Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat Prediction: The Heat will try to get closer to the Cavaliers in the standings

The Cavaliers and Heat are next to each other in the standings, fighting for a direct playoff spot. The gap between Cleveland and the Heat is not that small - will the club from Florida be able to close the gap?

The Cavaliers have 4-5 star or near-star players, and the recent game against the Clippers was a bit surprising as it was Jedi Osman who won that game for Cleveland. The Turkish player hit a career-high seven three-pointers and 29 points, and his teammates were far from as productive. In the end, the team won 122:99.

Overall, Cleveland has been alternating wins and losses of late. The Cavaliers won slightly more than half of their games in the month, which is why they remained only 5th in the East. There should be no problem making the playoffs, but it will be challenging to jump into the top 3. On the other hand, the rotation is in order. Kevin Love is injured, but he hasn't spent nearly as much time on the floor, and Dean Wade should make up for his absence.

The Heat have won 7 of their last ten games and are sitting in the top 6 of the Eastern Conference, and this recent loss to Charlotte doesn't make much sense. Miami lost 117:122 to one of the league's underdogs and failed on defense, although they are known for their organizational play in their half. They lacked enough support from their shooters: Gabe Vincent and Max Struz made only one three-pointer each. Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo frequently shot from beyond the arc, so they could not outscore their speedy opponents.

There was a reason that Cleveland has been alternating wins and losses of late. With an excellent roster, the team is unstable offensively, but they are fine on the court. Donovan Mitchell is still trying, and Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley make up one of the best defensive big-man duos. There's also Lamar Stevens and Dean Wade, so it's no surprise that the Cavaliers rarely concede more than 100 points. Miami will also be competitive, and against their current opponent, they will need to do their best. The visitors will significantly improve their chances of moving up if they win, while the price of defeat may be too high.