Donovan Mitchell dropped 26 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers secured their NBA playoff berth with a gritty 112-107 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
Cleveland’s 11-game winning streak was in jeopardy late in the fourth quarter when Miami surged ahead by seven. But the Cavs rallied in the final minutes, sealing their 12th straight victory and a ticket to the postseason.
With 20 games left in the regular season, Cleveland (52-10) remains in firm control of the Eastern Conference. Shooting guard Mitchell was one of six Cavs to score in double figures, leading a balanced attack against a short-handed Miami squad missing Andrew Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Evan Mobley contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Darius Garland added 15 points and 10 assists.
Bam Adebayo led all scorers with 34 points for the Heat, but Miami couldn’t hold off Cleveland’s late push.
However, six-time NBA All-Star Mitchell stressed the need for improvement:
“It took a collective effort as a group but we locked down and got stops – but we’ve got to be better,” Mitchell said, per The Manila Times. “It’s always good to learn through a win though.”
🏀 WEDNESDAY'S FINAL SCORES 🏀
— NBA (@NBA) March 6, 2025
Donovan Mitchell leads the @cavs to their 12th straight win as they become the first team to clinch their place in the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google!
Evan Mobley: 16 PTS, 13 REB
De'Andre Hunter: 16 PTS, 5 REB
Darius Garland: 15 PTS, 10 AST pic.twitter.com/na9zzLdMRY
As for clinching the first postseason spot, Mitchell kept things in perspective: “We’ve got bigger goals,” he said.
Donovan Mitchell focused on bigger goals
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February after a stellar run that helped propel his team forward.
Mitchell spoke after leading the Cavaliers to their 12th straight win, a victory over the Miami Heat that also secured their playoff berth.
“Just finding the way… with a team like this, even though guys are out, that’s heat culture and that’s what they do. They’re, tenacious,” Mitchell said.
Despite the recognition, Mitchell remains focused on the bigger picture, downplaying the achievement. According to Mitchell, it doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme:
“This wasn’t the playoffs wasn’t the goal… just another step… got a lot more to accomplish,” he said.
Mitchell’s 41-point explosion against the Boston Celtics on Feb. 28 capped off his dominant month, helping Cleveland secure an NBA-best 50-10 record. His performance has fueled MVP discussions.
LeBron James, a former Cavalier, earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors after a standout stretch with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Mitchell, who surpassed 13,000 career points, now holds a 24.8 points-per-game average over eight seasons. This marks his second Player of the Month award since joining Cleveland, per Cleveland.com.
Up Next: The Cavaliers host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
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