No lack of drama this time vs. Cavaliers, as Heat push to 140-138 OT victory

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Nov 10, 2025

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MIAMI – The last two times these teams met, the fourth quarters might just as well have been played with running time, the Cleveland Cavaliers thoroughly humiliating the Miami Heat to close out last season’s first-round playoff series.

This time, a clutch game.

With overtime required.

And drama to the final tick of the clock.

Miami Heat 140, Cleveland Cavaliers 138.

Showing strides made by Erik Spoelstra’s team against an opponent again expected to stand as elite in the Eastern Conference.

Going toe to toe, punch for punch, the Heat outlasted an opponent that tossed them aside like playoff fodder seven months ago, in the most lopsided playoff series in NBA history.

The ending could not have been more dramatic, with Andrew Wiggins converting a dunk at the rim off a sideline inbounds pass from Nikola Jovic on a play that began with fourth-tenths of a second to play.

Upon video review ... one of the most dramatic Heat wins in years.

For the Heat, it was another night of showing the depth of the roster, competitive with Bam Adebayo missing a third consecutive game with a toe sprain, and with Tyler yet to suit up this season following September ankle surgery.

Norman Powell paced the Heat with 33 points, with the Heat also getting 23 from Wiggins, 22 from Jaime Jaquez Jr., as well as 14 points and 19 rebounds from center Kel’el Ware.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 28 points.

The teams meet again Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, with the Heat now 5-0 at home this season.

5 degrees of Heat from Monday night’s game

— Closing time: A pair of Jaquez free throws staked the Heat to an early lead in overtime, with a Ware putback putting the Heat up 132-129.

But that’s when Evan Mobley responded inside to make it 132-131, failing to complete the 3-point play, on what initially was ruled a Ware goaltend on the missed free throw, overruled upon replay.

After the teams traded baskets, leaving the Heat up one, Jaquez scored in the lane for a 136-133 Heat lead.

Cleveland then appeared to tie it on a Mobley 3-pointer, only to have it waved off because Cleveland called timeout.

The Heat then fouled, with De’Andre Hunter making both free throws to bring Cleveland within 136-135.

A Cavaliers foul before the inbound pass followed, with Powell missing the free throw, after an 11 of 11 start from the line.

Powell was sent immediately back to the line, this time making both with 6.5 seconds left for a 138-135 Heat lead.

And then seeming heartbreak, with Mitchell draining a 3-pointer with four-tenths of a second to play in overtime for a 138-138 tie.

And then the dramatic inbound lob from Jovic to Wiggins for the winning dunk.

— Game flow: The Cavaliers led 30-25 after the first quarter before the Heat pushed back to a 62-53 halftime lead.

The Heat then went ahead 15 in the third period, before Cleveland came around with its 3-point shooting to close within 101-92 going into the fourth.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was ejected with 32.6 seconds left in the third period, when he was called for his second technical foul.

Cleveland’s Sam Merrill then opened the fourth quarter with four consecutive 3-pointers to tie it 106-106.

From there, the teams swapped leads, before Jaquez drained a running floater with 7.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to close the scoring in regulation.

— Powell play: Powell continued his breakout start to the season, this time up to 18 points by half.

The Heat stood 9 of 11 from the line at halftime, with 7 of 7 of that from Powell.

Powell then entered early in the fourth quarter after the Cavaliers had gone ahead, helping settle the Heat with a pair of driving baskets.

Powell closed 13 of 14 from the line.

— Standing tall: Badly outplayed in last season’s playoff series by Cleveland Jarrett Allen, it appeared that would be the story again for Ware, with Allen seizing control of the matchup at the outset.

However, Ware came around to seize control on the boards, with his stints after that initial run far more effective.

After three consecutive games of being blasted on the boards, Spoelstra addressed rebounding in his pregame comments.

“We need to check that box. We need to do a job better on the glass,” Spoelstra said. We’re fully capable of it.

“We’re a very good rebounding team, but when we’ve gotten outrebounded this year, even going back to last year, we get outrebounded in a big way.”

Cleveland closed with a 61-55 rebounding advantage.

— Jaquez, again: Jaquez again played as energizer, this time up to seven points, seven rebounds and five assists at halftime.

The approach again was of constant attack, not settling from the perimeter, while also working his way to the foul line.

As has become typical, Jaquez was on the court to start the fourth quarter – and the end, including a crucial driving 3-point play late in the fourth.

He closed with 13 rebounds and seven assists.

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