Hero
The other guys
Nikola Jokic probably should’ve known Bam Adebayo would try to draw a quick fifth foul on him on the possession after Jokic’s fourth. After Jokic got tangled and Adebayo’s pro embellishing job benched Jokic with five fouls and nine minutes remaining, the Nuggets needed their supporting cast like they needed water. Especially when Miami closed within 86-81. A lineup of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the charge for five minutes. Their defensive toughness put Denver on the verge of a title. KCP’s steal from Jimmy Butler under the basket was the underrated highlight of the game. Green hit a huge three. Brown stuck the dagger in.
Zero
Gabe Vincent
After an outstanding first two games of this series, the Nuggets locked down Vincent twice in Miami. He shot 3 for 16 in Games 3 and 4, taking away one crucial piece from the Heat’s arsenal of unsung role players. When Butler is shooting as inefficiently as he has since late in the Eastern Conference Finals, Miami needs its 3-point snipers to step up. Once again in Game 4, they didn’t do enough — an 8-for-25 night with their season nearing the brink.
Postcard
Velvet robes and crooked rims
Not just any celebrity can get jeered by a home crowd when featured on the jumbotron, so props to Conor McGregor. The famous UFC fighter, wearing a silk red-velvet onesie, joined a Heat emcee on the court during a third-quarter timeout to hype up the fans by … advertising a product? Yes, McGregor was handed the microphone to speak about one of his numerous business endeavors during a tense second half. Then he socked Miami’s mascot. Heat Nation didn’t appreciate any of it. The same fans weren’t sure whether to cheer or boo 10 minutes later at another stoppage, as Jokic dangled on the rim in an apparent attempt to correct the crookedness caused by an Adebayo missed dunk. The NBA paused the game and brought out a ladder to ensure the basket was level after Kyle Lowry raised a commotion about it.
Quotable
Jamal Murray on closing stretch: “We got a lot of guys who can come in and hoop.”
Michael Malone on Aaron Gordon: “He brought his hardhat tonight and was just a warrior on both ends for us. … Aaron did it all for us tonight. He really did. We’ve seen that now in four games in the Finals where Aaron has had moments where he has carried us offensively.”
Michael Malone on Bruce Brown: “The one thing I know about Bruce, I know he went to college down here, but he’s not afraid. We got a lot of guys that have a quiet toughness about them, and Bruce Brown is definitely one that embodies that Boston toughness that he brings to the table every night.
Michael Malone on Nikola Jokic tweaking ankle: “He’s tough, and I could tell that he was fine. He just had to kind of keep it loose and don’t allow it to get stiff. But he’s resilient, and he’s tough.”
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