GAME 1
HIS POSTGAME interview finished, Nikola Jokić made his way toward a tunnel lined with fans hell-bent on welcoming him. One more M-V-P chant of the evening for the two-time winner. One more roar. After watching the 6' 11" Serbian pick apart Miami's defense, watching him spin, twist and slip his way to another playoff triple double, watching the Nuggets sprint to a largely drama-free 104-93 Game 1 win, a swarm of gold-clad supporters packed against the Ball Arena railings to let their superstar know how much they appreciated him.
Going in, this game had the earmarks of one Miami could steal. Denver had been off for nine days after breezing past the Lakers in the Western Conference finals, while the Heat were razor sharp after their sevengame series with the Celtics. Beforehand, Nuggets coach Michael Malone warned his team: Miami had gone into Milwaukee, New York and Boston and taken the first game of each of those series. Said Malone, "We did not want them coming in here taking control of the series on our court."
They didn't. Aaron Gordon set the tone early. Not only was he the primary defender on Jimmy Butler, forcing him into more shots (14) than points (13) for the night, but Gordon's offense carried Denver early. With Miami opting for a switching defense, Gordon took advantage, scoring 12 points in the first quarter and powering the Nuggets to a nine-point cushion.
From there he had plenty of help. Denver's offense was as selfless as it was surgical. Jamal Murray scored 26 points. Michael Porter Jr. chipped in 14. Off the bench, Bruce Brown added 10. Of the Nuggets' 40 made shots, 29 of them came off an assist.
This story is from the DENVER NUGGETS - 2023 NBA Champions | Special Commemorative Issue edition of Sports Illustrated US.
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This story is from the DENVER NUGGETS - 2023 NBA Champions | Special Commemorative Issue edition of Sports Illustrated US.
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