CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs came out in Game 1 against the Heat like a team with something to prove. There’s been no sign of playoff rust, no feeling-out process—just a physical, locked-in performance that reflects both their preparation and their purpose.

At halftime, Cleveland holds an eight-point lead over the Miami Heat at Rocket Arena, 62-54.

Here are my observations from tonight’s game thus far:

• Donovan Mitchell is once again proving that he’s made to perform in the playoffs. Although the shooting guard has yet to drop a triple, he’s gotten anything he’s wanted as he’s attacked the rim. There isn’t a defender on the Heat that Mitchell doesn’t feel like his handles can shake, at least that’s how it has looked. He had 15 points in the first half.
• Evan Mobley showed a different level of aggression that wasn’t there last postseason in the first quarter. But he attempted just one field goal in the second. He needs to get back the level of intensity from the opening period in the second half. Not allowing the body of his opponent to stand in his way and using his length to get where he wants on the floor. He also has a walk-in triple, which is a major factor for his confidence and spacing the Cavs’ offense.
• On a possession where Bam Adebayo had backed up in anticipation of a screen, Mobley simply hit the shot given to him, and it sent the arena into chaos. That moment was symbolic: a young big refusing to be dictated to, accepting the invitation to stretch the floor and seizing it.
• But Mobley went quiet in the second frame, attempting just one shot and recording zero rebounds in 17 minutes. That’s a concern.
• Atkinson challenged his bigs to have a bigger impact on the glass and while Jarrett Alle, who had nine rebounds over the first two quarters, has answered that call, Mobley has not. The Cavs will need him to step up on the boards.
• Darius Garland is still heating up. He’s 4 of 10 from the field and 2 of 5 from deep, but he’s attacking and probing through the defense to find holes and create openings for his teammates. He’s got 12 points and four assists in 16 minutes.
• Max Strus has played his role with intensity, picking up Tyler Herro full court and making his life as difficult as possible in his matchup minutes. Strus has also knocked down three triples to get the offensive spacing that they’ve needed. Defenders can’t leave him, making it easier on the players around him.
• Ty Jerome is playing in the first playoff game of his NBA career and he’s fitting in quite nicely. He’s hit two triples and grabbed four rebounds while also upping his defensive intensity, which was a major question mark coming into the series about how teams would attack him.
• Sam Merrill also had productive minutes in his nine minutes on the floor alongside Jerome. He knocked down a triple and was an irritant for Duncan Robinson in his short stint, not allowing him to get any room to take a shot.

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De’Andre Hunter has also been a minimum factor thus far. In 10 minutes, he’s taken just one shot and gotten an assist. That’s it.

Kenny Atkinson kept his word of going 10 deep into the rotation as Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade checked in for stints in the second quarter as defensive specialists.

But the biggest takeaway from the first half has to be the defensive intensity of Cleveland. The team has been physical, feisty and determined to add any possession they can. They forced eight turnovers in the first two quarters. Although the turnovers didn’t generate many points for the Cavs, they have had the mindset of not letting their offense determine the outcome but getting into their opponent.

Miami was able to go on a small run to end the half to cut the Cavs’ lead back within single digits. Tyler Herro began to find his outside stroke. He’s knocked down 3 of 6 shots from deep for 17 points.

At shootaround this morning, an assistant coach wore a shirt with Kel’el Ware’s face on it, a nod to the way he’s been imitating Ware in game prep scenarios. Ware has gone scoreless in 13 minutes, while Andrew Wiggins, who played under Atkinson and has historically given the Cavs trouble, has scored 10 points in 18 minutes.

The Cavs will look to continue making things difficult on their opponent defensively while pressing the issue on offense. Atkinson may lean on Jerome more depending on how much of an offensive surge Cleveland may need.