CLEVELAND (AP) — Donovan Mitchell quickly put any doubts to rest about whether his left ankle was 100% going into the playoffs for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mitchell scored 30 points and tied a playoff career high with four steals and the Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 121-100 on Sunday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots over Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) knocks the ball away from Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, center, drives between Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Tyler Herro (14) in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra gestures in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) shoots between Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter, behind guard Ty Jerome (2) and Evan Mobley (4) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) celebrates in front of teammate Sam Merrill in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) gestures to fans in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, right, reaches for the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) heads up the court in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) goes up for a dunk between Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and guard Tyler Herro (14) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after hitting a three-point basket in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, right, greets guard Donovan Mitchell (45) as he returns to the bench late in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, front, and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, right, reach for the ball in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) left, dunks over Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) shpts as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, defends in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson shouts in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots in front of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, left, and forward Isaac Okoro (35) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the first half half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
“He can get in the lane and finish and he's a great shooter. Such a complete player,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Whatever we ask him to do, he'll do it. He never shies away when we ask him to do the dirty work.”
It was the seventh straight series where Mitchell has scored at least 30 points in Game 1, tying Michael Jordan, who had two streaks of seven games.
“Just setting the tone. I have to be aggressive and see how the defense reacts to me,” Mitchell said.
Ty Jerome had 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter for the top-seeded Cavaliers, who host Game 2 Wednesday night.
Darius Garland added 27. Garland and Jerome each had five 3-pointers and the Cavaliers were 18 of 43 from beyond the arc.
Bam Adebayo had 24 points and Tyler Herro added 21 for the Heat. They are the first No. 10 seed to advance to the playoffs out of the Play-In Tournament.
Cleveland had a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, but Miami steadily cut it down and got to 98-90 with 7:26 remaining in the fourth. Cleveland put it out reach though with a 13-4 run that included 10 straight points by Jerome, who was taking part in his first playoff game.
Jerome was 6 of 7 from the field, and made all three of his 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter.
“He turned the game for us. He did it all tonight,” Atkinson said.
It is the most points the Cavaliers have scored in a playoff game since they had 128 in Game 4 of the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals against Toronto.
“We played super hard and competitive. We made some unforced errors, just some decision making that was not elite but they (Miami) had something to do with that. Our decision making has to be on point,” Atkinson said.
It was tied at 22 with three minutes remaining in the first quarter before Cleveland went on a 9-2 run to go up by seven after 12 minutes, a lead it would not relinquish.
“They were a lot more physical than us and that obviously set the tone. We’ve got to clean that up. It’s not going to be any easier," Herro said.
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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots over Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) knocks the ball away from Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, center, drives between Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Tyler Herro (14) in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra gestures in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) shoots between Cleveland Cavaliers forward De'Andre Hunter, behind guard Ty Jerome (2) and Evan Mobley (4) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) celebrates in front of teammate Sam Merrill in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (2) gestures to fans in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, right, reaches for the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) heads up the court in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) goes up for a dunk between Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and guard Tyler Herro (14) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) gestures after hitting a three-point basket in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, right, greets guard Donovan Mitchell (45) as he returns to the bench late in the second half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, front, and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, right, reach for the ball in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) left, dunks over Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith (24) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) shpts as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland, right, defends in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson shouts in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots in front of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, left, and forward Isaac Okoro (35) in the first half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the first half half in Game 1 of an NBA first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
