The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat 138–83 on Monday night, sweeping Miami out of the playoffs in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Cavaliers took a 39-point lead into halftime, which was the third-largest halftime lead in NBA playoff history, before extending the lead to nearly 60 points in the second half. By the time it was all said and done, it was a 55-point victory for the Cavaliers, who looked every bit the part of the East's top-seed.
Cleveland's 55-point win surpassed the Oklahoma City Thunder's 51-point Game 1 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on April 20 for the fifth-largest margin of victory in NBA playoff history. The Denver Nuggets' 58-point win over the New Orleans Hornets in April of 2009 and the Minnesota Lakers' 58-point victory over the St. Louis Hawks in 1956 remain tied for the biggest blowout wins in postseason history.
The Cavaliers await the winner of the Indiana Pacers-Milwaukee Bucks series. The Pacers lead the Bucks 3–1.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Here's Where 55-Point Cavaliers Blowout Win Over Heat Ranks in NBA Playoff History.
