Do not overreact to Boston’s 111-101 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Let us not underreact, either.

It was a bad loss. The East’s No. 1 seed, which won a league-best 64 games and is facing the No. 8 seed, which was barely above.500 during the regular season and is missing its best player (Jimmy Butler) and another great scorer (Terry Rozier), should not lose Game 2 at home.

But the Celtics did. This happens. Regardless of who is on the court for the Heat, last I looked, they are still paid professionals and among the finest basketball players in the world, driven by a strong competitive spirit.

Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat is perhaps the NBA’s top coach. Center Bam Adebayo is a finalist for defensive player of the year. The roster is loaded with postseason veterans, including last season’s journey to the NBA Finals. They’re not the Washington Generals.

To win the Celtics by ten points, the Heat had to make a playoff franchise-record 23 3-pointers and shoot a scorching 53.5% on threes. It’s difficult to win a game when your opponent makes so many threes at such a high percentage.

So, after dominating Game 1, the Celtics struggled in Game 2. What is more important than the Game 2 setback is what happens in Game 3 on Saturday in Miami (6 p.m. ET, TNT).

According to the most important metrics – wins and losses, offensive and defensive efficiency – the Celtics are a better team this season than last, and the signings of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have contributed to that. Jayson Tatum is on track for another All-NBA selection, and Jaylen Brown is an All-Star.

The Heat have a 12-10 postseason record versus the Celtics since 2019. While making 23 three-pointers per game is hardly a sustainable formula for success, the Heat have made 14 or more threes nine times in playoff games versus Boston.

However, the focus here is on how the Celtics respond and improve their offensive and defensive performance. They need greater ball movement and execution while limiting Adebayo’s defensive influence. And they can’t let Tyler Herro (and the pick-and-roll with Adebayo) dominate, as he did, accounting for 62 of Miami’s points. He scored 24 points and contributed 14 assists, totaling 38 points.

In the Western Conference, the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder performed admirably, defeating the eighth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans 124-92 in Game 2 following a nail-biting Game 1.

The Celtics must win Game 3. Boston’s playoff test arrived earlier than planned against the shorthanded Heat, and the Celtics may benefit from this situation.

That means they can’t afford to fall behind 2-1 in the series and let even the slightest hint of doubt creep in against Miami, which defeated the Celtics in the conference finals last season, winning Game 7 in Boston.

The Celtics do not want such tension in the first round.