CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers’ first roadblock to a deeper playoff run in coach Kenny Atkinson’s first year at the helm is the Miami Heat.
The Heat outlasted the Atlanta Hawks in overtime to secure the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed via the NBA’s Play-In Tournament. Now they will collide with the top-seeded Cavs. Cleveland won the regular-season series 2-1, and it was even Miami who the Cavs beat to secure their ticket to the playoffs.
Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at Rocket Arena.
Here’s how Beacon Journal sports writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich think the series will unfold:
Heat vs. Cavs prediction: Who wins NBA Eastern Conference first-round series?
Lewis: The Cavaliers are well rested, and they’ve been waiting for this day for quite some time. The only team in the East on Cleveland’s level is the Boston Celtics, and while Miami can be a tough matchup, the Heat don’t have the firepower to keep up. The Cavs need to show they can handle the playoff physicality while maintaining their scoring power. Cavaliers win series 4-1
Ulrich: The Cavs can’t coast and expect to dominate the Heat. They will receive a fight from a Miami team led by one of the NBA’s best coaches, Erik Spoelstra. Miami is known as a tough place for visiting teams to succeed, and the Heat’s zone defense can serve as an equalizer. Those factors make a sweep difficult to envision. But consider this prediction a vote of confidence in the Cavs being mature enough to resist taking anything for granted. The Cavs claim they’re hungry. It’s time to show it. Cavaliers win series 4-1
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat prediction for NBA playoff series
CLEVELAND — The Cavaliers’ first roadblock to a deeper playoff run in coach Kenny Atkinson’s first year at the helm is the Miami Heat.
The Heat outlasted the Atlanta Hawks in overtime to secure the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed via the NBA’s Play-In Tournament. Now they will collide with the top-seeded Cavs. Cleveland won the regular-season series 2-1, and it was even Miami who the Cavs beat to secure their ticket to the playoffs.
Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at Rocket Arena.
Here’s how Beacon Journal sports writers Ryan Lewis and Nate Ulrich think the series will unfold:
Heat vs. Cavs prediction: Who wins NBA Eastern Conference first-round series?
Lewis: The Cavaliers are well rested, and they’ve been waiting for this day for quite some time. The only team in the East on Cleveland’s level is the Boston Celtics, and while Miami can be a tough matchup, the Heat don’t have the firepower to keep up. The Cavs need to show they can handle the playoff physicality while maintaining their scoring power. Cavaliers win series 4-1
Ulrich: The Cavs can’t coast and expect to dominate the Heat. They will receive a fight from a Miami team led by one of the NBA’s best coaches, Erik Spoelstra. Miami is known as a tough place for visiting teams to succeed, and the Heat’s zone defense can serve as an equalizer. Those factors make a sweep difficult to envision. But consider this prediction a vote of confidence in the Cavs being mature enough to resist taking anything for granted. The Cavs claim they’re hungry. It’s time to show it. Cavaliers win series 4-1
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat prediction for NBA playoff series
