In the NBA playoffs, the Miami Heat shock the Boston Celtics, while the Oklahoma City Thunder dominate the New Orleans Pelicans

The Miami Heat set a franchise playoff record by sinking 23 three-pointers against the Eastern Conference's top seed, shocking the Boston Celtics with a 111-101 victory in their NBA playoff clash.

Despite playing without the injured Jimmy Butler, the eighth-seeded Miami Heat displayed resilience on Wednesday, evening the best-of-seven series at 1-1 as they prepare to return to Florida for game three on Saturday. Tyler Herro led Miami's scoring with 24 points, contributing to a balanced offensive performance where all five Heat starters reached double-digit points.

Miami's precision from beyond the arc proved pivotal, as they converted 23 three-pointers from 43 attempts, compared to Boston's 12 of 32.

Herro knocked down six three-pointers, while Caleb Martin added five to his total of 21 points. Bam Adebayo also contributed 21 points, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. adding 14 and Nikola Jovic contributing 11. Meanwhile, Boston was led by Jaylen Brown's 33 points, with Jayson Tatum finishing with 28 points in a losing effort.

The unexpected victory followed Miami's 20-point loss to Boston in game one, providing extra motivation for the Heat in game two.

"We lost badly in game one and everybody responded tonight, and that’s all you can ask for from a group of guys," Herro remarked after the game.

This win showcased Miami's resilience, as they aim to replicate last season's playoff run when they reached the NBA Finals after entering the postseason via the play-in tournament.

"We don’t even want to mention last year, this year is a whole new year," Herro emphasized.

Boston's Tatum acknowledged the Celtics anticipated a strong response from Miami following their comfortable victory in game one.

"We knew it wasn’t going to be easy," Tatum commented. "There’s a lot of history between these two franchises, especially recently. Regardless of seeding or who’s in or who’s out – it’s the playoffs ... we’ve got a chance to play another one on Saturday – should be a fun one."