The Miami Heat used a flurry of three-point shots to tie the series with a surprising 111-101 victory over the top-seeded Celtics in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff matchup on Wednesday.
The eighth-seeded Miami Heat team, playing without the injured Jimmy Butler, put on a strong performance to even the series at 1-1 as they head back to Florida for game three. Tyler Herro led Miami in scoring with 24 points, as all five Miami Heat starters contributed double-digit points. Miami’s success in the game was largely attributed to their accuracy from beyond the arc, making 23 three-pointers out of 43 attempts compared to the Celtics 12 out of 32. Herro made six three-pointers, while Caleb Martin added five in his total of 21 points.
Bam Adebayo also scored 21 points, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. adding 14 and Nikola Jovic contributing 11. Celtics, on the other hand, was led by Jaylen Brown’s 33 points, with Jayson Tatum finishing with 28 points in a losing effort. Miami’s victory was particularly surprising after their 20-point loss to the Celtics in game one, which motivated them for game two. This win showcased Miami’s resilience, as they aim to replicate their successful playoff run from last season when they made it to the NBA Finals after entering the postseason through the play-in tournament.
While the top seed in the Eastern Conference faced defeat, the Western Conference leaders, Oklahoma City, had no such issues. They dominated the first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans, taking a commanding 2-0 lead with a resounding 124-92 victory. The Thunder seized an early lead in the first quarter and maintained control throughout the game, holding a significant double-digit lead from the second quarter onwards, which peaked at 34 points in the fourth quarter.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the top scorer for Oklahoma City, scoring 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting. Chet Holmgren contributed 26 points, while Jalen Williams added 21, and Luguentz Dort scored 15 points, including four three-pointers. This outcome was a stark contrast to the close game one, where Oklahoma City narrowly won 94-92. The series will now move to game three in New Orleans on Saturday.
