The Denver Nuggets are making history in the NBA Finals, and it’s all thanks to the outstanding performances of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. In Game 3, the Nuggets stole back home-court advantage with a 109-94 win against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Jokic’s historic performance in Game 3 makes him the first player to record a 30-20-10 game in NBA Finals history. His stellar stat line included 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists in 44 minutes, dominating every aspect of the game. Jokic has now recorded two of the only four other 30-20-10 games in NBA Playoffs history alongside legendary players Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Murray wasn’t going to let Jokic have all the fun as he joined the triple-double club with a final stat line of 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. His impressive feat made him the third player in NBA history to get 10+ assists in three straight games of a Finals series. The other two players with this distinction are Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy.
Together, Jokic and Murray made history as the first teammates to ever record 30-point triple-doubles in a game — not just in a Finals or Playoff game but in any game in NBA history.
To secure the Game 3 win, Jokic and Murray played significant minutes, logging 44 and 45 minutes, respectively. This quick turnaround with Game 4 on Friday is the only game of the series without two off days.
In Game 2, the Heat’s success on open and wide-open 3-point shots led to a 48.6% 3-point shooting percentage and a win. In Game 3, however, the Heat shot just 11-of-35 from 3-point range, making it their fifth-worst shooting performance in the playoffs. The Nuggets’ defensive efforts significantly improved, especially against the Heat’s top 3-point shooters.
Game 3 could have been called the Christian Braun game, as the rookie had a tremendous two-minute run that extended the team’s lead. Braun made significant plays like a cutting layup and fast break dunk. Although Jokic and Murray stole the show, Braun’s contribution did not go unnoticed.
The Nuggets were dominant in points in the paint, almost doubling the Heat with a 60-34 lead. The Heat had plenty of opportunities to score, but they struggled to convert them, while the Nuggets thrived close to the basket.
Bam Adebayo posted an impressive stat line with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and three assists in 41 minutes of play. However, he had the lowest plus-minus of any Heat player in the game (-20) due to missed opportunities close to the basket.
Despite this, Adebayo’s standout play was the “Bam Slam,” as he slammed home a putback dunk over Jokic. This was a great play overall by the Heat, with Butler spotting a perfect backdoor cut and delivering the pass to Martin, who drew the defense, leaving Adebayo wide open for the dunk.
Overall, the Nuggets’ Game 3 win puts them two wins away from making history while showcasing the unbelievable performances of Jokic and Murray. If they continue to play at this level, we can expect the Nuggets to make history in the NBA Finals.
