for Herro to return the favor, taking it directly at Garland on the other end. That duel will drive Game 3, but so much more will determine whether the Heat get back in this series or watch it slip further away.
Adebayo needs to do what he’s done in every playoff series of significance: dictate tempo from the middle of the floor.
Cleveland’s length has bothered him, but he’s at his best when he’s aggressive early. Drawing fouls, facing up, making Evan Mobley, who was recently named Defensive Player of the Year, and Jarrett Allen defend in space. His ability to draw bigs away from the rim opens things up for Miami’s cutters and shooters.
But the Heat’s chances hinge on more than just their stars, particularly Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith, who must hit timely shots.
Adebayo, Herro and Robinson have championship DNA, making it to the NBA Finals twice in the last five seasons, but they need to play like they’ve been there before.
Miami needs either Herro or Adebayo to lead the charge and contend for the best player on the floor.
Donovan Mitchell has owned that title so far. He’s shredded every coverage Miami has thrown at him — hedge, drop, switch. It hasn’t mattered.
His blend of shot creation, leadership and late-game composure gives the Cavs a safety net that’s elevated the group. When Miami cut a 19-point lead to two in Game 2, it was Mitchell who seized the moment, again. If he continues to control pace and pick his spots, Cleveland becomes nearly impossible to trap.
But the Cavs can’t get comfortable. They’ve been the deeper, more dynamic team, but Saturday is less about talent and more about discipline.
The Heat feeds on lapses. They lure you into isolation, draw phantom fouls, turn offensive rebounds into corner threes. Every slip — every missed box out, every loose ball — becomes a window for them to crash through.
Garland will be tested. So will Mobley, who’s looked more comfortable in Year 3 but still fades for stretches.
Cleveland’s defensive rotations have been sharp through two games, but Game 3 demands communication and composure at another level.
This is where playoff series evolve. Game 3 is the swing. The Cavaliers can seize full control or hand the Heat belief. All of the noise leading up to this only matters if someone backs it up.
Teams down 0-2 in a best-of-seven only come back about 8% of the time. Down 0-3? That percentage drops to zero. The Heat need this win to stay alive, not just in the series, but as a belief system. As a culture. A loss Saturday and the Heat Culture tagline starts feeling more like nostalgia than identity.
It’s not about who talked. It’s about who shows up when it counts. And that moment is now.
Here’s what to know about the matchup:
Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat
Series: Game 3.
Where: Kaseya Center
When: 1 p.m. ET.
The point spread: Cavs minus-5.5; O/U 213.5
TV: TNT/Max and FanDuel Sports Network – Ohio
Injury Report
CAVS:
Questionable:
Darius Garland (toe).
HEAT:
Out:
Kevin Love (personal); Terry Rozier (ankle)
