Cavaliers complete sweep of Heat to advance to next round
It was a masterclass from the Cleveland Cavaliers as they completed a commanding sweep of the Miami Heat, 138–83, in Game 4 of their first-round series on Tuesday, April 29 (Philippine time) at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
From the opening tip, the Cavaliers left no doubt about their intentions. They raced off to a scorching 43–17 start in the first quarter, setting the tone early with stifling defense and efficient offense. Cleveland never looked back, stretching their lead to a dominant 72–33 cushion at halftime, completely smothering Miami’s chances of a comeback.
Leading the charge was Donovan Mitchell, who tallied 22 points and dished out five assists, orchestrating the Cavaliers' offense with pace and precision. Evan Mobley showcased his two-way prowess, delivering 17 markers and seven boards along with one assist, one steal, and two rejections that anchored Cleveland’s defense.
In the paint, Jarrett Allen dominated with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, while also handing out two dimes and recording an impressive six deflections that disrupted the Heat's offensive rhythm.
The Cavaliers’ second unit kept the energy high throughout the night. De’Andre Hunter sparked the bench mob with 18 points, while Ty Jerome followed closely with 17 points of his own. Javonte Green chipped in 11 points, ensuring that there was no drop-off whenever the starters rested.
Cleveland’s momentum continued into the third quarter, outscoring Miami 39–30 to build a commanding 48-point lead heading into the final frame. They finished strong with a 27–20 fourth-quarter performance, sealing the emphatic 55-point victory and eliminating the Heat from playoff contention.
Despite the lopsided defeat, Miami saw bright spots from its key players. Nikola Jovic stood out with 24 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block, leading the scoring for the Heat. Bam Adebayo also put in a hard-fought effort with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, trying to stabilize the interior for Miami. Andrew Wiggins provided a defensive spark with 12 markers and five boards.
With the series sweep secured, the Cavaliers now shift their focus to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they await the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks–Indiana Pacers series. The Pacers could potentially close out their series tomorrow, setting up Cleveland’s next opponent.
The Cavaliers’ statement sweep sends a clear message to the rest of the league: they are serious contenders in this year’s championship chase.
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San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.