Aaron Gordon had 27 points including 15 in the second quarter and the Denver Nuggets beat the Heat 108-95 in Miami on Friday to take a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
Nikola Jokic had 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Ontarian Jamal Murray added 15 points and 12 assists.
“Today was a team effort,” Murray said. I can’t name anyone who played badly. Everyone was focused. We have another win to go for. »
Finalists for the first time in their history, the Nuggets were also able to count on 21 points from reserve Bruce Brown.
The team will have the chance to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy on Monday night in Colorado.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone insisted. We still have to win a game before we are crowned world champions. »
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 25 points, five more than Bam Adebayo.
As in Game 3, however, the support group was not productive enough.
Very busy (33 minutes), Kyle Lowry did his good part with 13 points.
Champion with Toronto in 2019, the veteran has greatly helped the Heat stay in the game – relatively.
Max Strus was shut out for the second time in the final, attempting just four shots.
He was limited to three points in Game 3.
Strus was a big cog for the Heat in the second round (averaging 14.7 points, including three times a 40% success rate on three-pointers).
Gabe Vincent had just two points, on the heels of seven points in Game 3.
“We have an incredibly competitive squad,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. We succeeded in everything despite the difficulties and this is the way we still have to do things. We are focused on starting this comeback in Miami. Things can change very quickly. »
In the first two games of the series, he had 19 and 23 points.
The half ended 55-51 in favor of the Nuggets.
Miami often made one pass too many or missed shots from close range – or both. When it wasn’t the lack of precision, it was a lack of cohesion.
For example, an errant pass from Adebayo to Strus who had left his position to cut to the basket, in the fourth minute of the third quarter. The two athletes seemed quite discouraged afterwards. Denver quickly added four points to the board, extending their lead to 65-55.
Early in the final quarter, a field goal and free throw from Butler cut the Nuggets lead to 86-81, before a three-point shot from Murray.
Midway through the engagement, Jeff Green hit the target from long range, bringing the Nuggets’ priority to 94-85.
“Our guys are focused, they have the focus,” Malone said.
The Heat won the championship in 2006, 2012 and 2013.