The Miami Heat's Game 2 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a tale of valiant effort and harsh reality. Despite implementing key adjustments and fighting back from a 19-point deficit, Miami ultimately fell short against Donovan Mitchell's fourth-quarter heroics.
Erik Spoelstra pushed all the right buttons. He inserted Davion Mitchell into the starting lineup, utilized Tyler Herro in more screens, and deployed Andrew Wiggins as a primary pick-and-roll handler. The Heat even outscored Cleveland's vaunted bench. Yet it wasn't enough.
Why? Because the Cavs have Donovan Mitchell, and the Heat don't.
The talent disparity may be too much to overcome for the Heat.
Mitchell's 17-point fourth-quarter explosion, including a perfect 4-of-4 from deep, was the difference-maker. No matter what Miami threw at him, Mitchell found a way to get buckets when it mattered most.
When the Heat cut the deficit to two with under 5 minutes to go, Mitchell checked in and hit a tough runner over Haywood Highsmith.
When the Heat got it back to within a possession, there was Mitchell again with a step-back jumper to give the Cavs a cushion. He did it again, and again.
In all, Mitchell scored 10 points in the final four minutes to stiff-arm Miami’s comeback.
This game highlighted Miami's glaring need for a go-to scorer of Mitchell's caliber. As good as Tyler Herro and Davion Mitchell were down the stretch, they simply aren't on that level. The Heat require near-perfection to compete, while the Cavs can overcome imperfect performances with individual brilliance.
One good quarter – like Cleveland’s roaring second quarter in which they made 11 3s – is enough for the Cavs. The Heat need to pitch a shutout. The talent disparity is that wide.
What would a perfect game even look like for Miami? They shot 52%, dominated the offensive glass, and limited turnovers. The bench stepped up. No Cavalier outside their stars had an outlier performance. They didn’t allow a Ty Jerome to pop off again. Yet it still wasn't enough.
The Heat did find some things that worked. Herro’s spacing helped jolt the offense and Mitchell’s inclusion in the starting lineup set a new tone. Nikola Jovic provided a spark off the bench, even if his two late turnovers and missed open 3 stand out among Miami’s late gaffes. They had a chance to win this game, and maybe that’s reason to believe they can win when this series shifts to Miami over the weekend.
They'll need more from Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins offensively. They'll need to execute flawlessly in crunch time. And they'll need to find an answer for Donovan Mitchell, who is averaging 30 points on 52.5% shooting in the series.
But most of all, they'll need to reckon with the talent disparity that's become painfully apparent through two games. The Cavaliers won 64 games this season – nearly 30 more than the 37-win Heat. They have a proven closer and an identity. The Heat are still trying to find theirs.