CLEVELAND, Ohio — The playoffs are finally here. The time of year for the Cavs to prove that they are no longer just regular-season darlings but that they hunger to bring their city just its second championship in franchise history. But before thinking about June, they’ll need to survive a first-round test that’s more dangerous than it looks on paper. Game 1 of the opening round of the playoffs is on Sunday as the Cavs host the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena with tipoff set for 7 p.m. Eastern on TNT. The Heat might be the No. 8 seed. They might be without Jimmy Butler. But they are still the Heat. A team that doesn’t blink. A team that’s walked through fire and come out smoking. The Heat — tested, playoff-hardened, and dangerous — arrive as the first No. 10 seed to claw their way out of the play-in tournament. And they’re not new to this stage. In the 2023 postseason, Miami stunned the top-seeded Bucks, muscled through the East, and made the NBA Finals. Now, led by Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro — and guided by arguably the best coach in the league in Erik Spoelstra — the Heat are back in the dance, ready to make someone bleed. The Cavaliers are hoping their regular season dominance is enough to prevent it from being them. Cleveland won two of three meetings in the regular season, but that lone loss came with Butler still in uniform. And while the Cavs may boast the better seed, the better record, and the better metrics, playoff basketball isn’t always ruled by numbers. It’s ruled by poise. Adjustments. Physicality. And Spoelstra’s Heat thrive in the margins where things get uncomfortable. Still, the Cavaliers don’t enter this series looking to survive — they’re aiming for a quick series, before the Heat can even smell blood. They’ve been the East’s most consistent force all season, steamrolling opponents with an offense that’s been both unselfish and unrelenting. Kenny Atkinson’s arrival brought clarity to a roster bursting with talent but needing structure. Mission accomplished. Cleveland finished top three in nearly every meaningful offensive category: points per game, offensive rating, field goal percentage, three-point shooting, and true shooting percentage. They led the league in offensive efficiency (121.0) and scoring (121.9) while racking up three separate double-digit win streaks — a feat only one other team in NBA history can claim. And unlike last year’s group, this version doesn’t slow down when the ball leaves Mitchell’s hands. This team moves. It cuts. It shares. Garland commands the pace like a maestro, manipulating space with his handle and pick-and-roll timing. Mitchell picks his spots as a scorer and defender. Max Strus stretches defenses with volume and movement. Mobley has blossomed into more of a wing than a center, while Jarrett Allen continues to anchor the paint. And if Ty Jerome has anything to say about it, the floor opens like a runway. But in the playoffs, no runway is ever clear. Spoelstra will throw wrenches — zone looks, disguised doubles, late switches. He’ll challenge Cleveland to keep their tempo when Miami inevitably slows the game down and grinds possessions into the halfcourt. Adebayo will take be forceful at the rim. Herro will test Cleveland’s point-of-attack defense. Davion Mitchell and Haywood Highsmith will play with reckless confidence. And if the Cavs aren’t precise, the Heat will feast on every mistake. This series will come down to discipline and depth. Can Cleveland withstand Miami’s switching and avoid stagnation? Can Mobley and Allen control the glass and win second-chance battles? Can Garland and Mitchell stay patient when Spoelstra turns up the heat? The Cavs have the talent. The Heat have the scars. But this Cleveland group, shaped by last year’s pain and this year’s purpose, looks ready for the fight. They’ll need all of it. Miami won’t go quietly. The runway to a championship is long — but it begins with proving you can fly through turbulence. How to watch the Cavs: See how to watch the Cavs games with this handy game-by-game TV schedule. Here’s what to know about the matchup: Who: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat Series: Game 1. Where: Rocket Arena When: 7:00 p.m. ET. The point spread: Cavs minus-12.5; O/U 214.5 TV: TNT/truTV/Max and FanDuel Sports Network - Ohio