The last time the Miami Heat won a game versus the Denver Nuggets on their home court was November 30, 2016, 106-98. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were coming off the bench for that Nuggets team.
The stakes are higher now, and the Heat ended streaks across the board.
The Heat overcame a 15-point deficit in the first half and 41 points scored by Nikola Jokic to secure a 111-108 win in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The Nuggets lost at home for the first time this postseason (9-1).
The Heat snapped the Nuggets’ seven-game winning streak.
Miami improved to 7-5 on the road this postseason.
“Nobody cares on our team; we are not worried about what anybody thinks. We are so focused in on what we do well,” Jimmy Butler said. “And who we are as a group. At the end of the day, that is what we fall back on. Make or miss shots; we are going to be who we are.”
Gabe Vincent scored 23 points, Butler and Bam Adebayo each had 21.
The Heat’s 13 playoff victories this season are the most by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason. New York Knicks won 12 games as a No. 8 seed in the 1999 postseason.
The Heat outscored the Nuggets 36-25 in the fourth quarter. However, survived a 3-point try by Murray as time expired.
“We were able to make tons of defensive plays down the stretch,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We got tons of contributions which you will need against a team like this.”
Murray had 18 points and ten assists for Denver, Aaron Gordon scored 12 points, and Bruce Brown scored 11.
“From the start of the game, we did not communicate well. Giving them open shots. Giving them back door cuts or pocket passes,” Murray said. “We were not as disciplined as we need to be at this stage of the season. We have to better all around for four quarters, not just the last quarter.”
Nuggets are 35-3 when Jokic has a triple-double during the regular season. 8-1 in the postseason when he has a triple-double. Miami did not let his Jokic facilitate the offense he wanted since he only had four assists in the game.
“I am just playing. I don’t think about the stats,” Jokic said. “Today, we have tons of miscommunication and misunderstanding. They were getting open looks in the beginning of the game; we need to know what the coverage is.”
Jokic became the 14th different player in NBA history to score at least 41 in a finals loss.
Tonight marked the Heat’s seventh victory in the 2023 NBA Playoffs after trailing by at least 10 points, tying the 2022 Golden State Warriors, 2012 Miami Heat, and 2011 Miami Heat for the most double-digit comebacks in a single postseason in the last 25 years.
“If we are going to try to go down there and regain control of this series and get home court advantage back, we are going to have out work Miami,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “Which we did not do tonight, and our discipline is going to have to be off the charts.”
Game 3 is Wednesday in Miami.
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