The Denver Nuggets overcame Nikola Jokic foul trouble to beat the Miami Heat in Game 4 and take command of the NBA Finals.
The 8-seed Miami Heat found themselves in unfamiliar territory entering Game 4: On the wrong end of an early-series deficit. Meanwhile, the No. 1-seed Denver Nuggets have looked like the best team in the NBA all postseason. That didn’t change in Game 4.
Despite Miami’s best efforts to muck up the game and make things competitive, the Nuggets ended up cruising to victory down the stretch despite Nikola Jokic picking up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter.
The Joker still managed 23 points and 12 rebounds on 18 shots. Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown were the standouts from Denver’s supporting cast with 27 points and 21 points, respectively. Jamal Murray chipped in 15 points and 12 assists.
The final score was 108-95. Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and contributed seven assists, but he continues to look more passive than the Jimmy Butler we saw earlier in the postseason.
With Denver up 3-1 and Miami officially on the brink, Twitter was reliable as always with top quality reactions.
NBA Twitter reacts to Denver Nuggets’ Game 4 win over Miami Heat
The Nuggets certainly have all the momentum. It’s impossible to count out this Miami team — they’ve already overcome unfathomable odds to reach this point — but Denver is operating at a level far above any Eastern Conference team. The Celtics, Bucks, and Knicks all had fatal flaws. Denver isn’t perfect, but there are moments where they look pretty damn close.
Jokic has been the best player on the floor through four games. He’s now one game away from adding a Finals MVP to his impressive résumé. If Denver can seal the deal, Jokic’s case as one of the best players of his generation will be rock-solid.
Meanwhile, Jamal Murray’s ascent has been nothing short of historic. He was prolific in the regular season, but his ability to elevate on the big stage is mesmerizing. Murray is the first player in NBA history to register 10+ assists in his first four Finals games.
The Nuggets are one win away from the first championship in franchise history. The Heat will have to steal Game 5 on the road in front of a raucous Denver crowd in order to swing the series back to Miami for Game 6… can Jimmy Butler pull one last rabbit out of his hat?