CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland Cavaliers will begin their quest for an NBA Championship with a first round matchup against the Miami Heat today – Sunday, April 20 – at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. This game is available on multiple streaming services for free.

Game 1 airs on TNT and FanDuel Sports Network Ohio at 7 p.m. Eastern, but fans who have cut the cord have multiple alternatives to watch the game for free, including Fubo and DirecTV Stream, which both offer a free trial. Sling TV also offers promotional pricing for new customers.

The winner of the series will face the winner of the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers against the fifth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Buy tickets to Cavs vs. Heat in the NBA Playoffs

The Cavs (64-18) blazed through the regular season while setting historical franchise milestones at nearly every corner. Cleveland opened up the campaign with a franchise-best 15 consecutive victories and reeled off three separate winning streaks of 12 games or more. Thoughts of contending for a championship have begun to swirl across Northeast Ohio.

The roster looks similar, but the team has evolved. Guided by first-year head coach Kenny Atkinson and bolstered by depth, speed and an ability to bury their opponent, the Cavs went wire-to-wire at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and held their own against powerhouses across the Association, settling for splits against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics and league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cleveland averaged an NBA-best 121.9 points per game during the regular season. When it comes to understanding just how special this unit is, it starts with the Core Four.

Centerpiece Donovan Mitchell is averaging 24 points, 5.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds while point guard Darius Garland has compiled 20.6 points, 6.7 assists and 2.9 rebounds.

Power forward and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Evan Mobley is averaging 18.5 points per game with 9.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists while Jarrett Allen is teetering on a double-double with 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds with 1.9 assists per game.

Mitchell, Garland and Mobley were all named All-Stars this season.

The Cavs’ ability to explore deep into their bench is a major reason why they have blossomed into an NBA title contender. That unit is spearheaded by Sixth Man of the Year candidate Ty Jerome, who is averaging 12.5 points, 3.4 assists and 2.5 rebounds while shooting 51.6% from the field.

Cleveland added De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline. He became a plug-and-play defensive weapon and yet another double-digit offensive threat to add to their overflowing arsenal. Hunter is averaging 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 47% from the field.

The Cavs’ defense, which has been traditionally rich with excellence, maintained an admirable showing this year as it hovered around the top 10 units in the league. That’s while undergoing an offensive transformation. Balancing the two can often be a challenging act.

Upon entering the playoffs last year, injuries were the story throughout the regular season and into the postseason melee. Cleveland avoided the injury bug for a majority of this campaign as they are mostly healthy headed into the proving grounds.

Cleveland was 34-7 at Rocket Arena in the regular season.

Watch Cavs vs. Heat Game 1 on DirecTV Stream for free

The Heat (37-45) became the first No. 10 seed to escape the NBA play-in tournament. Guided by veteran head coach Erik Spoelstra, Miami is looking to play spoiler and topple the team that has played like titans all season.

Miami’s whirlwind campaign finally received clarity when they parted ways with Jimmy Butler III. That clarity came with a steep tailspin as they lost 17 of their next 21 games before regaining their composure for an 8-4 finish and a statement in the play-in tournament.

Point guard Tyler Herro has emerged through the uncertainty of losing Butler. Herro has poured in 23.9 points, 5.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 47.2% from the field. If Miami is going to spring a colossal upset, he is going to have to rise to the occasion and play like he did in the play-in tournament, where he dazzled with 34 points per game in two games.

Center Bam Adebayo will home in on Cleveland’s 7-foot conundrum in Mobley and Allen. Adebayo is averaging 18.1 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field.

Miami’s ninth-ranked defense is similar to Cleveland’s in its potential to handcuff teams, especially during crunch time.

The Cavs took two of three against the Heat in the regular season. The caveat here is that Cleveland has struggled mightily when in Miami. The Cavs are 4-16 in their last 20 trips to South Beach.

Bottom line: The Cavs refused to conform to the narrative this year. They boat raced the Eastern Conference in a blur. With each possession magnified in the minefield of the postseason, Cleveland will look to truly solidify themselves as title contenders against one of the peskier teams in the fray.

Watch Cavs vs. Heat Game 1 for free on FuboTV

Here are more details about the game and how to watch it via various TV and streaming options:

What: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat, NBA Playoffs Eastern Quarterfinals Game 1When: Saturday, April 20, 2024Time: 7 p.m. EasternWhere: Rocket Arena | Cleveland, OhioChannel: TNT, FanDuel Sports Network OhioBest streaming options: Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and Sling TV (half off first month)Cable Channel Finder: AT&T U-Verse, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios

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