Jokic & Murray Combine for 53 Points as Nuggets Take Game 1 (104-93)
Picking up right where they left off… The Nuggets have one hand on Larry O’Brien Trophy, but it’s a seven-game series for a reason. Denver blazed past Miami in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in a series-opener that left little in question. The Nuggets jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the second half, and aside from a late push by the Heat, they never faltered. Nikola Jokic (27-14-10) had one of the most efficient triple-doubles in memory while Jamal Murray (26) took over in stretches. Jokic shot 75 percent (8-for-12) with 10 free throws (10-for-12). On Miami’s end, Bam Adebayo was spectacular alongside a hot-shooting night from Gabe Vincent that kept the Heat breathing through rough spells, but Jimmy Butler (13-7-7) never got going.
Heat’s Historic FT Catastrophe: Miami set the NBA Finals record for fewest free-throw attempts (2). Haywood Highsmith was 2-for-2. The Heat rarely took the ball to the rim with aggression. Instead, they settled for 39 3-point attempts and shot just 33.3 percent.
Denver’s Depth Shines: Even though Murray and Jokic combiend for 53 points, the supporting cast all played great. Aaron Gordon (16), Michael Porter Jr. (14) and Bruce Brown (10) all took turns getting hot.
Game 1 Top Performers
N. Jokic (DEN): 27 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists
J. Murray (DEN): 26 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists
B. Adebayo (MIA): 26 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists
G. Vincent (MIA): 19 points (5-for-10, 3pt)
Watch: Nuggets Throttle Heat in Game 1 (104-93)
Game 2: Heat at Nuggets (Sun. 8:00 pm ET)
It’s 1-0 to the favorites. And if Game 1 was any indication, it’s an uphill battle for the Heat.
Read More
ESPN: Nikola Jokic’s Triple-Double Powers Nuggets Past Heat in Game 1
CBS Sports: Miami Comes Out Flat in NBA Finals Opener, But Hope Should Not Be Lost
Poll Results
Yesterday, we asked who you were picking in the NBA Finals. We knew the Nuggets would get the nod, but the margin is bigger than we thought.
Nuggets — 71%
Heat — 29%