Denver Nuggets 108 vs 95 Miami Heat summary: stats and highlights | NBA Finals Game 4
The Denver Nuggets are a win away from their first NBA Championship in franchise history after taking care of the Heat in Miami for a second straight game. Aaron Gordon was the hero in Game 4, leading all scorers with a playoff high 27 points in the 108-95 win on Friday night.
Heat lose fourth straight at home
The Heat came into Game 4 having lost their last three games at the Kaseya Center, knowing that a loss before heading to Denver for the next game would make a tough task almost impossible. Denver came in to Dade County and beat the Heat up for a second straight game, holding Miami to under 100 points for the third time this series.
The Nuggets have an obvious size advantage over the Heat, and they maximized this mismatches to the fullest in the biggest game of the season. Neither team got off to hot shooting starts, as both teams combined for just 41 points in the first quarter.
Nikola Jokic twisted his ankle in the opening quarter, but would shake off the injury in the second quarter. While he got taped up and stretched his sore ankle out on the bench Aaron Gordon went into full take over mode scoring 15 of his 16 first half points in the second.
Air Gordon takes the stage
There was a point just before halftime when the Nuggets looked like they were on the verge of blowing the game open up nine with a couple minutes to go before halftime. Kyle Lowry brought the Heat storming back and cut the lead to four in a 13 point first half.
Jokic and Jamal Murray didn’t have to be spectacular like they were in Game 3, because they got so much help from Gordon and Bruce Brown, who stepped up in the second half. Murray had 15 points and 12 assists, becoming the first player in NBA history to dish out 10+ assists in each of his first four Finals games. Jokic finished with 23, 12 and 4 assists, debunking the theory that keeping him from playing distributor was the key to beat the Nuggets.
Gordon's hot hand continued into the third quarter, scoring 9 as the lead trickled up to 13 going into the final 12 minutes. Miami would make a run to start the fourth quarter thanks to another spurt from Duncan Robinson that would trim the lead to five with 8:30 to go.
Denver one win away
The Heat kept waiting for their star to show up, but Jimmy Butler, who scored 25, was shut down in the fourth quarter, and Murray hit a huge three to put the game back to eight and take the air out of Kaseya Center and that was the beginning of the end for Miami. Jeff Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would hit two more big threes as Bruce Brown put up 11 of his 21 in the fourth quarter to close out the Heat in Game 4.
The Nuggets now head back home with a chance to win their first title in franchise history at Ball Arena on Monday night. The hill gets even steeper for the Heat who have to battle down 3-1 and getting ready to hit the road hoping to keep their title dream alive. In the history of the NBA there has only been one team that came back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. That was the Cleveland Cavaliers when they did it against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals.
No time for celebrations just yet. Jamal Murray, who became the first player to dish 10+ assists in four straight Finals games, knows they are still one win from Titletown.
KCP put the cherry on top of the win with this three ball as the Nuggets finished the night 50% from behind the line. Denver is going back home with a chance to win their first NBA title at Ball Arena on Monday night.
Aaron Gordon might have carried the Nuggets to the fourth quarter but it was Bruce Brown who sentenced the Heat with 11 of his 21 in the fourth quarter points to bury Miami.
This was the dagger right here. Jeff Green, off the bench for Jokic who picked up his 5th foul with 10 to go, and the 37 year old drills the corner three ball to deflate the Kaseya Center.
When they needed it most, the Heat couldn't contain Gordon and the Nuggets. Everytime they tried to pull Denver close they would push away with big bucket after big bucket.
The Heat cut the 13 point lead to start the fourth quarter down to 5 in the first three and a half minutes, but Jamal Murray came up with the biggest bucket of the game out of the timeout.
Gordon had 9 in the third quarter after posting 15 in the second. He was the star of the show on a team with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He ended the night with a game high 27 points while leading his team to the biggest win of the season.
Jokic had just 4 assists in Game 4, just like he had in Game 2 when the Nuggets lost and everyone thought that the Heat had figured out that was the key to stopping Denver.
When Air Gordon wasn't scoring he was running the break and setting up his teammates, like on this fast break with Michael Porter Jr.
Gordon had 15 of his 16 first half points in the second quarter, and wasn't done. He had plenty more in store out of the break.
Jokic is shooting almost 50% from three point range in the postseason, and he was 3/7 from DT in the Game 4 win.
Gordon has been a matchup nightmare all series long, and he exposed the Heat in the biggest game of the series.
After hitting a couple threes to start the second quarter, Gordon started going to work down low and the Heat could do nothing about it.
We had seen glimpses of Aaron Gordon's ability to take over a game, like we saw in the first quarter of Game 1, but his second quarter was unlike we had seen from him since joining the Nuggets.
Jokic twisted his ankle in the first quarter, went to the locker room and came back and drilled this deep three to show Nuggets fans he was ok.
Bruce Brown has been huge off the bench all postseason, and had his biggest night of the playoffs in the most important game he's ever played.
Neither team found their groove on the offensive end to start the game, but Murray had 6 early points in another record setting night.
Jokic got off the block quickly, but he wouldn't have to been his usual superhuman self with his teammates stepping up in Game 4.
IT'S ALL OVER!!! DENVER ARE GOING BACK HOME WITH A CHANCE TO WIN THEIR FIRST NBA TITLE ON UNDER THEIR OWN ROOF!!!
Caleb Martin finishes the game with a slam, but the Nuggets are going to take this one in Miami!
Brown puts the nail in the coffin with a pull up three and he's got 11 of his 21 in the fourth quarter!
Bam to the line after the foul on Green and he hits both FTs.
Gordon kicks it out to KCP and he drops the dagger on Miami with 1:49 to go!
Miami take a timeout after the lead stretches to the largest of the night!
Brown drives strong, and hits the reverse lay up off the glass! A couple huge buckets for Brown late in the game!
Adebayo drives right to the bucket and gets an easy lay up.
Brown goes up with the floater, get the foul and the bucket!!! FT is good and the lead is back to 11.
Robinson on the penetration and the floater! He's got 12 on the night.
Timeout Nuggets with 3:32 to go in the fourth quarter.
Brown fouled on his way to the bucket and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on Robinson.
Butler lost it and Gordon sparked the break and found Brown for the lay up!
Murray kicks it out to Green and he strings the corner three ball!!! Huge shot by the veteran late in the game!
Butler to the line after the foul on Gordon and he hits both FTs.
Butler got his own rebound and Robinson hits the floater in the lane.
Gordon off the pump fake and he hits the lay up in traffic. He's got a playoff high 27 points!
Timeout Heat with 6:54 to go in the game.
Butler with the short baseline jumper and is it Jimmy time here late in the game?
Murray quiets this crowd down with a three ball off the hand off!!! Huge shot from Murray!
Butler hits the FT out of the timeout.
Butler with the baseline drive, goes into the body of Murray gets the bucket and the foul!!!
Denver is going to take a timeout with 8:42 to go in the fourth after a run from the Heat!
Adebayo to the line after the foul on Gordon and he hits both FTs.
Jokic just picked up his 5th foul and he did it on the offensive end! He'll go to the bench with 9:20 to go.
Robinson with a big three ball to start the fourth quarter, and we've already seen him have a big impact in the fourth quarter in this series.
GORDON FROM DOWNTOWN!!! He's got 25 after the three in the corner and that's how the third quarter ends.
Gordon has been massive tonight, and had 9 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 13, the largest it's been all night!
Gordon on the alley oop as Jokic found him slashing the rim again!
Martin drills a three ball off the kick out from Butler and if Miami are going to get back into this game they have to start making some deep balls!
Gordon following up the miss from Braun and he hits the tip in.
Butler with the jam off the alley oop from Bam!
Brown strings a catch and release three ball after the seven minute delay for the twisted basket.
Bam just got a basket waved off because of basket interference after hanging on the rim after the ball bounced off the rim on his dunk attempt. The rim was left a little crooked so they will tend to that at Kaseya Center.
Brown takes it off the dribble and gets the contested lay up to fall.
Butler to the line after the foul on Jokic and he hits both FTs.
Robinson picked off the pass from Jokic and took it to the iron for the lay up!
Timeout Nuggetes with 3:07 to go in the third quarter.
Love gets into the lane, lays it up and gets the foul! FT is good and he's got 9 in the quarter!
Murray with the pull up from just inside the three point line and the lead is the largest it's been all night!
Jokic draws the defense this time and lobs it up for Gordon for the alley oop!
Jokic punches right back with a three ball of his own! That's three triples for Jokic tonight!!
Love with back to back three balls and the offense is coming from an unlikely source in the third!
Jokic going back at the rack and he gets it to fall from close range.
Love comes out of the timeout and drills a three ball!
Gordon leads Murray to the rack off the bounce pass and that leads to an open lay in.
Timeout Heat with 7:35 to go in the third quarter.
Jokic going strong into the body of Adebayo and getting the finger roll to fall at the rim.
Porter Jr. cutting off the ball and getting another easy look around the bucket.
Vincent pulled up from right outside the lane and hits it off the glass in traffic. That's his first FG of the night.
Porter Jr. streaking to the rack on the baseline and throwing it down off the feed from Jokic.
Adebayo creates some space off the dribble and hits the open jumper.
Love fouled Murray on the lay up attempt and he hits both FTs after the foul.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION FROM MIAMI!
Lowry came off the bench and scored 13 points and dished 4 assists as he helped cut the lead from 9 to 4 just before the halftime break.
It looked like the Nuggets were going to pull away at the end of the half, but Miami came battling back.
Jokic has 16 at half and is 2/4 from DT, which is right on average with his playoff three point shooting percentage.
Gordon had 12 points in the first quarter of Game 1, and improved on that with 15 in the second quarter tonight. He has caused all sorts of problems for the Heat's defense in this series.
After hitting a couple threes, Gordon started to take the Heat defenders off the dribble in a dominant second quarter.
Jokic hit the three ball from way downtown to let everyone know his twisted ankle is doing just fine. He went to the locker room at the quarter change but was back in the game after getting a tape job.
Robinson came off the bench and hit a quick three and then hit Butler on the dump off for the slam.
Gordon started the second quarter taking what the Nuggets were giving him, and then he started taking what he wanted.
After trailing by 7 early on the Heat battled back to take the lead with this buzzer beater by Butler.
Lowry came off the bench and provided a spark for the Heat. He tied the game up with a three ball to get his night going.
The Nuggets are shooting 50% from the three point line tonight, having made 7/14 including this one from Bruce Brown.
Murray hit a couple quick buckets early on and it looked like he was going to heat up out of the gate but he cooled down, going to half with 6 points.
We saw Jokic shot just three FGs in Game 1, but I doubt we will see much of that anymore. Denver got their big man going early in route to a 16 point first half.
The first half comes to an end after the Heat went on a run to cut the nine point lead down to four heading into the third quarter.
It was a slow scoring first quarter, but the offense picked up in the second. Aaron Gordon the way for the Nuggets with 16, and 15 in the second quarter. Jokic has 16 and 5 rebounds after spraining his ankle but returning to the ball game.
Butler has 14 to lead the Heat, Adebayo has 12 and Lowry gave the Heat a spark off the bench posting 13 in the first half.
Butler going to the line with 3.4 to go in the half but he misses both FTs after the foul on Porter Jr.
Lowry is doing everything right now! He laid it off for Bam who threw it down with both hands!!
Lowry muscles his way into the paint and gets the push shot to go in the lane.
Braun to the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on Strus.
Adebayo throws it down after taking it to the rack off the dribble!
Lowry fouls Porter Jr. who was running the break again and he hits both FTs. Denver leads by 9 with 1:36 to go in the half.
Porter Jr. splits the D with a euro step and gets the runner to go on the break.
Lowry was fouled by Gordon and he hits both FTs. He's got 11 on the night.
Jokic at the line out of the timeout and he hits both FTs.
Timeout Nuggets with 2:41 to go in the first half!
Lowry to the line after the foul on KCP and he hits both FTs.
KCP looked like he put up the shot but disguised the lob to Gordon for the alley oop! He's got 15 in the quarter, 16 in the game.
Bam going right at Jokic again, and he gets the lay up to go.
Jokic gets credit for the tip in after the his own miss, although it looked like it could have gone off a Miami player last.
Martin streaks to the iron and skies for the slam off the Lowry dish!
Jokic hits another three ball, this time from the top of the key and the lead is up to 7!
Butler to the line after the foul on Porter Jr. and he gets one of two to drop.
Martin with a couple of cross overs and slashes to the rack for the lay up.
Gordon takes Vincent off the dribble and he gets the bucket and the foul!!! FT is goo and he's got 13 in the quarter!
Gordon goes strong to the bucket and throws it down with authority! He's got 10 in the quarter!
Adebayo hits Butler on the baseline and he shields off the defender and slams it home.
Porter Jr. to the line after the foul on Vincent and he hits one of two FTs.
Lowry to the line after the foul on Jokic, and he hits both FTs.
Murray drew a double team and dumped it off for Porter Jr. slashing to the rack on the baseline for the jam!
Jokic comes out of the timeout and strokes a DEEP three from six feet behind the line!
Needless to say Jokic is back and his ankle is holding up enough.
Robinson creating off the dribble, and he finds Bulter on the baseline for the lay up!
Timeout Nuggets with 7:50 to go in the first half!
Robinson off the bench and on to the scoreboard with a three ball! He's had some big moments in this series, will he shine again here tonight?
Brown dashes to the rack and he hits the lay up off the glass.
Gordon was given another open three, and he punishes the Heat with a second straight three ball!
Adebayo on the pick and roll and he pulls up and banks in the mid range jumper.
Gordon backs into the lane and hits the fade away from inside the FT line.
Gordon was left open on the perimeter and he hits the three ball! He's 3/4 from DT in the series.
Nikola Jokic went back to the locker room during the break after twisting his ankle in the first quarter. We will keep you posted on his status.
Lowry starts the quarter off with a lay up and he's got 5 quick ones off the bench.
Butler beat the buzzer with a spot up three in the corner and the Heat lead by a point after trailing by seven earlier in the quarter.
It's been a low scoring game from Miami to start the night. Denver is shooting 31% from the field as Murray and Jokic both have 6 points a piece.
Jimmy Bulter has 9 to lead the Heat, who shot 50% from the field but just 3/9 from downtown.
Jokic to the line after the foul on Zeller, and he hits both FTs.
Lowry pulls up from the top of the key in transition and drills the three ball! We are all tied up!
Butler with back to back buckets, this time driving to the bucket and banking it off the glass.
Butler pulls up from the mid range and hits the jumper out of the timeout.
Brown hits the open three at the top of the key after the kick out from Gordon in the paint!
Timeout Nuggets with 2:06 to go in the first quarter.
Jokic floats a short effort up and in from the lane and he's getting going from the field.
Martin gets his own rebound and the put back over Jokic down under the rim.
KCP going back to the line after the foul on Bam Adebayo, and he hits one of two FTs.
Butler hits the mid range jumper form the win and he's on the board for the first time tonight.
Murray with the step back and he drills the three on some great defense from Adebayo!
Murray comes out of the timeout and puts his head down for the runner off the glass from outside the lane.
Timeout Heat with 6:55 to go and back and forth we go here in Miami early on.
Butler on the bounce pass to the baseline and Adebayo gets the short jumper to fall.
Love was left open on the wing and he drills the catch and release three ball!
Gordon to the line after the foul on Love and he hits one of two FTs.
KCP hits the first three ball of the night, as he hits it in the corner off the kick out from Jokic.
Murray to the line after a defensive three second call, and he hits the FT.
Jokic showing patience underneath and gets the turn around hook shot to go from the baseline.
Adebayo gets the night started with a quick bucket underneath as the big man goes right at Jokic. He's had 20+ in all three games so far.
GAME 4 IS UNDERWAY FROM MIAMI!!!
Home struggles
Let's not forget that the Heat have lost their last three games at the Kaseya Center dating back to Game 4 in the Eastern Conference Finals. They lost two KO games to the Celtics in the ECF's and last game against the Nuggets. If they lose tonight it will be them facing elimination when Game 5 rolls around in Denver.
Not too much of a surprise to see Kevin Love in the starting five for Miami tonight. He has helped deal with the size of the Nuggets, but even with him in the line up the Nuggets have mismatches all over the court, but he has kept Aaron Gordon quiet since being introduced in the first five.
It's the same ole same ole for Mike Malone and the Denver Nuggets. He's going with the first five that got him here, so why change now in the most important game of the season. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic got going early in Game 3, who will it be tonight in Miami?
Murray’s hand
Herro isn’t the only one suffering a hand injury in this NBA Finals series. Jamal Murray suffered a surface would on his left hand in Game 3 from Miami. While it won’t keep him out from playing tonight, it looks like it has to hurt. He didn’t stop it from recording a 30 point triple-double last game, so lets see how it helps or hurts his game tonight in a pivotal match up in Miami.
Herro still sidelined
Tyler Herro was projected to come back return from a lengthy hand injury in Game 3 of the Finals on Wednesday, but the Miami medical staff didn’t give him the green light to return to action and he sat out yet another game. He will have to watch the game from the sidelines again tonight as he has still not got the go ahead from team doctors. He broke his third and fourth metatarsal in Game 1 of the opening round and was ruled out 4-6 weeks. He is in his seventh week of recovery, and while he hasn’t made his comeback he did start full contact practice this week.
Game 3 winners
The Nuggets winning Game 3 was huge for a couple of reasons. First of all, they got home court back from the Heat after dropping their first game at home this postseason last Sunday. Looking at Game 3 history when a series is tied at 1-1, fortune certainly favors the Nuggets after their road win in Miami. In the history of the NBA Finals there have been 40 ties at 1-1 after two games. The winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series 80% of the time, or 32 out of the 40 times. If they end up winning tonight and taking a 3-1 series lead then it would take a near miracle or the Heat to make a comeback.
Jokic continues making history
Nikola Jokic continues to make history in this incredible playoff run. He may not have won the MVP of the regular season, but he is destined to win the Finals MVP if the Nugget win the title, and he may even win it if they don’t end up as Champions of the NBA. What he is doing has never been seen before in the history of the league. First of all he is averaging a triple-double in a postseason in which he has posted a triple double a record setting 10 times. His latest triple double came in a 32 point, 21 rebound and 10 assists Game 3, as he became the first player to post 30, 20 and 10 in an NBA Finals game. We have the privilege of witnessing history, so sit back, relax and enjoy the show, unless you are a Miami fan.
Role call
Jimmy Butler finished Game 3 with 28 points, and came off the block hot for the first time in the Finals, and Bam Adebayo had another efficient night on both ends of the floor but the key to Miami’s run to the Finals has been the production from the role players. It’s been Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin who have been the most effective, but Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love have had their share of big moments throughout the post season. If the Heat are going to win Game 4, and have any chance of winning the series it’s going to be because of players not named Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Game 3 recap
The Heat kept even with the Nuggets for the first two quarters of Wednesday night’s game from Kaseya. Jamal Murray came out firing with 8 points in the first five minutes of the game as he and Nikola Jokic took almost all of the shots in the first quarter, but Jimmy Butler kept Miami level with the Nugs in the first half after his first quick start to a game in this Finals series. No team led by more than 5 points in the opening two quarters, but Denver came out of the halftime break hot stretching the lead to double digits after a 6-0 run to start the third.
Jokic and Murray would keep that cushion for the rest of the game as both went on to post 30 point triple-doubles. It was the first time in NBA history that two teammates went for 30+ in triple double performances, and Jokic became the first to register a 30, 20 and 10 triple double in the NBA Finals.
We are live from Miami
Hello everyone and welcome to Kaseya Center where the Heat were once again dominated from start to finish in Game 3 on Wednesday. It looked a lot like Denver’s series opening win at Ball Arena, and now the Heat are left trying to pick up the pieces and somehow even the Finals up before heading back to the Mile High City. For the Nuggets, they know they have a golden opportunity to put the Heat against the ropes and head back home for Game 5 with a chance to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy on their home court.
Nuggets vs Heat live
The Denver Nuggets come into Game 4 leading the Miami Heat 2-1 after taking control and home court advantage back on Wednesday night in Miami. Tonight they have a chance to inch to within a win away from their first NBA Championship with a second straight victory on the road. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, highlight and analysis tonight’s pivotal match up from Dade County.