Winderman’s view: Cavaliers’ ‘pick on’ patrol moves on to Ware, in rout of Heat (2025)

MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday’s 124-87 NBA playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers:

– “Pick on” was somewhat muted in this one.

– Or was it?

– With Cleveland’s Darius Garland sidelined by a sore toe, he no longer was on pick-on patrol when it came to his post-Game 2 disparagement of Tyler Herro’s defense.

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– Of those Garland comments, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame, “They won two games so they’re talking s – – -. It is what it is.”

– And then the narrative changed at the outset Saturday.

– With Cleveland instead relentlessly picking on a step-too-late defense of Heat center Kel’el Ware.

– To the tune of 18 paint points in the first quarter.

– Rendering the Heat center almost unplayable.

– Yes, the playoffs are about attacking the weakest link.

– In Ware, Cleveland found a weaker link.

– As for Garland-gate, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson downplayed it before the game.

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– “I don’t control what they say, at all,” Atkinson said. “From our perspective, we have great respect for the Heat. I’ve said that from day one, this is not a 10th seed, this is a top-four seed, now that they’re healthy and whole. And Tyler’s a great player, he’s an All-Star, great competitor, great competitor on both ends, much like Darius.”

– Atkinson added, “So, it’s like the playground, right? Like you go out there and you get someone you’re going up against, sometimes there’s some verbal stuff. I think it’s overblown. And once that ball is thrown up, none of that stuff matters.”

– After a degree of success, the Heat stayed with their Game 2 starting lineup of Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Ware.

– For the Cavaliers, with Garland out, Cleveland opened with Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

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– With Garland out, the Heat were able to open with Herro defensively on Merrill, Wiggins on Strus and Mitchell on Mitchell.

– Haywood Highsmith and Pelle Larsson were first off the Heat bench.

– Nikola Jovic followed.

– With Duncan Robnson making it nine deep.

– That left Alec Burks and Kyle Anderson again out of the primary mix.

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– Spoelstra went in seeking more, whatever more might be.

– “I want what leads to a win,” he said. “That’s the whole thing. So whatever is happening, it’s going to require more. That’s just the deal in the playoffs. They are a team that can get it going offensively. We want to get to who we think we can be defensively, and do it more consistently.”

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– He added. “What will it take? It will take what it will take. That’s the mentality right now.”

– With the appearance, Adebayo is now within one of tying Chris Bosh (78) for sixth place on the Heat all-time playoff list.

– With the start, Adebayo is now within one of Mario Chalmers (73) for fifth on the Heat all-time playoff list.

– With his second assist, Herro moved past Goran Dragic for seventh place on the Heat all-time playoff list.

– With his first 3-pointer, Robinson extended his franchise all-time postseason lead. He entered with 146. Second on the list is LeBron James at 123.