CLEVELAND _ The fun part has been building the massive leads. The harrowing part for the Miami Heat has been what has followed.
Thursday night in Cleveland was no different, this time with a 27-point third-quarter edge down to 10 by the midpoint of the fourth quarter, with the Cavaliers with the ball and a chance to cut the deficit to seven.
Ultimately, as has mostly been the case in what has evolved in an 8-3 start to the season, the Heat found a way to close out it, exiting Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with a 108-97 victory.
Two nights earlier, a 29-point lead was reduced to seven in the fourth quarter before the Heat closed out the Detroit Pistons at AmericanAirlines Arena.
For the Heat, learning how to play from ahead has proven to be a challenge unto itself.
So far this season, there have been leads of 20 or more against the Houston Rockets (41), Pistons (29), Cavaliers (27), Memphis Grizzlies (23) and Atlanta Hawks (20), as well as a 19-point lead against the Phoenix Suns and an 18-point lead in the second matchup against the Hawks.
The Heat managed to win each of those games, as they did Thursday, but like many of those others, this one required a closing kick.
Kendrick Nunn led the Heat with 23 points, with Tyler Herro adding 16 and Bam Adebayo rounding out the box score with 16 points, 15 rebounds and five assists.
Kevin Love led the Cavs with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
