CNN —
The NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the first playoff spot of the season after holding off the shorthanded Miami Heat 112-107 at home Wednesday night.
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell had a team-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists, as the Cavs picked up their 12th consecutive victory to improve to 52-10.
After the game, Mitchell said the Cavaliers have bigger goals than just making the postseason.
“It’s an honor. It’s a sign of our hard work as a group. But the end of the day, don’t really mean much,” Mitchell said. “It’s great to be in the playoffs. When we started this and I came here and re-signed, the playoffs weren’t the goal.
“This is just another step on our journey. … But we got a lot more to accomplish.”
Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley had 16 points and 13 rebounds and guard Darius Garland added 15 points and 10 assists.
Wednesday night’s victory marks the third time this season that Cleveland has won 12 straight games, making the Cavaliers only the second team in NBA history to achieve that feat – joining the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.
The Heat led 107-106 with less than three minutes left in regulation, but the Cavs scored the last six points of the contest.
Down 110-107, Heat forward Duncan Robinson appeared to hit a game-tying three-pointer with 17.4 seconds left but he stepped out of bounds.
Heat center Bam Adebayo finished with 34 points, a season-high, to go with 12 rebounds and 5 assists in the losing effort.
Miami was without several key players – All-Star Tyler Herro (head cold), Andrew Wiggins (ankle sprain), Jaime Jacquez Jr. (ankle sprain), Nikola Jovic (broken hand) and Kal’el Ware (knee sprain). The Heat dropped to 29-32.
The Cavs next play the Charlotte Hornets on the road while the Heat host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
