The Nuggets are up 1-0 against Miami after their Thursday night win in their NBA Finals debut. Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Heat in Game 2 at Ball Arena in Denver.
Live updates
FINAL | Heat 111, Nuggets 108
Scrappy and relentless, the Miami Heat came to Denver and did what no other team this postseason had done: win.
Jamal Murray missed what would’ve been a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, and the Heat hung on, 111-108, to seize Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night and even the series at 1-1.
The Nuggets nearly stormed back from a 12-point deficit with only a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, but their defense betrayed them. The Heat outscored Denver 36-25 in the fourth quarter, Mike Singer reports. Read the full game story.
Fourth-quarter updates
We got a series (8:32 p.m.): The Nuggets get the ball with 11 seconds to go and down by three and decide NOT to call a timeout. The possession ends with an off-balance Jamal Murray 3-pointer that’s not good. And now we’ve got ourselves a series. FINAL: Heat 111, Nuggets 108.
It should be noted: The Nuggets had two timeouts left when they secured that rebound. Needless to say, the Nuggets’ strategy at the end of the game will be heavily debated over the next 48 hours. — Matt Schubert
Murray’s touch (8:31 p.m.): Jamal Murray, who’s been quiet for much of the game, just nailed a pair of big 3-pointers. Cuts Miami’s lead down to 3. — Joe Nguyen
Down 9 (8:26 p.m.): The Nuggets are running out of time. Down 9 with 4:03 to go. Heat 104, Nuggets 95. — Joe Nguyen
It’s 32-12 Miami in the fourth quarter. Yikes. — Parker Gabriel
Gut check time (8:21 p.m.): A really bad foul from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on Kyle Lowry at the 3-point line has the Heat ahead 101-93 with 5:26 to go. For the first time, the Nuggets are in trouble at home in a fourth quarter. — Matt Schubert
Our best hope (8:16 p.m.): This might have to be a Nikola Jokic Carry Us Home game. It’s all that’s working right now. — Matt Schubert
Heat heating up (8:10 p.m.): Heat are 15 of 29 from 3-point range and lead 88-85 with 9:44 to go. Gabe Vincent: Team-best 21 points. — Parker Gabriel
Two Nuggets turnovers and a Duncan Robison back cut produces a legitimate Michael Malone rage timeout. It’s 88-85 Heat with 9:44 to go. It appears we’re in for a tense finish. Buckle up, buttercup. — Matt Schubert
Miami takes lead (8:09 p.m.): There’s the zone defense we were all waiting for from Miami. A shot clock violation follows and now the Heat lead after a Gabe Vincent 3. This is about to get hairy. — Matt Schubert
So much for the bench mob (8:03 p.m.): The law firm of Green, Braun & Braun might be out of Game 2 magic. Three team fouls less than two minutes into the fourth quarter is not ideal. After Duncan Robinson’s 3, the Nuggets’ lead has been cut to 85-83 with 10:48 left in the game.
But then Rocky makes the half-court shot! GAME. OVER. — Matt Schubert
Third-quarter analysis — Nuggets 83, Heat 75
Bennett Durando, sports reporter: Why is Cody Zeller playing?
Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: Nikola Jokic.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Cody Zeller: hockey goon.
Mark Kiszla, sports columnist: I thought it was bold when I predicted Nikola Jokic should already be in conversation for the top 20 NBA players of all time. It appears I might have under-estimated him.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: That, ladies and gentlemen, is why Nikola Jokic is special. Just a run-of-the-mill 18 points in the third quarter. Cody Zeller fully emasculated on the sideline. And the Nuggets in control up 83-75 entering the final quarter.
Third-quarter updates
A freight train (7:56 p.m.): Nikola Jokic has put the Nuggets on his back this quarter. He took the Heat on his back, too, going full court and getting the layup. He dropped 18 in the third quarter and has 31 in the game. Nuggets lead 83-75 at the end of the third. — Joe Nguyen
Barbecued chicken (7:54 p.m.): Nikola Jokic when he sees Cody Zeller. — Matt Schubert
Love for K-Love (7:45 p.m.): Credit Kevin Love for showing up on defense for Miami. Surely not something anyone saw coming before Game 2, but here we are. Zero minutes in Game 1. Now he’s playing the role of a defensive-minded Caleb Martin. Essentially the Heat has decided it will not concede the size mismatch, and it appears to be the right call. — Matt Schubert
Don’t horde your red flag (7:44 p.m.): Jokic has been provoked by the refs into jumping around incredulously after three different out of bounds calls this quarter. In other officiating news, if Bam Adebayo was so confident he didn’t foul Jokic on that airballed 3-pointer a few minutes ago, Spo should have used his challenge. You’re not going to get more value out of a challenge than saving three points, regardless of time of game. — Bennett Durando
50/50 balls galore (7:42 p.m.): Nikola Jokic getting more and more perplexed each time a loose ball call goes against him. Three balls have gone out of bounds in the last couple minutes and he’s been ruled as the last guy to touch it each time. Weird stretch of the game. Meanwhile, Denver leads by five. — Parker Gabriel
Starters still scuffling (7:42 p.m.): Still not an A+ game from the starting five, who look disjointed and disconnected. This is the exact recipe for Miami to steal a game in Denver, but the Nuggets lead 71-66 with 5:21 left in the third quarter. — Matt Schubert
All tied up (7:38 p.m.): Bam Adebayo’s layup ties it up at 66-all. We have a new game here. — Joe Nguyen
Clear path foul (7:34 p.m.): Nikola Jokic was called for a clear-path foul after impeding a court-long pass by Kevin Love to Bam Adebayo. Miami awarded two free throws and the ball. — Joe Nguyen
All’s well (7:30 p.m.): Charles Barkley and Rocky buried the hatchet at the break with a jersey swap. Good to see old beefs can get squashed. — Matt Schubert
Heat’s hot shooting (7:28 p.m.): Miami’s come out of the gate strong and forced a Michael Malone timeout at 9:21 in the third quarter. Gabe Vincent knocked down a pair of 3-pointers already and so did Kevin Love (!). Miami 11/20 from downtown tonight. — Parker Gabriel
Half-rage timeout (7:26 p.m.): It wouldn’t be completely accurate to call that a full-on rage timeout from Nuggets head coach Michael Malone, but he’s clearly not happy with the looks Gabe Vincent is getting. The Heat are knocking down 3s, which is a pre-requisite for them staying in this thing. Nuggets 64, Heat 62 with 9:21 left in the third quarter. — Matt Schubert
Halftime analysis — Nuggets 57, Heat 51
Bennett Durando, sports reporter: Seven Nuggets with 6-plus points at halftime. Miami winning when the starters are on the floor, Denver when the benches are out there. Nikola Jokic hasn’t had it easy at the offensive end, but that assist to Aaron Gordon in the last minute was his Heisman Moment.
Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: If Miami keeps knocking down 3s in the second half, it can hang around. But getting outscored 16-3 in transition and ripped by the Nuggets’ bench is not exactly a recipe for success. Will Jimmy Butler finally get into gear in these Finals? Or will Denver’s starters hit their stride after some first-half choppiness at times?
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Miami’s got one-and-a-half ways to beat you, right? Plan A: Jimmy Buckets. Plan B: Hope for a scorching Caleb Martin. Like Cincinnati chili, the Nuggets have about five ways. That second quarter was a flashback to the Minnesota series, when Denver went small — with Aaron Gordon at center — and it just put the other defense in knots for a bit. Counterpunch advantage: Nuggs.
Mark Kiszla, sports columnist: The Nuggets are better at basketball than the Heat. That is all. Carry on. Can’t guarantee Denver will sweep this series. But when Christian Braun is dunking on the Heat, that’s bad omen for Miami.
Ryan McFadden, sports reporter: How about that Nuggets bench? Christian Braun, Jeff Green and Bruce Brown logged in some big time minutes in the second quarter. Braun was making plays on both ends of the floor from knocking down 3-pointers and distributing to collecting a pair of steals on the other end. Denver’s 12-0 run, which turned a two-point deficit into a 39-29 lead might end up being the difference maker tonight.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: Maybe the Nuggets need more … bench minutes? Clearly, the best stretch of the first half for the Nuggets was the period when Bruce Brown, Christian Braun and Jeff Green went to work. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with a minus-14 pllus/minus through two quarters, Jokic is at minus-8 and Michael Porter Jr minus-8. And yet it’s a six-point lead for the Nuggets at the half. Go figure.
Second-quarter updates
Running (6:57 p.m.): The Nuggets didn’t get out in transition a ton in Game 1. So far tonight in a 48-35 game, fast break points are Nuggets 16, Heat 0. — Bennett Durando
Without Joker (6:53 p.m.): The Nuggets have outscored the Heat 21-9 without Jokic on the floor. As my esteemed colleague Mr. Kiszla — or was it Don Meredith? — put it, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.” — Sean Keeler
No Joker, no problem (6:49 p.m.): With Jokic taking his scheduled rest to start the second quarter, Denver has expanded on a surge that started late in the first. It’s a 34-11 run since the Nuggets trailed 21-10. Jamal Murray seems to have found it. Christian Braun assisted three of four made baskets for the Nuggets at one point. — Bennett Durando
Bench work (6:48 p.m.): Massive heater from the Nuggets bench. Braun, Green and Brown are a combined 5/6 for 14 points and have done the dirty work, too, while Jamal Murray heats up playing alongside them. Green and Brown are plus-21 and the Nuggets are up, 44-32 with 7:49 still before halftime. — Parker Gabriel
LIFTOFF (6:48 p.m.): Jamal Murray just caught a body. And it’s Max Strus. And this place is going BANANAS! Not looking great if you’re a Heat fan. — Matt Schubert
The Denver Nuggets are on a 34-11 run. — Bennett Durando
Celebrity sighting (6:46 p.m.): Lil’ Wayne just made the big board and he did NOT appear to be happy about it. Sitting courtside and we’re going to assume he’s on the Nuggets bandwagon. — Matt Schubert
Nikola sits, and things are just fine (6:40 p.m.): With Nikola Jokic on the bench, the Nuggets have retaken the lead. And it’s all energy plays. Christian Braun got it going with his one-man defensive clinic. Aaron Gordon followed that up with a block. Jeff Green finishes it off with a corner 3. Consider that sequence a HUGE win for the Nuggets. It’s now 33-29 Nuggets with 10:12 left in the second quarter. — Matt Schubert
What can Braun do for you? (6:38 p.m.): Christian Braun just got his hands on the ball three times in one defensive possession. The crowd LOVES this guy. — Matt Schubert
Christian Braun’s made an impact in his brief appearance here in the second quarter. Braun has a pair of quality defensive plays and four points so far.
And an amazing steal as I type this. — Joe Nguyen
First-quarter analysis — Heat 26, Nuggets 23
Bennett Durando, sports reporter: Some elite humor in that first quarter. Zeller on Jokic. Zeller and Christian Braun both attacking the cup and delivering. MPJ taking a heat check 3 immediately after making just one shot on the previous possessions. NBA Finals!
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: After arguably the worst opening six minutes of Nuggets basketball in a month, Denver drained six of its last eight shots, closing a bad stanza on a 13-5 run. Christian Braun might not be the hero Nuggs Nation asked for, but the hero Nuggs Nation NEEDS.
Mark Kiszla, sports columnist: Turn Joker into a scorer. It has been the best strategy by Nuggets’ foes in these playoffs. And it’s working so far for Miami in Game 2. Nikola Jokic has 11 points, but Miami leads by three after one period.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: Max Strus can’t be left alone. Bam Adebayo continues to be a problem. And Jamal Murray is off to a rocky start. Yet, it’s still just a 3-point game after one quarter. If you’re the Nuggets, that’s not bad. Not bad at all.
First-quarter updates
Jokic’s first quarter (6:35 p.m.): After taking just three shots in the first half of Game 1, Nikola Jokic took nine as Miami basically left Cody Zeller alone to deal with him for a big chunk of the frame. The Nuggets didn’t get Jokic a ton of help in the way of shot-making, but it’s just a three-point game. Jokic has had a couple of massive scoring outings this postseason, but that’s not normally Denver’s most efficient way of playing.
Max Strus is on fire (6:34 p.m.): After Game 1, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn’t worried about Gabe Vincent and Max Strus offensive struggles in the loss. “They are ignitable,” He said. In Game 2, Strus has 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from deep through the first quarter. Strus’ outside shooting is one of the reasons Miami is up by three. — Ryan McFadden
A rookie first (6:33 p.m.): With that layup, Christian Braun becomes the first Nuggets rookie to score points in the NBA Finals. Lots of firsts in this series for Denver. — Joe Nguyen
The right adjustment (6:25 p.m.): Miami is sending close to no help when Nikola Jokic touches the ball. Result: Six shot attempts for Jokic (seven points) and just one assist in the first eight minutes. Exact opposite of his Game 1 first quarter. If the Heat make him score a bunch and he does, so be it, says Eric Spoelstra. — Bennett Durando
Jokic’s offense (6:25 p.m.): Joker’s already put up six shots, three more than he had throughout all of the first half of Game 1. Just one assist, too. Heat trying to make him more of a scorer. Working thus far. Miami up 21-12. — Mike Singer
They’re saying Boo-urns (6:23 p.m.): The locals are NOT happy with the officiating early on. Outside of the foul call on Jamal Murray, though, it’s hard to say they’ve gotten a ton wrong. This is more on the Nuggets than it is on the zebras. Heat 21, Nuggets 12 with 4:24 left in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert
Turnover troubles (6:22 p.m.): Denver has four turnovers already. Down 19-10 with 5:07 to go. — Joe Nguyen
Strus is loose (6:21 p.m.): Max Strus is up to three 3-pointers in the first 6:30. Heat are 8/14 from the floor already and up 21-10 on Denver. — Parker Gabriel
Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy (6:17 p.m.): Three team fouls, a turnover out of a timeout, missed shots. This has been a sloppy start for the Nuggets (and the officials?). It’s 14-7 Heat with 6:56 left in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert
Early timeout (6:11 p.m.): The good news is the Nuggets fans finally got to sit down after Nikola Jokic’s bucket. The bad news: Good Max Strus is in the building. The guard who shot 0 for 10 in Game 1 already has two 3-pointers. It’s 10-2 Heat with 9:13 left in the first quarter. — Matt Schubert
Denver’s slow start (6:11 p.m.): The Nuggets have missed their first four shots. Down 7-0 with 9:39 to go in the first quarter. — Joe Nguyen
Pre-game updates
Don’t forget to bring a towel (6:09 p.m.): Nuggets going with towels for the fans on this one. Nice touch. — Matt Schubert
Silky sounds (6:03 p.m.): Saxophone national anthem. It’s gonna be a good night. — Bennett Durando
Love to start (4:31 p.m.): Kevin Love will get the start tonight, per TNT’s Jared S. Greenberg. Tyler Herro’s out again, per Heat. — Mike Singer
If you had Kevin Love in your Heat starting lineup, you’re smarter than me. The first big adjustment for Miami. — Matt Schubert
Three keys and a legend in the making (4 p.m.): Game 2 tips off at 6 p.m. at Ball Arena. If the Nuggets win, they’ll be a perfect 10-0 at home. Read Bennett Durando’s analysis on the three keys Denver needs to do to make that happen.
And is Nikola Jokic better than Celtics legend Larry Bird? Denver Post writers Mike Singer, Bennett Durando and Mark Kiszla discuss. — Joe Nguyen
Predictions
Bennett Durando, sports reporter: I wondered if Kevin Love would make an appearance sooner or later. Here he is, tabbed to start for Miami in Game 2. I like what he brings. I like the extra size to contribute to combating Jokic (even if he’s still a couple inches behind). I like the Finals experience he brings. … But ultimately, I think it will prove to be an example of Eric Spoelstra feeling he needs to throw as many darts at the wall as possible. The Heat will shoot better than they did in Game 1, but so will Denver. Pick: Nuggets 124, Heat 118.
Parker Gabriel, sports reporter: Max Strus makes at least one basket tonight. Also, Denver continues its unbeaten postseason run at home, albeit in tighter fashion than Thursday night. 102-97. How many more games at Ball Arena in this series?
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: No Tyler Herro means more Nuggets heroes. Miami’s put up a 1-2 record and a -5.3 point differential in their Game 2s, while the Nuggs are 3-0 with a +8 per game. A nail-biter goes to the hosts. Nuggets 111, Miami 104.
Ryan McFadden, sports reporter: Denver has been unstoppable at home in the postseason. That trend will continue tonight with a 105-98 victory over the Heat. Michael Porter Jr. and Bruce Brown will have big games tonight.
Mark Kiszla, sports columnist: This is the game that Miami must steal to keep this series from being a coronation for the Joker and his band of merry Nuggets. Not. Gonna. Be. Easy. Nuggets 112, Heat 109.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: If past is prologue, then consider me at a loss to see how the Heat can beat this Nuggets team in Denver. Even if Miami improves on its 3-point shooting, which seems like an inevitability, that doesn’t address the fact that it has zero answers for Denver’s size. The Nuggets had two days to game plan for that zone defense. They’ll be just fine. Prediction: Nuggets 113, Heat 104.
Mike Singer, Nuggets beat reporter: No one was surprised with Game 1’s outcome considering the series Miami had just gone through and Denver’s extended rest. Game 2 will be much more contested, and maybe, god-willing, will involve a bit of drama. But Denver remains undefeated at home, improving to 10-0 on this special playoff run. Nuggets 106, Heat 103
Nuggets-Heat Game 2: Must reads
Analysis: Do Nuggets have habits to improve vs. Miami Heat’s zone defense in NBA Finals Game 2?
If there’s a path to the championship for Miami after Denver’s convincing Game 1 win in the NBA Finals, it will involve smacking the immaculately synchronized Nuggets out of their rhythm.
Zone defense briefly did the trick in the series-opener.
The underdogs from South Beach narrowed a 24-point deficit to nine late in the fourth quarter Thursday night. That comeback amounted to nothing, but it did offer a glimpse of the version of the Heat that hasn’t folded during this playoff gauntlet.
The Nuggets missed 10 of their first 13 shots in the fourth quarter as Miami went back to a zone defense, which Eric Spoelstra had also deployed earlier in the game. The acclaimed coach relishes the opportunity to mix up defensive looks, Bennett Durando reports. Read the full story.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray the new Tim Duncan and Tony Parker? Heat’s Kyle Lowry thinks so.
Nikola Jokic has gotten the Tim Duncan comparison before. A reserved, no-nonsense leader more concerned with winning than anything else, Jokic even admitted he’d modeled his game after the legendary Spurs power forward.
Between their shared pace and elite intuition, Jokic is a worthy Duncan disciple.
But veteran Heat point guard Kyle Lowry was asked about Denver’s lethal pairing of Jokic and Murray, and whether he’d ever played a combo as connected as those two.
“I’m pretty old in this game right now,” Lowry said. “I played Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. Honestly, that’s a great combination that I got the opportunity to play against. Jamal and Jokic, they’re deadly because they both can score, pass the ball. They’re big targets, and they have a great feel for each other.” Read the full story.
Kiszla: Why are Nuggets in control of NBA Finals? In superstar-driven league, Nikola Jokic versus Jimmy Butler is a mismatch.
In the NBA Finals, Jimmy Butler is wrestling with a basketball god, and that’s a tussle Nikola Jokic is destined to win. The Nuggets, however, have the shorter path and more routes to get to four victories, because Jokic is a sorcerer who sees a game beyond a muggle’s imagination. And the Heat, as even coach Erik Spoelstra admits, has no solid answers for Joker’s genius.
Butler is no slouch. He has carried Miami, the eighth seed from the East, to the NBA Finals. By any measure, including the voting results from the All-NBA teams, Jimmy Buckets was among the top 10 players in the league this season
Jokic, however, is transforming the way basketball is played before our eyes, in a manner Magic Johnson and only a handful of others have done before him. This championship series is his coming-out party, where Joker can lead the Nuggets to the first championship in franchise history and stake a claim to being among the top 20 players of all time, Mark Kiszla writes. Read the full column.
Keeler: How did Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. find peace? By giving children hope. “This guy’s a class act. The real deal.”
When you ring up John Wampler about the size 14 shoe on his bookshelf, he wants to talk about MPJ’s size 30 heart.
“First of all, this guy’s a class act. The real deal,” Wampler said from Columbia, Mo., not far from the University of Missouri campus where Porter grew up. “I was just in awe as to how much he was the real deal.” Read the full column.
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