The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 109-94 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to take a 2-1 series lead.
Both teams came out exchanging baskets. Nuggets star Nikola Jokic nearly had a triple-double in the first quarter, scoring 10 points and adding seven rebounds and three assists.
With the score tied early in the second quarter, the Heat’s Caleb Martin came alive and scored eight consecutive points, including two three-pointers, to give Miami the lead. However, the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray continued his big first half, scoring 20 points and dishing out four assists to give Denver a 53-48 lead going into the break.
The second half was all Nuggets, who extended the lead to as many as 16 points at one point. Christian Braun, a 2022 first-round pick of the Nuggets, gave Denver a boost off the bench, scoring 15 points on 7-8 shooting.
The Nuggets’ second-half run ended the energy at Miami’s Kaseya Center.
With less than a minute left in the game and the score out of reach, 20-year NBA veteran Udonis Haslem entered the game for Miami, becoming the oldest player to play in an NBA Finals game at 42 years old.
Jokic, a two-time MVP, finished the game with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first player in NBA Finals history to post a 30-20-10 triple-double. It was also Jokic’s third 30-20-10 triple-double of the postseason.
Murray also posted a triple-double, with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Heat star forward Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and teammate Bam Adebayo added 22 points and 17 rebounds.
Game 4 is scheduled for Friday in Miami.