Miami Heat stun Boston Celtics, Thunder thrash Pelicans in NBA playoffs | Basketball News

Warmth scored a franchise playoff report 23 3-pointers towards the Jap high seed, as Thunder sank Pelicans within the West.

The Miami Warmth unleashed a barrage of three-pointers to attain a series-levelling 111-101 upset over the top-seeded Boston Celtics of their NBA Jap Convention playoff duel.

Eighth-seeded Miami, taking part in with out the injured Jimmy Butler, produced a battling efficiency on Wednesday to tie the best-of-seven collection at 1-1 because the groups head again to Florida for sport three on Saturday.

Tyler Herro led the Miami scoring with 24 factors, a part of a balanced offensive effort that noticed all 5 Warmth starters submit double-digit factors.

However the important thing to the Miami victory was their accuracy from lengthy vary, with the Warmth draining 23 three-pointers from 43 makes an attempt in contrast with Boston’s 12 of 32.

Herro knocked down six threes whereas Caleb Martin added 5 to his tally of 21 factors.

Bam Adebayo additionally completed with 21 factors whereas Jaime Jaquez Jr added 14 and Nikola Jovic 11.

#HEATWin Ultimate (Recreation 2) – Miami 111, Boston 101

🔥 Herro: 24pts, 14ast, 5reb, 6 3PM
🔥 Adebayo: 21pts, 10reb
🔥 Martin: 21pts, 5 3PM
🔥 Jaquez Jr.: 14pts, 3 3PM
🔥 Jović: 11pts, 9reb, 6ast, 3stl, 3 3PM pic.twitter.com/xXcTmtX8UF

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 25, 2024

Boston, in the meantime, have been led by 33 factors from Jaylen Brown, with Jayson Tatum ending with 28 in a shedding effort.

The win was all of the extra sudden given Miami’s 20-point drubbing by Boston in sport one on Sunday – one thing Herro mentioned had motivated the Warmth for sport two.

“We misplaced badly in sport one and all people responded tonight, and that’s all you possibly can ask for from a gaggle of men,” Herro mentioned afterwards.

It was one other trademark show of defiance from Miami, who’re aiming to emulate their playoff run of final season after they reached the NBA Finals after coming into the postseason by way of the play-in match.

“We don’t even wish to point out final 12 months, this 12 months is an entire new 12 months,” Herro mentioned.

Boston star Tatum, in the meantime, mentioned the Celtics had anticipated a backlash after their comfy sport one victory.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be simple,” Tatum mentioned.

“There’s a variety of historical past between these two franchises, particularly lately.

“No matter seeding or who’s in or who’s out – it’s the playoffs … we’ve acquired an opportunity to play one other one on Saturday – must be a enjoyable one.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exhibits full command of the ground and leads the @okcthunder to a 2-0 collection lead!

Chet Holmgren: 26 PTS (9-13 FGM), 3 3PM, 7 REB
Jalen Williams: 21 PTS, 5 REB, 7 AST
Lu Dort: 15 PTS, 4 3PM

Recreation 3: Saturday, 3:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/K5Cah3xmsL

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2024

Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder 124-9 New Orleans Pelicans

Whereas the Jap Convention high seeds have been left licking their wounds, there have been no such issues for Boston’s Western Convention counterparts Oklahoma Metropolis.

The primary ranked Thunder took a commanding 2-0 lead of their first-round collection towards the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans with an emphatic 124-92 thrashing.

The Thunder took the lead early within the first quarter and have been in full management all through, holding a double-digit benefit from the second quarter onwards which reached 34 factors at one stage late within the fourth quarter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the scoring for Oklahoma Metropolis, ending with 33 factors from 13-of-19 taking pictures from the sector.

Chet Holmgren added 26 factors whereas Jalen Williams chipped in with 21. Luguentz Dort added 15 factors together with 4 three-pointers.

The consequence was in stark distinction to sport one, which went all the way down to the wire earlier than Oklahoma Metropolis prevailed 94-92 on Sunday.

“Inside a seven-game collection, we’ve simply acquired to take it day-to-day and attempt to get higher each day,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned afterwards.

“And I feel that’s what we did tonight. We undoubtedly had a greater efficiency than we did in sport one and that’s our purpose. So we’ll take it.”

The collection now heads to sport three in New Orleans on Saturday.