Early on that was playmaking, as he dished out assist after assist to start the game, and nearly went the entire first quarter without taking a shot. Jokic was brilliant all night long, as he orchestrated the Nuggets' offense with whatever they needed at a given time. He did so in Game 1, and in the process joined Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history to record a triple-double in their Finals debut. Nikola Jokic just missed out on averaging a triple-double in the regular season by a few assists, and is a threat to get one every time he steps on the floor. Here are some key takeaways from the game: Jokic makes history with triple-double Bam Adebayo led the way in defeat with 26 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, but Jimmy Butler finished with just 13 points on 14 shots. Speaking of rough shooting from the outside, the Heat could not buy a bucket until the final quarter, and finished 13 of 39 from downtown. As a team, the Nuggets shot 51.3% from the field despite struggling from 3-point land. Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double in his first Finals game with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists on 8 of 12 from the field, Jamal Murray poured in 26 points of his own to go along with six rebounds and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon chipped in 16 points. They led by as much as 24 in the third quarter, and though the Heat made a late charge to make the final score respectable, the Nuggets led by double digits for the vast majority of the game. That approach helped them get out to an early lead, which they never surrendered. This was the first NBA Finals game in franchise history, and they put on a real show for their fans with an efficient offensive display.Įarly on, the Nuggets exploited their size advantage and bullied the Heat in the paint for easy bucket after easy bucket. Until.The Denver Nuggets showed no signs of rust as they cruised to a 104-93 win over the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals on Thursday night. Given their first-half dominance, staving off elimination for one more day was hardly out of the question. The Nuggets outscored the Lakers 36-16 in the third to take a five-point lead entering the fourth, and looked to be in control of their destiny down the stretch.īut the Lakers managed to climb out of a seven-point hole and tie the game with five minutes to play. The Lakers led by 15 at halftime after scoring 73 points in the first half, and it took a third-quarter performance for the ages from the Nuggets to even make this a game. Though the sweep was certainly dominant, Denver’s win in Game 4 was anything but a cakewalk. It marked his eighth triple-double this postseason, a new postseason record. The two-time MVP dropped yet another triple-double in the win, finishing with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists. Jokic was the star, because of course he was, and his Denver Nuggets are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping the Lakers in dominant fashion. So it’s only fitting that he takes his team to the brink of the Promised Land with a string of performances unlike any we’ve ever seen. There has never been a player like Nikola Jokic. Nuggets finish off Lakers, 113-111, advance to first NBA Finals in franchise history
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |