Cavaliers ride Ty Jerome heater to Game 1 win over Heat - ESPN

CLEVELAND — When the Cleveland Cavaliers first assembled for this season there was a collective shock at the trash talk coming from Ty Jerome, a career role player who played only 15 total minutes in 2023-24 because of a bad ankle injury.

«He was talking his s---,» Cavs All-Star Darius Garland remembered. "[I was like] 'slow down buddy.'"

"[The players] laughed at him because first he was this bit player and he still doing the swag stuff," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. «And they're kind of like, 'Who's this guy think he is?'»

Sunday evening, the Miami Heat felt that side of Jerome, who ran his mouth and flexed on them as he scored 28 points in only 26 minutes off the bench for a masterpiece in his first playoff game. He was at his best in the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on 24 consecutive Cavs points to turn a close game into a 121-100 victory to stake the Cavs to a 1-0 series lead.

It was the cornerstone of a dominating performance by the Cavs' guards. Donovan Mitchell and Garland both looked fresh after a week off, attacking the Heat's interior as part of a clear game plan — get inside looking to score or open up kick-outs to teammates. Mitchell scored 30 points, going 9-of-10 on 2-point shots as part of an elite interior scoring display. Garland put in 27 points, drilling five 3-pointers and handing out five assists.

Jerome made 5-of-8 3-pointers himself and knocked down three in the fourth quarter run that broke what had been an effective stretch of zone defense from the Heat. Jerome, Garland and Mitchell are just the fourth guard trio in NBA playoff history to each score 25 or more points.

It was part of a memorable day for Jerome, who was named a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year earlier in the evening.