NBA Finals 2023 Live Score, Nuggets vs Heat: Denver Nuggets take on Miami Heat in Game 1 of NBA Finals.Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat Highlights, NBA Finals Game 1: Nikola Jokic got a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 on Thursday. The two-time NBA MVP finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets, who waited 47 years to make the finals and didn’t disappoint.
Aaron Gordon added 16 points and Michael Porter Jr. scored 14 for Denver, which trailed for all of 34 seconds and eventually led by as many as 24. Bam Adebayo finished with 26 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, which shot 41% for the game — 33% from 3-point range. Gabe Vincent scored 19, Haywood Highsmith had 18 and Jimmy Butler added 13 for the Heat. Game 2 is in Denver on Monday morning. (Associated Press)
Scroll down to follow Highlights of Game 1 between Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat:
Denver Nuggets vs Miami heat Live match and updates. (AP)
And with that, we have come to the end of our live coverage of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. We'll be back with more live sport. Till then, take care and keep following The Indian Express.
Nikola Jokic becomes the 2nd player to record a triple-double in their Finals debut, joining Jason Kidd, tweets NBA History.
Kidd: 23 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST on 6/5/2002 | Jokic: 27 PTS, 14 AST, 10 REB in Game 1
Miami Heeat need one win to break a tie with the 1998-99 New York Knicks for most wins by a No. 8 seed in NBA playoff history.
The Knicks went 12-8 in the playoffs that season on their way to the NBA Finals. The Heat are 12-7 so far in these playoffs after Game 1.
One of the reasons for their Game 1 defeat was Miami Heat's shooters struggling.
Caleb Martin was 1 from 7 in field goals while Max Strus was 0 from 10.
"I don't need to shoot, don't need to score. Most important thing was to win today," the Serbian tells the NBA's courtside reporter.
... and on his NBA Finals debut!
23 POINTS, 10 REBOUNDS, 14 ASSISTS
The Miami Heat, trailing by 21 points at one stage, have brought the lead down to single digits! But time is running out with just over 2 minutes left on the clock.
With just under three minutes left in Q3, Denver have overpowered the visitors. Jamal Murray has 24 points so far while Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. have 14 points each.
Just over eight minutes left in the third quarter, and the Denver Nuggets are threatening to run away with this game. Jimmy Butler, the Miami talisman, has just nine points on the night, with Bam Adebayo (20 points) needing to do it all on both ends of the floor for Miami.
Denver Nuggets are 10-0 when leading by double figures this postseason.
Six games! That’s what history says. In the 76 editions of the NBA Finals, the winner has been decided in six games 30 times, which is the most common outcome.
The title series has gone to Game 7 on 19 occasions, ended in five games on 18 occasions and wound up as a four-game sweep only nine times.
The home side has a heavy lead thanks to Jamal Murray (18 points), and Aaron Gordon (14). Nikola Jokic has contributed 10 assists besides 10 points.
Denver lead 39-27 with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter. Porter is doing everything for the Nuggets! So far, he has eight points, five rebounds and two blocks on the night.
The Denver Nuggets lead 29-20 at the end of Q1.
63 percent shooting for Denver so far on the night as we head to the end of the first quarter. Miami, on the other hand, seem to be shooting with their eyes closed. Their shots are just not dropping into the hoop.
With 1:59 left in Q1, it's Denver 27-20 Miami
... Nikola Jokic has NOT taken a shot yet!
A lot has been made of Miami's defensive strengths. Today, Michael Porter Jr has already put int two blocks in the first quarter.
Denver coach Michael Malone has spoken of how Michael Porter Jr was not too keen on working defensively for the team in his early days. Not today!
As you'd expect, it's Jimmy Butler doing most of the scoring for the heat with five points while Aaron Gordon with eight points has almost scored as many points as the entire Miami side.
The Miami Heat move 5-4 ahead thanks to their star's pull-up jumper from beyond the arc!
Denver Nuggets start the night with a two-pointer!
Ahead of tip-off, we hear Michael Malone telling his team: "Remember why we got here! Stay true to ourselves!"
The Finals will see a match-up bwtween a team that ranked 10 spots higher on offense in the regular season (the Denver Nuggets) vs a team that ranked 16 spots higher on defense (the Miami Heat).
While a lot has been made of the fact that the Miami Heat have come to the Finals this season after surviving the Play-ins, the Nuggets have emerged from the Western Conference after overcoming the Phoenix Suns -- with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker -- in the Western Conference semifinals, and then the LA Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the Western Conference Finals.
Hello and welcome to our coverage of game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets from the Western Conference and the East's Miami Heat.
Despite the Nuggets coming into the Finals after starting the playoffs as the No 1 seed, not many outside of Denver would have picked them to be the NBA Finals. But here we are. Who will prevail? We'll find out soon enough.