DENVER (AP) – The Miami Heat considering being down 2-0 in the NBA Finals, on the road, and in a hostile arena where neither team has won in more than two months, the team decided to Did what they did in the postseason.
They found their way. Again, against all odds.
The Heat overcame Nikola Jokic’s massive 41-point effort to tie the game in the NBA Finals. Gabe Vincent had 23 points, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo each added 21 as the Heat beat the Denver Nuggets 111-108 in Game 2 on Sunday.
“Our guys are competitive,” acknowledged Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “They love those moments.”
that goes without saying.
They were down 15 points and eight in the fourth period and that meant they were on the losing side. Denver was 11–0 in the postseason when leading by double figures at any point in the game and 37–1 on the season when leading by eight in the fourth quarter.
The Heat didn’t care. They outscored Denver 17–5 in the first 3:17 of the fourth quarter and took the lead for good, eventually going ahead by 12 and letting a 3-pointer by Jamal Murray ruin the rest of the game because The clock had run out.
“They are finalists,” Adebayo warned. “We found one.”
Game 3 takes place on Wednesday in Miami.
Max Strauss had 14 and Duncan Robinson had 10 – all in the fourth quarter – for the Heat who initially had a large lead and then trailed by 15. Miami had no answer for Jokic, who shot 16 of 28 from the field. The last was a close range shot with 36 seconds left to bring the Nuggets within three points.
Denver decided not to foul on Miami’s next possession, and Butler missed his 3-point attempt. With a chance to tie the game, Jamal Murray missed his 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Butler said, “I just fought it.” “Glad it failed.”
Denver lost at home for the first time since March 30 and for the first time in 10 playoff games at home this year. And as happened after the Game 1 victory, Nuggets coach Michael Malone sounded the alarm after the Game 2 loss.
“Let’s talk effort,” Malone said. “I mean, it’s the NBA Finals and we’re talking effort. It’s a big concern for me.”
Murray finished with 18 points and 10 assists for Denver, while Aaron Gordon had 12 points and Bruce Brown had 11.
