The “playoff Heat” are back: without Butler and Rozier, they put the series back on par. Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren dominate against the Pelicans
April 25 – 7.41am – NEW YORK
With a cinematic offensive performance the Heat, still without Butler and Rozier, trip up the highly favored Celtics and win game 2 of the first round of the playoffs, while Oklahoma City, on the other hand, dominates New Orleans.
Boston-Miami 101-111 (series 1-1)
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Incredible Heat. Despite the absence of its leader Butler and Rozier, Miami produces a cinematic performance and goes on to win on the parquet of the team that dominated the regular season in the East. The specter of the “heat playoffs”, the team capable of transforming itself in the postseason , thus returns to scare the Boston fans, in disbelief at the shower of triples in game 1 from coach Spoelstra’s restructured team. Miami makes 23 heavy baskets, thus setting a new postseason record for the franchise, and in conditions of total helplessness, considering the absences, wrests the home court advantage from the Celtics. The Florida team’s attack is supported by a super Herro who scores 24 points and 14 assists, 21 points also for a Martin who always seems to get excited when he faces the Celtics in the postseason. Boston, after a bad start to the match, closed the first half with an 11-2 run, boosted by Brown’s play, and went into the locker room ahead 61-58 but struggled in attack in the second half and was unable to contain the Heat’s attack . The visitors’ triples push Miami to a double-digit lead, Boston is no longer able to hurt the Heat also due to Porzingis’ bad night who finishes with 1/9 from the field. However, in the final half the home team reduced an 11-point deficit to -6 with 3’16” left before the siren but the triple from the usual Martin pushed the Celtics back, bringing the very courageous Heat back to a safe distance. The series then returns to Florida at 1-1 with game 3 scheduled for Saturday.
Boston: Brown 33 (9/14, 4/9, 3/6 TL), Tatum 28, White 13. Rebounds: Horford, Porzingis, Tatum, Brown 8. Assists: Porzingis, White 4.
You love me: Herro 24 (1/2, 6/11, 4/4 tl), Martin, Adebayo 21. Rebounds: Adebayo 10. Assists: Herro 14.
Oklahoma City-New Orleans 124-92 (2-0)
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Performance of great personality by the Thunder who exploited New Orleans’ self-harm, shot with excellent percentages (59% from the field and 48% from three) and dominated game 2, thus taking a 2-0 lead in the series. The Pelicans immediately try to exploit the physicality under the basket of Valanciunas who scores the first 11 points of the game in New Orleans but as the minutes go by an excellent Holmgren begins to take the Lithuanian’s measure. In attack then the candidate for the MVP award Gilgeous-Alexander (33 points) gains confidence and the wonder rookie finds baskets in series. The guests’ response did not come with a confused McCollum who ran into costly turnovers. After closing the first half ahead by 13 points, the home team swept away Nola’s resistance in the third period reaching +22, and then went on to win easily. Okc doesn’t suffer too much under the basket and even manages to win the game on the rebound (37-35) despite the centimeters of Valanciunas and his teammates. Game 3 will take place in New Orleans on Saturday.
Oklahoma City: Gilgeous-Alexander 33 (10/14, 3/5, 4/4 tl), Holmgren 26, Jal. Williams 21. Rebounds: Holmgren 7. Assists: Jal. Williams 7.
New Orleans: Valanciunas 19 (8/14, 3/3 TL), Ingram, Jones 18. Rebounds: Valanciunas 7. Assists: McCollum 4.
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