The Denver Nuggets maintained their unbeaten record Thursday at home in the NBA, all they need to be champions, by defeating the Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1 of the Final.
Outsiders, who scored away victories in the first matches with the Bucks, Knicks and Celtics, still led at the start (4-5 and 6-7), but the hosts, imposing their place, on the side of the basket, quickly took over the meeting and already finished the first period with nine points in Lead (29-20).
Since then, the Heat could not do better than putting themselves within six points (39-33), and the first half ended with a victory for the hosts by 17 (59-42).
In the third period, the advantage reached 24 points (84-60), followed by a partial 14-0 Heat lead – 11-0 at the start of the quarter – which still brings some emotion (84-74). , Just then, Serbian Nikola Jokic imposed his “law”.
Jokic, always ready for whatever the team needs, finished with his usual “triple-double” – adding 27 points, with eight out of 12 points on “shooting” from the field, 14 assists and 10 rebounds – becoming the first-time finalist To do so after Jason Kidd in 2002.
Base Jamal Murray was instrumental in the Nuggets’ victory, adding 26 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds, with 11 of 22 field launches.
As for Aaron Gordon, with 16 points, eight of them in the first minutes, to determine the position, and Michael Porter Jr., with 14 points and 13 rebounds, they were also highlighted, as well as substitute Bruce Brown, with 10 points. And five bumps.
In the Miami Heat, Bam Adebayo, always attacking Jokic’s defense, was the best, with 26 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, followed by Gabe Vincent, with 19 points, and benches Haywood Highsmith, with 18 points, and Kyle Lowry. , with 11 points, five rebounds and five assists.
On the other hand, Jimmy Butler kept 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while the “shooters” Caleb Martin, Max Stross and Duncan Robinson were catastrophic, when they added together, two converted shots from the field, on 23 attempts, focusing on 0/10 From Strus’s “The Triads”.
The best-of-seven 2022/23 NBA Finals continues on Sunday, again in Denver.
The third and fourth matches will be held on Wednesday and June 9 (Friday) in Miami. If necessary, the fifth is on the 12th (Monday), in Denver, the sixth is on the 15th (Thursday), in Florida, and the seventh, on the 18th (Sunday), again in Colorado.
Game at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
Denver Nuggets – Miami Heat, 104-93 (1-0)
At break: 59-42.
Under Mark Davis, Ed Malloy, and David Guthrie, the teams lined up:
Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. (14), Aaron Gordon (16), Nikola Jokic (27), Cantavious Caldwell-Pope (7) and Jamal Murray (26). Also played by Bruce Brown (10), Christian Brown and Jeff Green (4).
trainer: Michael Malone.
Miami Heat: Caleb Martin (3), Jamie Butler (13), Pam Adebayo (26), Max Stross and Gabe Vincent (19). Also played were Cody Zeller, Kyle Lowry (11), Duncan Robinson (3), Haywood Highsmith (18), Nikola Jovic and Omer Yotseven.
trainer: Eric Spoelstra.
Marker march: 29-20 (first quarter), 59-42 (end of the first half), 84-63 (third quarter) and 104-93 (final score).
help: 19,528 spectators.