NBA Highlights - NBA Playoffs 2023 - Heat VS Nuggets
Box Score
Team | Field Goals | 3-Point FGs | Free Throws | Personal Fouls | Total Rebounds | Offensive Rebounds | Turn overs | Points Off Turnovers | Fast Break Points | Points in the Paints |
DEN | 40/79 50.6% | 8/27 29.6% | 2/2 100.0% | 8 | 45 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 46 |
MIA | 39/96 40.6% | 13/39 33.3% | 16/20 80.0% | 15 | 43 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 38 |
#27 Jamal Murray 26 Pts, 10 Ast, 6Reb
#15 Nikolai Jokic 27 Pts, 14 Ast, 10 Reb
Game Highlights
Game Report
The Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, successfully fend off a late rally from the Miami Heat to emerge victorious in Game 1.
The Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, entered their first NBA Finals with some uncertainties, but they swiftly addressed them with a dominant performance.
Contrary to concerns, the extended break of a week and a half did not adversely affect them. Additionally, they demonstrated that the grandeur of the NBA's grandest stage did not overwhelm them.
In his inaugural appearance in the NBA Finals, Nikola Jokic achieved a triple-double, while Jamal Murray contributed 26 points as the Denver Nuggets comfortably defeated the Miami Heat, who struggled with their shooting, in Game 1 with a final score of 104-93 on Thursday night became the NBA Highlights.
Nikola Jokic, the two-time NBA MVP, showcased his exceptional skills by recording 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets. Their appearance in the NBA Finals after a 47-year wait proved to be worth it as they delivered an impressive performance.
Following his ninth triple-double of this year's playoffs and sixth in the last seven games, Jokic emphasized the importance of securing a victory, stating, "The most important thing is to win a game. I'm trying to win a game in any possible way."
Contributing to the Nuggets' triumph, Aaron Gordon tallied 16 points, and Michael Porter Jr. added 14 points. Denver held the lead for nearly the entire game, trailing for only 34 seconds and establishing a commanding lead of up to 24 points.
Bam Adebayo concluded the game with an impressive performance, scoring 26 points and securing 13 rebounds for the Miami Heat. However, Miami struggled with their shooting, hitting only 41% of their shots, including a 33% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. Gabe Vincent contributed 19 points, Haywood Highsmith had 18, and Jimmy Butler added 13 for the Heat.
Game 2 is scheduled to take place in Denver on Sunday night.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Miami initiated a remarkable 11-0 run, narrowing the gap from a 21-point deficit (84-63) to 84-74. With 2:34 remaining, Highsmith's three-pointer brought the Heat within nine points, but they failed to close the gap any further, leaving no doubt about the outcome.
Prior to the crucial game, Nuggets coach Michael Malone conducted a pop quiz during the team's shootaround on Thursday morning, extensively discussing the game plan and emphasizing the significance of the game as the most important in the franchise's history to date.
They had the solutions from the start, even at game time. Despite having limited NBA Finals experience, with only two players having prior experience in the championship round, the team appeared comfortable and poised in front of their home crowd during Game 1.
Nikola Jokic accomplished a remarkable feat, joining LeBron James (in 2017) as the second player in the last 25 years to amass 10 assists by halftime in an NBA Finals game. By halftime, Jokic had already recorded 10 points and 10 assists, propelling the Denver Nuggets to a commanding 59-42 lead after the first two quarters.
This situation was unfavorable for the Miami Heat. Additionally, the Nuggets were completely in control of the game, and Jokic had attempted just three shots throughout. Despite this, Jokic emphasized, "I don't need to shoot, and I'm aware that scoring is not the only way for me to impact the game."
The situation was even more challenging for Miami as their shooting struggles became apparent. In fact, they couldn't find their shooting rhythm until it was too late to make a significant impact on the game. Max Strus had a difficult time, going 0 for 10 through three quarters, including 0 for 9 from beyond the arc. Caleb Martin, who had a strong performance in the Eastern Conference finals but narrowly missed out on the MVP award, went 1 for 7.
NOTES :
Heat: Miami's record in Game 1s of the NBA Finals dropped to 1-6 all-time. The Heat have consistently lost the series opener in their championship years, such as 2006, 2012, and 2013, with their sole victory in a Game 1 occurring in 2011, a series they ultimately lost to Dallas. ... Bam Adebayo attempted a career-high 25 shots in the game. He became the third Miami player to score at least 24 points in a Game 1 of the NBA Finals, joining the ranks of LeBron James, who accomplished it three times, and Dwyane Wade in 2006.
For the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic's performance in Game 1 made him the eighth player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double in the first game of the finals. Notably, Jokic's triple-double of 27 points was unique among the others on this list. The closest was Dave Cowens, who recorded a 25-point triple-double to commence the 1976 finals. Additionally, Bruce Brown, who previously played college basketball at Miami, contributed 10 points to the Nuggets' effort. On the free-throw front, Denver had 20 attempts compared to Miami's mere two.
Win Your Bet With NBA Consensus Pick and NBA Expert Picks on FC178
FC178 provides you the most convenient way to get NBA Consensus and place bet, Follow our NBA Picks
