Denver travels first. Led by a great Nikola Jokic (32 pts, 21 rbs, 10 wt) and a no less brilliant Jamal Murray (34 pts, 10 rbs, 10 wt), the Nuggets won on the Miami floor (94-109) last night in Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals. They now lead the series 2-1 going into Round 4 on Friday, still in Florida. Under the eyes of football stars Neymar Jr (PSG) and Paul Pogba (Juventus), Denver took the reins in the third quarter and never let them go. 28 points for Jimmy Butler and a big double-double to the credit of Bam Adebayo (22 pts, 17 rbs), clumsy (7/21). An evil that did not affect only him in the ranks of the Heat, with an ugly 3 out of 17 in cumulative shots for the starting back line Vincent / Strus.
The first period can be summed up quite simply, with small “runs” on both sides, intensity, rhythm and the stars at the rendezvous. At the break, already 14 points for Butler and Adebayo in a double-double at 13 points and 10 rebounds – despite a suspicious address at 5/12 – on the Miami side, not to mention Caleb Martin’s hot shot and his 8 points in a row in the second quarter. Among the Nuggets, 20 points from Murray and Jokic in the oven and at the mill with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Note the surprise of the chief on the Denver side, with coach Malone pulling Reggie Jackson out of his hat, he who had not played since the Lakers. 1 minute 20, for the form. In the end, no more than five points difference on either side. And it was at 5 that the Colorado players returned to the locker room (24-24 end 1st QT, 48-53 MT), after a fault well sold by the “Joker”. Miami was shooting under 40% and Denver was pounding the circle at leisure.
But the Denver team who recited his basketball around the Jokic / Murray tandem on recovery (48-59), with a big domination in offensive rebounds and Gordon who tore himself (57-70). Unable to close the paint (60 points in the racket for Denver in the end) and confusing speed and precipitation in attack, the Heat on the verge of breaking (63-82). Butler and his team were doing well, trailing only 14 points at the start of the last 12 minutes (68-82). “In the last two matches, they won the fourth quarter. This time, we have to win it, ”claimed coach Malone. Message received, in particular by Christian Braun, third best scorer of his team with his 15 points (72-93). What an impact… Obviously, Miami did not let go, even returning to -9 after two increases from Duncan Robinson 1’22 from the end (94-103), while some spectators had already left. After an offensive foul from Murray, the Heat even had one ball to get back to two possessions! In vain (94-109 final score). And Denver won the last quarter 27-26 by the way.
Next meeting between the two teams on the night of June 9 to 10 (2:30 a.m.), still in Miami, the future kingdom of a certain Lionel Messi. By then, another final will have started on the basketball planet, that of Betclic Elite. AS Monaco will host Victor Wembanyama’s Metropolitans 92 on Saturday (8:30 p.m.), in the Gaston-Médecin room. Final which will even go through the Parisian temple of tennis, with match 3 which will be played at Roland-Garros. “Wemby” is worth it.
2023 NBA Finals schedule and results: Game 1: Denver-Miami 104-93 Game 2: Denver-Miami 108-111 (both teams tied, 1-1) Game 3: Miami-Denver 94-109 (Denver leads 2- 1) Game 4: Miami-Denver, on the night of June 9 to 10 (2h30) Game 5: Denver-Miami, on the night of June 12 to 13 (2h30)
If necessaryMatch 6: Miami-Denver, on the night of June 15 to 16 (2h30)Match 7: Denver-Miami, on the night of June 18 to 19 (2h)
