The Cleveland Cavaliers are doing a fantastic job of living up to expectations as they take a comfortable 2-0 series lead against the Miami Heat in the first round of playoff basketball. While the Heat aren’t the toughest opponents to face, their dominance so far during this series has impressed fans.
A huge part of their 112-121 win was the dominant display from the stellar play of their core stars. Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland freely scored against a Miami defense that did everything to make the game as close as possible.
However, some would argue that Kenny Atkinson’s role on the sidelines was the defining factor for the Cavs’ Game 2 win. The 2025 Coach of the Year finalist targeted a specific area of the Heat’s defensive scheme, and he was unabashed with his admission on the post-game presser.
Kenny Atkinson credits mismatch hunting as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ primary weapon against the Miami Heat
Atkinson didn’t wait for the media to ask him whether he consistently used pick-and-rolls to get his star players into favorable situations.
Per Jackson Flickinger of Fear The Sword:
“I thought we executed,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Again, a lot of that is matchup hunting and getting the right person in it.”
“I just kept finding the mismatch, find [their] miscommunication in coverages, and make a play,” Donovan Mitchell added. “That’s really it.”
“Pick on Tyler Herro and take care of the ball,” Darius Garland offered up. “Don’t play in tight spaces and pick on their weak defenders.”
The box score for the game showed how effective the tactic was for the Cavs. Mitchell finished the night with 30 points on 10-21 scoring, with seven of those makes coming from beyond the arc. Mobley was more efficient with his 20 points on a 7-for-10 shooting clip, while Garland’s 21 points came from a 6-14 shooting night.
Max Strus rounded out the scoring for the starters with his 14 points, while DeAndre Hunter led the bench with his 12.
Meanwhile, Herro’s 33 points were supported with solid shooting performances from Davion Mitchell (18) and Haywood Highsmith (17). Bam Adebayo shot blanks, only making three of his nine attempts for nine points.
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