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Audio By Carbonatix
The Miami Heat are back to fighting for their lives after a dismal showing at the Kaseya Center in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic recorded the first 30-point, 20-rebound triple-double in Finals history, finishing with 32 points, 21 rebounds, and ten assists, while point guard Jamal Murray notched his own triple-double putting up 34 points, ten assists, and ten rebounds. The standout performances led the Nuggets to a 109-94 win Wednesday night.
Yup. That happened. The good news is it only counted as one loss. And the NBA Finals are now heading into Game 4 in Miami on Friday night, June 9.
Got another one at home on Friday pic.twitter.com/eNCt0QroDC
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 8, 2023
What a Difference One Game Makes
Coming into Game 3, the Heat were riding mile-high after a win in Denver on Sunday. Having won all three Game 3 contests during this playoff run, the team seemed poised to pounce on the opportunity to take control of the series.
As it happened, the Nuggets had other plans, and from the second quarter on, they were a dominant force for which Heat had no answers.
“We lost a lot of physical 50-50, or ball-in-the-air, ball-on-the-floor battles, throughout the course of the game at key moments,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You have to expect there to be elite-level talent in the Finals.”
“At our best, we find ways to overcome that, make it tough on them, and certainly not lose those physical battles,” Spoelstra said.
The lone bright spot to come out of Miami’s Game 3 debacle would be the play of Bam Adebayo, who finished with a team-high 22 points and 17 rebounds in defeat.
All love between Flash and The Godfather â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/BP9Wm0BkjP
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 8, 2023
Stars Come Out
A laundry list of celebrities was in town to watch the Nuggets humble the Heat, but for Heat fan purposes, the above video features the two that really matter in the Kaseya Center – legendary Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade and Heat president Pat Riley. Wade was seen with a wide smile giving a salute to Riley after Riley kissed his index fingers and pointed to the former Heat star as if to remind him he’s still number one.
On a night when everyone but Bam seemed to be playing with the flu, the Heat could have certainly used Wade for at least a few minutes off the bench.
Freshest Jimmy fit we’ve ever seen 🔥 @neymarjr // #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/RrYlyVURin
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 8, 2023
Also in the house to take in the game was Brazilian soccer ace Neymar Júnior, a former Paris Saint-Germain teammate of Inter Miami’s recently acquired superstar Lionel Messi.
Neymar, a good friend of the Heat’s Jimmy Butler, came into the stadium sporting one of the most unique Heat-themed jackets you’ll ever find, with some busy embroidery and Butler’s number “22” askew on the back. That one is likely not available in the Heat’s team shop at the arena.
What’s Next: Game 4, Friday, June 9, at 8:30 p.m., Kaseya Center
Nobody ever said winning an NBA title would be easy, and things certainly won’t get any easier for the Heat as they try to avoid a must-win situation in Denver in Game 5.
Miami has played the role of underdog all postseason long, playing its best when the chips were down. Game 4 certainly will present the Heat with another opportunity to prove they thrive on living on the edge when all seems lost.
“We have a determination to impact the game and find a different solution or different way to win a game, regardless of whether the ball is going in,” Spoelstra said.
Sometimes it’s win or go home. In this case, it’s win or face the reality that you may not play at home again until next season.
