NBA roundup: Heat barrage stuns Celtics, Thunder thrash Pelicans

The Miami Heat utilized a flurry of three-point shots to tie the series with a surprising 111-101 victory against the number one seeded Boston Celtics in their NBA Eastern Conference playoff matchup on Wednesday.

Miami, the eighth seed, managed to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1 against Boston, despite playing without the injured Jimmy Butler. The teams will now head back to Florida for game three on Saturday.

Tyler Herro led Miami's scoring with 24 points, contributing to a well-rounded offensive effort that saw all five Heat starters scoring in double digits.

Miami's victory was largely due to their accuracy from long-range, as they made 23 three-pointers out of 43 attempts, compared to Boston's 12 out of 32.

Herro made six three-pointers, while Caleb Martin added five to his total of 21 points. Bam Adebayo and Jaime Jaquez Jr. both finished with 21 and 14 points respectively, with Nikola Jovic adding 11.

On the other hand, Boston was led by Jaylen Brown's 33 points, with Jayson Tatum scoring 28 in a losing cause.

Miami's win was particularly surprising after their 20-point loss to Boston in game one. Herro mentioned that the defeat in the first game motivated the team for game two.

Encouraged by Butler to take on a leadership role in his absence, Herro stated, "JB texted me before this series to lead the team and make the right plays, not just focus on scoring. Our guys stepped up tonight - Caleb Martin, Nikola, Jaime."

This victory showcased Miami's resilience as they aim to replicate their playoff success from last season when they made it to the NBA Finals.

Herro emphasized the team's focus on the present season, stating, "We have a great group of guys who are willing to make a difference on the court, despite not being at full health."

Tatum, the star player for Boston, acknowledged that the Celtics were prepared for a negative response following their comfortable victory in game one. He emphasized the rich history between the two franchises, particularly in recent times.

Regardless of the teams' rankings or the players involved, Tatum highlighted the significance of the playoffs and expressed excitement for the upcoming game on Saturday.

On the other hand, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder from the Western Conference had no issues as they dominated the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans, securing a commanding 2-0 lead in their first-round series with a resounding 124-92 victory.

The Thunder took control early in the first quarter and maintained their dominance throughout the game, leading by double digits from the second quarter onwards. At one point in the fourth quarter, their lead even reached 34 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring for Oklahoma City with an impressive 33 points, shooting 13-of-19 from the field. Chet Holmgren contributed 26 points, while Jalen Williams added 21 points. Luguentz Dort also made a significant impact with 15 points, including four three-pointers.

This result was in stark contrast to the closely contested game one, which Oklahoma City narrowly won 94-92 on Sunday. Gilgeous-Alexander emphasized the importance of taking each day as it comes in a seven-game series and striving for improvement.

He expressed satisfaction with their improved performance in game two and stated that their goal is to continue progressing.

The series will now move to New Orleans for game three on Saturday.