The Miami Heat used a remarkable number of 3-pointers on Wednesday night to overturn the home-court advantage the had built throughout the season.
Tyler Herro played a key role with 24 points and 14 assists, sinking six of Miami’s 23 3-pointers, setting a franchise playoff record. This helped the Heat secure a 111-101 victory over the top-seeded Boston Celtics, tying the first-round playoff series at one game each.
“It was a very good response,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And then we also made some shots. It always looks better when you make shots.”
Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin also contributed with 21 points each for the Heat, who shot an impressive 53.5% from beyond the arc, bouncing back after a heavy defeat in Game 1.
This broke Miami’s previous playoff record of 20 3-pointers made against the Bucks in the 2021 first round.
“They made a conscious effort to have free rein to shoot more,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. Playing without Jimmy Butler for the third consecutive game due to injury, Miami maintained a high shooting percentage from 3-point range in each quarter.
After Boston narrowed an 11-point lead to six, 102-96, with 3:16 left to play, Martin made a crucial 3-pointer, preventing Boston from closing the gap further.
“You have to take ‘em, based on how they were playing us the first two games,” Spoelstra said. “I did not want to get annihilated in that department like we did the game before.”
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 33 points, while Jayson Tatum added 28, showing no lingering effects from Martin’s hard foul in Game 1. The series now shifts to Miami for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.
