There is more than a month of regular-season basketball remaining this year, yet one team has already secured its place in the 2025 playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially made it into the top six, even though it certainly required a dramatic conclusion for them to achieve this.
Leading the Heat by three points with just 18.4 seconds left on the clock, Cleveland was merely one stop away from triumph. Instead, Duncan robinson attempted a game-tying three-pointer. Swish.
However, there was an issue. In an exceptionally unusual ruling under these circumstances, Robinson was called out of bounds as his foot grazed the line before he took his shot. Robinson’s basket was nullified and Cleveland converted two free throws on the ensuing possession to secure a 112-107 win.
Duncan Robinson’s three to tie the game does not count as he stepped out of bounds 😬 pic.twitter.com/Bd2gfVnMN2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 6, 2025
This decision will undoubtedly frustrate Heat supporters given their past experiences with similar calls. In Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics, a three-pointer by Max Strus was also disallowed in comparable fashion. Ironically, take another look at who was defending Robinson during that shot—yes, it was Strus, now playing for the Cavaliers.
The victory marks cleveland’s twelfth consecutive win. For most teams, this would represent an extraordinary stretch within a season; however for Cleveland? It’s just another day at work. This is their third distinct twelve-game winning streak this season and they join only the 2006-07Dallas Mavericks, as teams that have achieved twelve or more consecutive wins at least thrice in one season—this includes their remarkable start of fifteen straight wins to begin their campaign which ties for second-best in league history.
Sitting at 52-10 puts Cleveland on track to finish with sixty-nine victories this season—a feat accomplished by only three teams throughout league history: The 2015-16Golden State warriors,along with both the1995–96 and1996–97Chicago Bulls.
The Cavaliers have been making history all year long so it’s fitting that they would aim for just a bit more as they become pioneers by being frist to secure a playoff berth. With an eight-game advantage over Boston celtics in terms of losses within Eastern Conference and only twenty games left to play—they are nearly guaranteed to clinch No.1 seed in East ensuring home-court advantage during their quest to return backto NBA Finals for first time since2018 .
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