2023 NBA Finals Game 1: Jokic gets triple-double, Nuggets beat Heat to take 1-0 series lead
- Denver Nuggets eased to a 104-93 victory over a disappointing Miami Heat in the first game of the 2023 NBA Finals.
- Going into their first NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic had some questions to answer, and they did so emphatically.
On the way to a 104-93 victory against the Miami Heat in Game 1 on Thursday, Jamal-Murray scored 26 points, Jokic recorded a triple-double, and the Denver Nuggets struggled little against their sluggish opponents.
Denver is remained undefeated at home, although the Heat had been 3-0 in their playoff series openers thus far, all on the road. Nearly 70% of the time in the finals, the game 1 winner goes on to win the championship.
Jokic was in charge at the time. The two-time NBA MVP led the Nuggets, who made the finals after waiting 47 years, with 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Aaron Gordon added 16 points and Michael Porter Jr. scored 14 for Denver, which trailed for all of 34 seconds and eventually led by as many as 24.
Bam Adebayo finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which shot 41% for the game — 33% from 3-point range. Gabe Vincent scored 19, Haywood Highsmith had 18 and Jimmy Butler added 13 for the Heat.
NBA Finals Game 2 is in Denver on Sunday night.
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