Game 4  NBA Finals Highlights

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heats on Friday night 108-95 to grab a 3-1 series lead, putting them one victory away from winning their first NBA Championship. Denver recovered from losing Game 2 at home, by stealing the next two games from Miami, thereby putting the team on the verge of a Championship. They now have three more opportunities to win any single game in the NBA FINALS, and thus claim the Championship, starting with a sureshot boisterous atmosphere in Denver on Monday.

Miami has trailed 3-1 in each of the last three Championships (2014, 2020, and the current one). The Heats are well conscious of their challenge and it remains to be seen what coach Eric will pull out of his hat for the Monday night Game 5.

The Star Contributors

The Nuggets were led by Aaron Gordon‘s 27 points, Nikola Jokic‘s 23 points, and Bruce Brown‘s 21 points off the bench. For Denver, Jamal Murray produced 12 assists and a double of 15 points, his fourth straight game with at least ten assists. By starting the Finals with his fourth straight 10-assist game, he matched Magic Johnson’s historic accomplishment. 

Jimmy Butler led Miami with 25 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds. Kyle Lowry contributed 13 points, and Bam Adebayo 11 rebounds and notched a double-double with 20 points.

Being the top seed team in the Western Conference, Denver were the obvious favourites in the series, while the Heat stood at 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heats had lost nine of the previous ten regular-season encounters between the two teams, and the Nuggets’ winning streak over the Heats persisted through the first four matches of the Championship series.

NBA FINALS Game 4 Progression

Despite the Heats valiant efforts in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets were, very much in charge, the entire night. Aaron Gordon got his name etched on this game, as the prior top-five pick dominated, scoring a game-high 27 points while scoring 11 for 15 from the field and 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.

Moving into the fourth quarter Denver lead by 13 points, putting Miami players in the do or die zone. With 9:24 left, Jokic picked up his fifth foul and was forced to the bench after the Heats netted the first eight points. The score read 86-81.

But even without their two-time MVP, the Nuggets, who had once suffered their lone series setback in the final quarter of Game 2, didn’t give up. With 6:21 remaining, Miami trailed 94-85 after Jeff Green hit a clutch corner three-pointer from close to the Heats bench to break Miami’s 8-0 run.

Jokic left while Denver was ahead by 10. By the time he returned, the Nuggets had lost just one point. Nuggets would have been in serious trouble, when midway through the first quarter, Jokic fell on the heel of Max Strus’ foot and twisted his right ankle. During the break, after the first quarter, he briefly disappeared to the team locker room, but then continued playing without any apparent discomfort.

Miami missed the opportunity to cash in when Jokic was benched due to foul. They will now have to defy precedent, if they want to be contenders for the trophy. Teams who take a lead of 3 to 1, in the NBA playoffs, have triumphed for 35 times, out of the previous 36 times.