After hitting six of their 13 total three-pointers in the final quarter to threaten a late Game 1 comeback, that sequence foreshadowed a fiery start three days later as the Heat tied the NBA Finals. Miami began hot from deep before finishing with staunch defence down the stretch as Bam Adebayo and Gabe Vincent were key en route to a road win, despite Nikola Jokic’s 41-point outing.
Fine margins make all the difference for Miami
- Miami leave their best effort for the final quarter – two games running – outscoring their hosts 36-25, producing multiple defensive plays to stun Denver, who collected seven Q4 fouls in no time and were punished
- “We gutted one out on their court, it’s time to protect home court now. We gotta do it on the defensive end, the biggest thing was getting stops, making them take difficult shots, bodies in the way,” Adebayo post-game
- Jokic scores 41 points but it’s ultimately in vain, after Jamal Murray misses three-pointer that would’ve taken Game 2 into overtime while head coach Michael Malone laments his side’s lack of defensive discipline
- Malone: “Let’s talk about effort, that’s a huge concern of mine. You guys probably thought I just made up some storyline after Game 1, saying we didn’t play well. This is not the pre or regular season, this is the NBA Finals.”
Bam Adebayo exchanges passes with Gabe Vincent, then sets a screen for Kyle Lowry after a dribble hand-off. He cuts towards the basket after screening Bruce Brown, Michael Porter Jr is slow to react and the 25-year-old drains a 17-foot jumpshot.
Miami’s lead is now five with 8:40 left in the fourth, having trailed for large periods of this contest and having an eight-point deficit to overturn at the start of the quarter.
It was one of many possessions which, yet again, could be used to encapsulate how things quickly went awry for the Nuggets. Miami were humming along nicely.
They began Game 2 furiously, Max Strus quickly dismissing his 0-for-10 shooting night by opening the game with a three from an Adebayo assist, before Vincent hit a pair of pullup jumpers himself during an encouraging 7-0 run.
Nikola Jokic, predictably, settled the Denver fans to end a 0-of-4 shooting start with a driving layup and it felt telling the Serbian was more inclined to be aggressive offensively on a night where many around him didn’t do themselves justice.
Rookie guard Christian Braun was a rare exception. After going scoreless in eight minutes last time out, he provided a morale-boosting impact off the bench: a trio of steals, assists, a beautiful fall-away jumper over Adebayo and an efficient 3-of-3 FGM.
Jeff van Gundy on ESPN commentary repeatedly highlighted Jokic’s lack of assists (4), after 14 on Thursday night, but that wasn’t by choice: Denver missed promising looks aplenty, and only connected on eight of their 27 three-point attempts too.
After hitting five field goals in Game 1, Porter Jr had just five points total (2-of-8, 1-of-6 3PM) and was a few steps slow defensively on multiple plays as Miami profited.
He wasn’t the only Denver player enduring a noticeable drop-off in production: Jamal Murray was largely a non-factor creatively until late, with 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting before the fourth quarter. He finished with 18 points and 10 assists.
Aaron Gordon flushed a few flashy dunks and two handy threes (joint team-high with Jokic), but didn’t have the same aggression that punctuated Thursday’s contest.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had six points, a trio of assists and rebounds alongside a steal and block but crucially three fourth quarter fouls leading to seven Miami points.
Erik Spoelstra’s side were clever, addressing the free throw problem (or lack thereof) and muddying Denver’s offensive flow with overtly physical play – being willing to take a foul, daring their hosts to beat them. Jokic did, but no-one else was close by.
G1
Heat fouls: 15, 2-2 on free throws
Denver fouls: 8, 16-20 on FTs
G2
Heat: 22, 18-20 on FTs
Denver: 21, 19-22 on FTs
Jokic’s offensive aggression wasn’t matched until too late
The two-time MVP had 18 points in the third quarter alone, as you could sense he was uncomfortable with how close the game was getting and took it out on whichever Miami player was brave enough to invade his airspace contesting.
Problem? They put multiple bodies on him, big and small, from Adebayo to Vincent, and while his surges through contact were admirable, they would later take a toll.
Strus and Vincent had active hands off-the-ball, Adebayo and surprise starter Kevin Love on it, while Jimmy Butler’s shrewd help defence and assignment to deny Murray didn’t go unnoticed during another inefficient shooting night for him.
It didn’t matter. He combined well to feed Vincent for a pair of three-point makes early in the third punishing a ball-watching Porter Jr and didn’t shy away from the occasion in crunch time, finishing with 21 points and nine assists.
As ESPN’s sideline interview played in the background – Nuggets head coach Michael Malone bemoaning defensive miscommunications and gifting Miami open threes – Murray bit on a shot fake as Duncan Robinson drilled a open to kickstart the fourth.
There was more where that came from, Robinson scored eight straight Miami points, as Adebayo again showed his playmaking awareness with a series of deft passes.
“I have the utmost confidence in him, he comes in [to the game] with that spark and provides that,” Adebayo said about Robinson’s contributions post-game.
One rebound shy of another double-double, Bam (21 pts, 9 rebs, four ast) burned Malone’s men with a more efficient outing – 11 fewer shots, more impactful defensively and he matched their collective block total (2) on Jokic and Murray.
Denver will feel this defeat was self-inflicted as far as execution and concentration lapses are concerned, so adjustments will be made to respond as such on the road.
Miami though, have tied up a series many predicted wouldn’t be close and now have the luxury of home comforts as Game 3 at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night awaits.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via ESPN TV broadcast
Mo and Sports 