The Denver Nuggets pulled off a strong Game 3 win over the Miami Heat to take a 2-1 series lead after faltering in a close loss in Game 2. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray almost single-handedly ensured the Nuggets took this game.
Jokic had 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists on the night, while Murray had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to become the first pair of teammates to have 30-point triple-doubles in the NBA Finals. Michael Malone declared this their greatest performance as a duo.
“I’ve been with Nikola [Jokic] for eight [years] and Jamal [Murray] for seven years now. We’ve had some pretty good moments. But not in the NBA Finals and for those guys to make history the way they did tonight, no one’s ever done that… By far their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together.”
"I've been with Nikola [Jokic] for 8 [years] and Jamal [Murray] for 7 years now. We've had some pretty good moments. But not in the NBA Finals… By far their greatest performance as a duo in their 7 years together."
Nuggets coach Michael Malone on Joker and Murray recording… pic.twitter.com/W8fbfviCeU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 8, 2023
Murray and Jokic managed to singlehandedly outplay all five of Miami’s starters. The duo combined for 66 points, 31 rebounds, and 20 assists; meanwhile, the Heat’s five starters combined for 66 points, 25 rebounds, and 12 assists. This was a generational performance that will be a highlight of their careers until they retire.
No Answer For Nikola Jokic And Jamal Murray
The Heat were able to restrict Murray to under 20 points in Game 2, and it was a major factor behind why they were able to win that game. Tonight, the same Murray that was hitting daggers on the Lakers showed up with a breathtaking offensive performance. We’ve come to expect big performances from Jokic, but it seems Murray may be right next to him in terms of his incredible playoff contributions.
The Heat’s duo of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are clearly not able to contain Murray and Jokic or outscore them. Butler and Adebayo combined for 50 points, but both were inefficient and didn’t have the defensive impact the team needs them to have. Jokic is comfortably scoring on Bam, while Butler isn’t guarding Murray as often to try and restrict the various perimeter options that the Nuggets have.
The talent disparity is shining through right now, and the Heat will need to rely on their fundamental principles to keep beating teams that have more talent than them.
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