PREVIEW: The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup, pitting the East's top-seeded team against a resilient eighth seed. Under new coach Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland dominated the regular season with 64 victories, powered by the NBA's most efficient offense (121.0 points per 100 possessions) and elite spacing that ranks third in ShotQuality metrics. The Cavaliers' formula for success includes limiting opponents' quality shots at the rim (ranking 5th in this defensive category) while excelling in pick-and-roll frequency (1st) and three-point shooting efficiency (38.3%). Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland lead a Cleveland attack that won two of three regular season meetings against Miami. Miami enters the series as a dangerous underdog after fighting through the Play-In Tournament to secure their sixth consecutive playoff appearance. The Heat, known for their defensive prowess, rank 3rd in ShotQuality's metric for limiting quality rim attempts and 7th in forcing low-quality three-point shots from opponents. Tyler Herro, who averaged 34 points in the Play-In Tournament, and Bam Adebayo will need to overcome Miami's offensive limitations, including their 25th ranking in rim attack frequency and 27th ranking in offensive rebounding. The Heat's slow tempo (28th) and disciplined defense have helped them upset higher seeds in previous playoff runs, giving Coach Erik Spoelstra confidence his team can compete despite the significant talent gap.