Rested and more than ready, Denver rolls to Game 1 win
MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES
Jamal Murray deposits two of his 26 points as the Nuggets win their NBA Finals debut over the Heat.
The teams meet Sunday in Game 2.
NUGGETS 104, HEAT 93
Game 2: Heat at Nuggets
Sunday, 8 p.m., ABC
Denver — The leading juggernaut of these NBA playoffs needed only a few minutes Thursday to prove that rust wouldn’t be slowing its roll.
After enjoying a nine-day break before the Finals, the Denver Nuggets looked focused, imposing and, above all, well oiled in their series opener against the Miami Heat, making the most of their first visit to the championship stage. The points came early, often and effortlessly for the Nuggets during their 104-93 Game 1 victory over the Heat at Ball Arena.
To set the tone, Denver’s egalitarian offense, built around Nikola Jokic’s playmaking and Jamal Murray’s shot-making, opened by attacking the heart of Miami’s undersized defense. While Jokic towers over Bam Adebayo inside, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. also enjoy significant size advantages over their Heat counterparts.
Denver, the Western Conference’s top seed, got on track by keeping it simple, repeatedly turning to Gordon in the paint. The 27-year-old forward, best known for his defensive versatility and dunk contest theatrics, pounded his way to the rim for eight points in the first six minutes and 14 of his 16 points by halftime. With Miami turning to a starting lineup that features five players under 6-foot-9 and Jokic pulling Adebayo away from the paint, Gordon finished inside with ease.
“I’m not here for the credit,” Gordon said. “I’m here for the wins. I don’t care if I score 50 or zero as long as I help impact the game and we’re winning.”
Nuggets Coach Michael Malone reminded his team before the game that the Heat had won Game 1 on the road in each of its three previous playoff series.
“We did not want them coming in here to take control of this series on our home court,” Malone said. “Aaron really set the tone on both ends of the floor for us. He’s done that all year long. He does a lot of dirty work for us, and he doesn’t get the credit he deserves. They were switching early on, and he did a good job sitting down, posting up and finishing at the rim.”
Once Denver softened up Miami inside, Murray took over from beyond the arc. The standout guard, who entered the series shooting nearly 40 percent on three-pointers, busted the Heat’s 2-3 zone defense by connecting from outside early in the second quarter. With Murray and Gordon grooving, Jokic was content early on to play facilitator. The two-time MVP took just three shots in the first half but racked up 10 assists, keeping Miami guessing with a no-look pass to the perimeter and savvy plays in transition.
“When the game started, I felt really comfortable,” Jokic said after his Finals debut. “I never force it. A couple guys got it going [early]. I just take whatever the game gives me. The guys were focused, how it’s supposed to be.”
By halftime, Denver’s lead had reached 17 points and Miami looked a step slow after having a short turnaround following its Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday. Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra had promised that his team would be ready to play at Denver’s mile-high altitude, but Miami shot just 13 for 39 on threepointers, attempted only two free throws and gave up 46 points in the paint, three sure signs of fatigue.
The Nuggets, who have won Game 1 in each of their four playoff series, improved to 9-0 at home in the playoffs. This series opener was played on Denver’s fast and loose terms throughout, and Miami simply couldn’t muster enough firepower to keep pace, falling behind by 24 in the second half.
“Whoever’s open, whoever has the mismatch, that’s how we play,” Murray said. “We’re just reading the game. If they take me away, we’re looking somewhere else. It’s hard to guard everybody instead of just one or two guys.”
Adebayo was the Heat’s major bright spot on offense as he reasserted himself after struggling to score late in the Eastern Conference finals. With Denver conceding midrange jumpers, Adebayo happily made them pay, finishing with a team-high 26 points, 13 rebounds and five assists.
Yet Adebayo’s soft-touch jumpers weren’t enough to keep Miami afloat. Caleb Martin and Max Strus, two key sources of perimeter offense, combined to miss their first 15 shots, and Jimmy Butler scored just 13 points on 14 shots during a choppy night.
“They’re fine,” Spoelstra said of Martin and Strus. “They’re not going to get sick at sea. If you’re a shooter, you’re not going to make all the shots you want. Then you have to find different ways to impact the game. Our team is not built only on the three-point ball.”
The Nuggets, fresher and flush of confidence, kept the Heat at bay throughout the second half, showing why they entered the series as clear favorites against the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed. Jokic, who scored 12 points in the final period to seal the win, registered his ninth triple-double of this playoff run with a game-high 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists, and Murray added 26 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in the win. None of the Heat’s previous playoff opponents had moved the ball nearly as well as the Nuggets, leaving Spoelstra to seek solutions for his opponent’s size and spontaneity.
As it regroups for Sunday’s Game 2, Miami’s to-do list will include: more forceful play from Butler, better outside shooting from its wings, more diligent defending on Murray and better rim protection. That’s a long list, and the Heat must also contend with the fact that the Nuggets cruised to a convincing victory without needing Jokic to truly exert himself as a scorer until the game’s final minutes.
“We shot a lot of jump shots instead of putting the pressure on the rim,” Butler said. “When you look at it during the game, they all look like the right shots. But we’ve got to get more layups and free throws. And whenever you miss [ jumpers] and don’t get back [on defense], the game can get out of hand quickly.”
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