After five long years, Ty Jerome finally got his first taste of NBA playoff action — and he didn’t waste a second of it.
The 6-foot-5 guard lit up the court on Sunday night, scoring 28 points — including 16 in the fourth quarter — to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a commanding 121-100 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. In doing so, Jerome put his name alongside Cavaliers legends, posting the third-most points in a playoff debut in team history, trailing only LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
“Solid. Solid Game 1,” Jerome said with a grin after the game. That might be an understatement.
Coming off the bench, Jerome shot an impressive 10-for-15 from the field, including 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. He added five rebounds and three assists in just 28 minutes of play. It was a performance that had fans buzzing and left even his head coach, Kenny Atkinson, a bit surprised.
“I should’ve expected it because he’s kind of done it all year,” Atkinson admitted.
Sunday’s outburst was just the latest milestone in what has been a breakout season for Jerome. After playing just two games last year due to a right ankle injury, he bounced back in a big way this season. He appeared in a career-high 70 games, averaged a personal best 12.5 points per game, and was recently named a finalist for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
“Your back’s kind of against the wall,” Jerome reflected. “I didn’t really have a huge body of work in the NBA. You kind of have one last shot in a way to make it right.”
Jerome said his time away from the game last season gave him a chance to reflect and refocus. He worked on his mental approach, emphasizing confidence and aggression — two traits that were on full display against the Heat.
What made his performance even more special was the connection with teammate Donovan Mitchell. The two have known each other since they were eight years old, growing up playing basketball together in New York. After the game, Mitchell made it clear he wasn’t surprised at all by Jerome’s heroics.
“This is who he’s been,” Mitchell said. “It’s full circle to come back from being eight years old to now here we are. I know everybody’s gonna react like this is a shock, but he’s been doing this for us all year.”
Jerome’s fourth-quarter explosion, which saw him go 6-for-7 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from deep, sealed the game for Cleveland. But for Atkinson, it was a simple, smart play that stood out the most — a drive-and-dish to Jarrett Allen for a layup late in the fourth quarter.
“He got downhill and made that lefty pocket pass to (Allen),” Atkinson said. “They went zone and he kind of shot them out of the zone, hitting two 3-pointers. He did it all tonight, and then defensively, he was smart, in the right position. He turned the game for us.”
With Game 1 in the books and a dominant playoff debut behind him, Jerome now turns his focus to continuing the momentum. The Cavaliers are counting on it — and judging by Sunday night, he’s more than ready for the challenge.
