Los Denver The Nuggets took a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals by defeating the Miami Heat 108-95 in Game 4. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 27 points while Nikola Jokic had 23 points. Denver now just needs one more win to clinch its first NBA championship.
The Nuggets showed their dominance by winning both games in Miami, putting themselves in complete control of the series. With three chances to seal the title, Denver will have home advantage to play two of those games. An electric atmosphere is expected for Game 5 in Denver on Monday night.
Jamal Murray continued his breakout performance, recording 15 points and 12 assists, in his fourth straight game with double-digit assists. On the other hand, Jimmy Butler scored 25 points for Miami, but it wasn’t enough to keep them from falling to a 3-1 deficit for the third time in their last three Finals appearances.
The chances of a comeback for Miami look bleak, as the Nuggets have been the clear favorites throughout the series. Denver, as the top seed in the Western Conference, has had the edge over the Heat in recent matchups, winning nine of their last ten meetings.
Despite a strong start to the fourth quarter by Miami, cutting the gap to five points, the Nuggets held their own. A timely 3-pointer by Murray halted the Heat’s momentum, and a crucial corner 3-pointer by Jeff Green extended Denver’s lead to nine points with 6:21 remaining.
Even with Jokic temporarily out of the game due to foul trouble, the Nuggets kept their composure. They withstood the Heat’s last attempt and secured the victory. Now, Miami must defy history to prevent Denver from taking the championship. In NBA Finals history, teams that have taken a 3-1 lead have been victorious 35 of 36 times.
The Nuggets also had a brief scare when Jokic sprained his right ankle in the first quarter. However, he returned to the field after a brief visit to the locker room and played the rest of the game without any apparent problems.
As the series returns to Denver, the Nuggets are on the verge of clinching their coveted NBA championship. Miami faces an uphill battle to overcome the odds and make a comeback. Game 5 will be a crucial test for both teams, with Denver eager to close out the series and Miami struggling to keep their championship hope alive.
2023-06-10 07:21:31
#Denver #Nuggets #close #NBA #championship
