The Miami HEAT fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-84 Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena. Derrick Williams led the way for the HEAT with 17 points.
1. Williams Tallies A Season-High
With Miami having just eight available players, somebody had to step up. That somebody was Williams, who was very aggressive against the Cavaliers. Throughout the contest, Williams attacked the basket and came through with some nifty finishes inside.
Let’s take a look at one such instance late in the first quarter. With 1:22 left in the period, Williams received the ball on the right wing and drove inside against DeAndre Liggins. From there, he got past Richard Jefferson in the paint and hit the tough shot high off the glass over Chris Andersen.
In addition to his season-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, Williams also had two steals, one rebound and one assist on the night.
2. Dragić Mixes It Up
While Goran Dragić didn’t shoot quite as well against Cleveland as he’s had throughout this week, he simply took what the defense gave him. In fact, the Slovenian got into the paint and drew a number of fouls, as he shot 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. He also knocked down a few catch-and-shoot jumpers within the flow of the offense. Dragić finished with 15 points, four assists, three rebounds and a block.
3. T. Johnson Never Gives Up
Johnson made an immediate impact off the bench on Friday night, as he nailed his first three shots against the Cavaliers. On the flip side of the ball, he came away with a few steals to get the HEAT out in transition in the first half.
As the game progressed, Johnson continued to plug away on both ends and never gave up regardless of the circumstances. In all, the combo guard scored 12 points, grabbed five boards and dished out two assists.
Other Takeaways:
-Willie Reed competed hard all evening, especially on the offensive glass. Like Johnson, he didn’t let anything faze him. The 26-year-old center finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds (eight offensive) and a block.
Game Note:
-Udonis Haslem (personal reasons), James Johnson (strained right rotator cuff), Luke Babbitt (strained right hip flexor), Josh Richardson (sprained right ankle), Dion Waiters (pectineus tear) and Justise Winslow (sore left wrist) all sat out.
Looking Ahead:
-The HEAT will now travel to Chicago to face Dwyane Wade and the Bulls on Saturday at 8:00 PM. After a day of rest, Miami will then host the Wizards on Monday at 7:30 PM. Tickets for that game can be found here.