NBA Playoff Finals – Game 4: Miami – Denver, June 9, 2023. Michael Porter Jr. (right) of the Denver Nuggets shoots at the basket.
Miami (USA) – Denver basketball players are only one win away from winning the first NBA title. In the fourth final match, they won 108:95 in the Miami hall and increased their lead in the series to 3:1. They can seal the triumph on Tuesday in the home Ball Arena. The best scorer of Friday's game was Denver winger Aaron Gordon with 27 points. The Nuggets won the second game in Miami after faltering at home after the opening triumph.
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“We haven't accomplished anything yet. We still have one win to celebrate,” coach Michael Malone dismissed any optimism. “But we are focused and we know very well what the goal is before us,” he said.
The key to the Nuggets' win was the third quarter, which they won 31-22, but also the production of other players outside of the usual supports. Nikola Jokic collected 23 points and 12 rebounds, Jamal Murray remained at 15 points, to which he added 12 assists, but in addition to Gordon, the guests could also rely on Bruce Brown, who scored 21 points.
At the same time, the Heat had a chance to turn around in the final part. They dropped eight points in a row from 73:86, Jokic also headed to the bench for his fifth foul. Despite this, the guests did not give up and regained a double-digit lead in the middle of the quarter thanks to three-pointers by Murray and Jeff Green.
In addition, Jokič, the two-time most valuable player of the competition, sprained his ankle at the beginning of the game after landing on the leg of Max Strus , and headed to the dressing room. However, he returned before the start of the second quarter and finished the rest of the game without any problems. Murray, who had part of his left hand taped, also played despite the pain.
“It was a team win, I can't say that anyone deserved it more or less. Each of us contributed. And now we're missing one win,” said Murray. His team hit 14 of 28 three-pointers, while the Heat converted only eight of 25. In addition, the Nuggets committed only eight turnovers, forcing the opponent to make fifteen.
Miami was held by Jimmy Butler with 25 points, seven rebounds Bam Adebayo also added seven assists, 20 points and 11 rebounds. The team from Florida already experienced the final state of the series 1:3 in the previous two participations in the fight for the title in 2014 and 2020, in both cases they lost to San Antonio (1:4) and the Los Angeles Lakers (2:4). “But I have an incredibly competitive group of players at my disposal. We've worked hard this year and will continue to do so. All we're focused on now is getting the series back to South Beach. And then things can turn around quickly,” the Heat coach said Erik Spoelstra.
NBA Playoff Finals – Game 4:
Miami – Denver 95:108 (21:20, 51:55, 73:86)
< p>Most points: Butler 25, Adebayo 20, Lowry 13 – Gordon 27, Jokič 23, Brown 21. Series status: 1:3.
