The NBA Finals have been nothing short of thrilling, and the matchup between the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets has lived up to the hype. After an intense, Miami Heat managed to come back in the fourth quarter to win Game 2 of the NBA Tests, 111 – 108, and also took a seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets.
The Miami Heat trailed by eight in the final period behind another astral performance from Nikola Jokic. In a stunning display of skill, Jokic racked up 41 points, going 16 of 28 from the floor, and nailed a crucial shot with just 36 seconds remaining to trim the Heat’s lead to a mere 3 points.
But after Jimmy Butler missed a touchdown on Miami’s coming possession, Jamal Murray missed an attempt to tie the score at the buzzer. Denver experienced their first defeat since May 7, breaking their winning streak of 11 playoff games where they had managed to secure double-digit leads in each contest.
They trailed 21 – 10 in the opening quarter, and a shower of three-pointers cut their 44 – 32 advantage to six points at the break and Miami held on through the third quarter before the late surge that took the series to Miami Heat all square.
Butler and Bam Adebayo had 21 points each, while Gabe Vincent led Miami’s way with 23 points.
Love wasn’t the answer for Nikola Jokic, who finished with 41 points and 11 rebounds. Love wasn’t Miami’s leading arranger. But Miami’s redundant size helped combat Denver’s rushing offense.
Love, who had 6 points and 10 rebounds, helped spread more depth for the Heat’s pass-happy scoring attack, connecting on 17- 35 3- pointers in a 111- 108 palm over the Miami Nuggets.
The crown series is tied at 1- 1. After missing all 10 of his attempts from the field in Game 1, Max Strauss drilled his first three triplets in the opening period.
Gabe Vincent, the standout points guard for the Heat, showcased his shooting prowess by sinking 4 of 6 shots from beyond the arc, contributing to his team-high 23 points.
Duncan Robinson scored 8 points in the first nanosecond of the fourth quarter to help Miami reverse the narrative of the first half on crucial bench units and turn the script of the game.
Miami’s offensive dominance was on full display in the final frame as they missed only a single shot in the first 7 minutes, launching a remarkable 12 – 4 run that concluded with Bam Adebayo’s and- 1 layup, mirroring the Heat’s largest lead from the first quarter, with a commanding 104 – 93 advantage.
Both brigades crushed a two-point deficiency to sound the cornucopia after interruption when the pace braked, ripping through slush like auto tires, which is where this Miami platoon has thrived all postseason.
Physicality increased markedly throughout the Heat’s defense, especially as Adebayo tore through the makeup against the bulldozing of the jockeys. Miami was in peril of falling piecemeal with Jokic’s end, as was the case in Game 1 when the two-time MVP had 14 assists.
As an illustration, in this alternate half, the Heat transferred protector after protector to the jockey’s elbow and block.
The supporting cast of Denver shooters failed to subsidize when the ball came their way. A highlight of the first half, a tic-tac-toe sequence with Murray sliding a pass to Jokic, who one-handedly lofted Aaron Gordon at the berth, was an afterthought against the Heat’s alternate-half defense.
Jokic still scored points, but the Nuggets’ scoring sweats demanded a bit of the meter that sounded so balanced and royal for the utmost of this season. Jamal Murray led Denver’s alternate quarter rushing while Jokic rested and hit 3- pointers in crunch time, but Kentavious Caldwell- Pope posted a quiet 6 points on just four attempts for the game.
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Michael Porter Jr., a 2018 lottery pick who has overcome issues with shot selection and protective alertness, set up his footing in several questionable appearances and lost Vincent’s sprinkle of wide aesthetics from deep and his throws in Miami action.
Lost assignment. Credit to Adebayo, who shot 8- of- 14 with 21 points and 9 rebounds in a spectacular two-way performance off Jokic’s important shoulder in the defined area. Adebayo’s effectiveness as an arranger has declined during Miami’s run to the Tests, but contests, where he is driving upward with pails on his mind, feel easy enough for the Heat to win the overall title.
Jimmy Butler added 7 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a corner triadic and two baskets down the title at midrange. The series moved back to Miami for Game 3 on Wednesday.
It appears that Love will be in the Heat’s starting lineup in place of Caleb Martin, who sat out during the Eastern Conference Tests. Martin missed practice over the weekend and was questionable for the game due to an illness, but played 21 twinkles, shooting 1- 3 for 3 points.
A return to home court, where supporting shooters get familiar bounces, and many days getting better for a crucial contributor like Martin — as well as the implicit return of scoring guard Tyler Herro — means the series is not over yet, from over.
