Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers predicted starting lineups and depth charts for Game 2 (April 23) | 2025 NBA Playoffs

Game 2 of the first-round NBA playoff series between the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers is set for Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Cavaliers dominated Game 1, cruising to a 121-100 victory behind a combined 57-point effort from star guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, giving them a 1-0 series lead.

For Cleveland to continue its playoff run and keep its championship hopes alive, it’ll need consistent offensive firepower from Mitchell and Garland throughout the postseason. While strong performances from the star duo were expected, it was Ty Jerome’s breakout display off the bench that proved to be the difference-maker in Game 1.

Jerome was red-hot from beyond the arc, hitting 5-of-8 3-pointers and finishing with 28 points, helping the Cavaliers pull away late. With Game 2 also on home court, the Cavaliers will look for Jerome or other role players, who typically thrive at home, to step up once again and provide that crucial secondary scoring punch.

On the other side, Miami didn’t perform poorly in Game 1, staying competitive for much of the contest before Cleveland’s late surge. The Heat’s key focus in Game 2 will be preventing role players like Jerome from having offensive explosions, especially after successfully limiting three of Cleveland’s five starters to under 12 points.

Additionally, Miami will aim to improve its perimeter shooting. The Heat knocked down 13 3-pointers in Game 1, compared to 18 by the Cavaliers. Increasing their efficiency from deep will be vital to stretching Cleveland’s defense, creating more scoring opportunities and forcing defensive errors that could help them even the series.

Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Injury Reports for April 23

Miami Heat injury report

The Heat have two players on the injury report ahead of Game 2. Terry Rozier (left ankle sprain) and Kevin Love (personal) have been ruled out.

Cleveland Cavaliers injury report

The Cavaliers will enter Game 2 with a fully healthy roster, as no players are listed on the injury report.

Miami Heat vs Cleveland Cavaliers Starting Lineups and Depth Charts for April 23

Miami Heat starting lineup and depth chart

The Heat's projected starting lineup for Game 2 is expected to feature Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Kel'el Ware and Alec Burks.

Point Guard	Shooting Guard	Small Forward	Power Forward	Center
Tyler Herro	Alec Burks	Andrew Wiggins	Bam Adebayo	Kel’el Ware
Davion Mitchell	Duncan Robinson	Haywood Highsmith	Kyle Anderson	Nikola Jovic
Terry Rozier	Jaime Jaquez Jr.	Pelle Larsson

Cleveland Cavaliers starting lineup and depth chart

The Cavaliers' projected starting lineup for Game 2 is expected to feature Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Max Strus.

Point Guard	Shooting Guard	Small Forward	Power Forward	Center
Darius Garland	Donovan Mitchell	Max Strus	Evan Mobley	Jarrett Allen
Ty Jerome	Sam Merrill	De’Andre Hunter	Dean Wade	Tristan Thompson
Craig Porter Jr.	Isaac Okoro	Javonte Green	Chuma Okeke