Ricky Rubio lives his best moment of the course with the Cavaliers and settles in the noble zone of the East

Los Cleveland Cavalierswith an excellent second half in Miami and with the Ricky Rubio’s season record minutes (had 5 points, 4 assists and 2 steals in 23 minutes)they managed to win the first of their double confrontation in three days against the Heat (100-104).

It is the third consecutive victory for the Cavaliers, with which they manage to mark distances in their fight for the fourth position in the East. It is his forty-second win of the year.

Darius Garland was the most outstanding player with 25 points and 7 assistsaccompanied by up to four more teammates who scored in double digits: Okoro, Mobley, Allen and Mitchell.

Own Donovan Mitchell made history by setting the Cavs record for 3-pointers made in a regular season. He was at 204 and left it at 205 at the end of the match.

Jimmy Butler present after his lightning trip to Los Angeles to be at the retirement of his friend Pau Gasol’s shirtarrived in Miami early in the morning and was available from the first minute as a starter. He was the best of the Heat with 28 points.

Kevin Love started very motivated in front of who his teammates were three weeks ago. He hit the Heat’s first two shots without miss, returned to the court, and started this game.

Bam Adebayo marked territory from the first minute and did not miss the two opportunities he had to hang from the rim, but had to sit out in the eighth minute when committing his second personal foul.

It was against a Donovan Mitchell who had not scored until then, it was the eighth minute of the match and it started from the free kick.

Ricky Rubio’s entry in the eighth minute had an impact quickly. He generated a more fluid game in attack, scored from the triple, and with it facilitated the first advantages of the night, although minimal, for Cleveland.

Miami closed the first quarter better, with a basket on Victor Oladipo’s buzzer for the 30-26 run after twelve minutes.

Miami was vulnerable on defense when Adebayo was sitting down and Cleveland took advantage of it, which saw several of its players shoot for touchdowns. Donovan Mitchell with eight points only in that second period, and with him Allen and Garland closing the accumulated with fourteen and eleven points respectively.

Miami, without Adebayo, also lost its offensive balance, focusing the vast majority of its attacks in the hands of Jimmy Butler, with only six points in this period and with the shooters far from their best effectiveness: 5/15 in triples at halftime.

The twelve turnovers of Spoelstra’s men after the second honk punished them excessively. With a basket on Donovan Mitchell’s buzzer, the Cavs sent for four before going to the locker room (53-57).

The return to the track showed Cleveland much more involved in the game, and thus they reaped an important income, with a triple by Okoro they were ten points away (55-65) for the first time, and they became up to twelve.

The Cavs were able to maintain that distance, and it was another triple to return to ten points of rent (60-70) in which Donovan Mitchell made history. The shot set the franchise record for the number of 3-pointers made in a regular season.

Jarret Allen committed his fourth personal foul with nine minutes remaining in the third period, went to the bench, and at times the locals came to reduce the difference to three goals, but not consistently.

Some isolated actions by Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro helped this and allowed the Heat to enter the last period with a chance to win, 82-87 at the end of the third quarter.

The big problem for which the Miami Heat did not find continuity in their attack was mainly due to the numerous turnovers. There were a total of 22 in the game, setting one of the worst records this season.

This, added to the poor success from the perimeter, with just eight triples converted and a 27.6% effectiveness, meant that at no time in the second half did they turn the score around.

Miami’s accuracy from the 3-pointer improved in the final minutes, and the game got tighter. Thus, Tyler Herro with a basket from the perimeter twenty seconds to go, put an interesting 100-102 in the light.

A controversial foul called on Adebayo prior to a steal on Allen sent the Cavs center to the free throw line. He scored one, leaving three up and the last possession for Miami.

His triple Max Strus missed, and after the rebound and receiving the corresponding foul, Mobley scored one and sealed the final 100-104 with which the match closed.