ESPN Gives NBA Team No Chance at Winning Playoff Game
As the 2025 NBA Playoffs officially get underway, there appears to be no bigger mismatch in the Eastern Conference than between the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and underdog Miami Heat.
It's been a tale of two very different seasons for Miami and Cleveland, so much so that ESPNBet has the Cavs favored by 12.5 points in game one - all while giving them an 81% chance to win.
Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson sit on the bench.
Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
The Cavaliers cruised through the regular season and finished the year at 64-18, their best record since the days of LeBron James in 2009. Cleveland has seven players averaging double-figure scoring this season, with Donovan Mitchell leading the way at 24.0 points per game.
Other notable contributors for the Cavs this season include 2025 All-Stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Over the last four years, Mobley has established himself as one of the most ferocious big men in the league and is likely to be a contender for this season's Defensive Player of the Year award. Meanwhile, Garland has found his footing alongside Mitchell to form perhaps one of the top backcourts in the NBA today.
On the other side of the coin, the Heat made this year's postseason by the skin of their teeth. Miami finished the regular season at 37-45, good for 10th in the East and the final spot in the conference play-in tournament.
Despite having their backs seemingly pinned against the wall, the Heat came away with back-to-back upset wins on the road to snag the No. 8 seed in this year's playoffs.
Tyler Herro has led the way for Miami since Jimmy Butler's trade to the Golden State Warriors this past February. Herro finished the 2024-25 regular season averaging career highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) per game.
Tip-off between the Heat and the Cavaliers in Sunday's game one is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
