The Nuggets’ mission was clear: Come to Miami, get two wins and come home with a chance to finally be NBA champions.
mission accomplished. Now all they have to do is get the job done.
The 47-year wait for the title could end on Monday. Nikola Jokic and Denver are just one win away from capturing the title they’ve been dreaming of for so long.
Aaron Gordon scored 27 points, Jokic added 23, and the Nuggets beat the Heat 108-95 to take a 3-1 lead in Friday’s Finals.
Bruce Brown added 21 points off the bench for the Nuggets, who took both games in Miami to take control of the Finals with a 3–1 lead.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone insisted, “We haven’t made any major achievements.” “We have to win one more match to become world champions.”
Denver would now have three chances to win the game to clinch the crown. Two will take place in Denver, the first on Monday night, when an exciting atmosphere is expected for Game 5.
Jamal Murray had 15 points and 12 assists, his fourth straight double-digit assist game for Denver.
“Today was a collective effort,” Murray insisted. “I can’t name one person. They all contributed. We need one more game”
Jimmy Butler had 25 points for Miami, which has now fallen to 3-1 deficits in its last three Finals appearances, including in 2014 and 2020. Bam Adebayo had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat, while Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Finished with 13 units for the summer.
The Heat quietly walked off the court, well aware that they were between a rock and a hard place.
Butler said, “Now we are forced to win every match, but we are capable of doing that.” “it is not impossible”.
The Nuggets were the favorites to win the series for obvious reasons. They were the top seed in the Western Conference after the regular season, while Miami finished eighth in the East.
Denver had won nine of their last 10 games against the Heat in the regular season. His success at Miami continued in these finals.
“Our players are focused and committed,” Malone insisted.
Denver led by 13 points to start the fourth quarter. Miami played the last quarter with the desperation that the moment required.
He scored the first eight points, and Jokic committed his fifth foul, forcing him to go to the bench with 9:24 remaining. The score tightened to 86–81 when Butler converted a three-point play with 8:42 remaining.
But the Nuggets, who fell apart in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to suffer their only loss of the series, didn’t falter even without two-time NBA MVP Jokic.
Murray hit a 3-pointer to end Miami’s 8–0 run and Jeff Green hit a spectacular 3-pointer from the corner to make it 94–85 with 6:21 to play.
“We have guys that can step up one night and another night,” Gordon said.
