NBA Finals: Denver Nuggets beat Miami Heat to move to within one win of maiden title

Having previously triumphed over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Lakers, the Denver Nuggets have arrived at the NBA finals.

A crucial 108-95 win over the Miami Heat has positioned the Denver Nuggets just one victory away from their inaugural NBA title. This triumph in the best-of-seven championship series now gives the Nuggets a 3-1 lead.

The Nuggets exhibited a remarkable team display and commanded the game throughout. Aaron Gordon, the forward, played a critical role by contributing 27 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

The Nuggets have the opportunity to claim the championship on their home court during game five on Monday evening (01:30 BST on Tuesday).

Michael Malone, Nuggets head coach, praised Aaron saying, “Aaron was tremendous throughout the match. He came ready and showed great intensity at both ends for us.

“This victory is genuinely a team achievement. While we’ve done our part, we’re not celebrating as if we’ve accomplished everything.

“We understand the necessity of ignoring outside noise, including turning off the TV, the radio, ignoring newspapers, and not getting caught up in praise. We haven’t achieved our goal yet.

“To become world champions, we need to secure another victory. We’ll do this by focusing on one quarter at a time. Staying true to our identity will give us a great chance of achieving this.”

However, the Nuggets faced a brief moment of uncertainty when Nikola Jokic, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, had a minor ankle injury in the first quarter and had to rest for five minutes in the final quarter due to foul issues.

Despite Jokic’s absence, Miami was unable to capitalize. When Jokic returned with just over four minutes left in the game, Denver, who were already leading by four at half-time and had extended their lead to 13 points in the third quarter, managed to maintain their momentum.

Jokic ended the game with 23 points, while Bruce Brown delivered three late baskets to finish with 21 points. Additionally, guard Jamal Murray contributed 15 points and 12 assists.

Reacting to the game, Miami’s head coach Erik Spoelstra said, “Every time we thought we were closing the gap to six or eight, they managed to extend it to 12,” He remained optimistic, however, stating that the series could still be reversed.

“We possess an extraordinarily competitive group. We’ve always faced challenges head-on, and that’s exactly what needs to happen now, once again.”