The final Game 1 of the four Eastern Conference playoff series is slated for Sunday night in Cleveland as the No. 1 Cavaliers host the No. 10 Heat, who earned their way into the playoffs with a successful run through the Play-in Tournament. Game 1 is set to tip off at 7:10 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, which will surely be ready to prove Cleveland rocks for the playoffs this year. Let’s take a look at my Heat vs. Cavaliers best bets for Game 1 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
In the bigger picture, the Cavs are heavy 12.5-point home favorites with the total set at O/U 214.5 points. Kevin Love (personal) is the only player out for either team, with full rotations available on both sides aside from that heading into the postseason.
Heat vs. Cavaliers best bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Evan Mobley over 31.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-105)
Mobley and Jarrett Allen will look to set the tone for this series early by dominating down low against the tandem of Kel’El Ware and Bam Adebayo. Mobley had a huge season for the Cavs, averaging 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for an average of exactly 31 PRA (Points + Rebounds + Assists) this season.
He went over this line in two of his last four games in the regular season and had 32 and 39 PRA in his two full games against Miami this season. He left in the first half of their other matchup with a sprained ankle.
Last year, he played 12 games in the playoffs and averaged 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, but his usage has dramatically increased this season and his effectiveness this season against the Heat is enough for me to take a well-rested Mobley to go over this PRA line as one of my top Heat vs. Cavaliers best bets.
Darius Garland over 6.5 Assists (+114)
Garland has been another huge part of the Cavs this season, progressing to another level in his sixth season in the NBA. The 25-year-old averaged 6.7 assists in his 75 games this season, and went over this assist line in 41 of 75 (55%) games this season.
Garland produced at least seven assists in six of his last nine contests during the regular season with an average of 7.6 assists per contest. He had 10 assists in his last game against the Heat as well, and fell just short with five assists in the game that Mobley left earlier in the season. He was inactive for the other matchup between the teams.
A well-rested Cavs offense will likely run through Garland, and even though Donovan Mitchell and Mobley may handle most of the scoring, Garland should be able to hand out at least seven assists. Getting this at plus-money makes it a great value, and you can even jump on the assist ladder and throw a little bit on Garland to get to 10+ assists (+650) if you’re looking to be even more aggressive on Garland dimes this Sunday.
Davion Mitchell over 1.5 3-Pointers (+150)
This series will have the Donovan Mitchell vs. Davion Mitchell that requires double-takes and double-checking every alert and prop bet. While Donovan is ready to lead the Cavs’ offense and has a great history of success, especially in Game 1 in the playoffs, this prop is for Davion, the Heat guard. And for the record, there’s no family relation, even though both players wear No. 45 and look like they could be related.
The younger Mitchell, Davion took his talents to South Beach at the trade deadline and quickly became a key contributor on both ends of the floor for the Heat. He has earned his rep for his defense, but his offense has improved during his time with the Heat.
Not counting the regular season finale when he played limited minutes, Mitchell scored double-digit points in 12 of his last 13 regular-season games, averaging 12.8 points per contest. He made an average of 1.5 three-pointers per game over that stretch, with multiple threes in three of his last six contests.
In each of the two Play-in Tournament games, Mitchell made multiple three-pointers. He played 33 minutes in Chicago against the Bulls, going 2-for-2 from long distance. Against the Hawks, he was even better, going 4-of-9 from long range and finishing with 16 points in 40 minutes.
Getting Mitchell to hit multiple three-pointers is definitely in my Heat vs. Cavaliers best bets on Sunday night since it comes at such a good value at +150.
